original order

The arrangement of records established by the creator, preserved by NARA in order to preserve existing relationships, evidential significance, and the usefulness of finding aids supplied by the creator.

an archival principle that requires records to be kept in their original filing system and - document-by-document, file-by-file, series-by-series - so as not to destroy the intended functional relationships (context) among the records; sometimes referred to as "sanctity of the original order." Damage to or destruction of original order damages or destroys the evidential integrity of a series or group of records. See arrangement.