Original order

From DictionGloss

The functional filing arrangement imposed on a document collection by its creator. The original order of collections can provide information not found elsewhere, such as when the creator received a communication, who reviewed a document, or what the sequence of an administrative activity was. Original order should be preserved or reconstructed in a collection as it allows for rapid arrangement, accurate contextual research, and additional insight into the record creator's methods and activities. If a collection has no order because of mismanagement or disaster, a decision to impose an order may be made only by an experienced archivist.