Appraisal is the process of evaluating the uses and values of groups of records in an organisation to determine for how long and where they should be retained. Appraisal is the process of evaluating public offices' business activities to determine which records need to be created and captured into recordkeeping systems and how long the records need to be kept, to meet business needs, the requirements of organisational accountability and community expectations.

State Records works with public offices in the appraisal process to help ensure that the needs of people and government for records - as evidence of the business of the NSW public sector - are met now and in the future.