Is It Correct to Say “For Your Records”?

“For your records” crops up in all kinds of formal writing. Have you seen it before? Have you wondered what it means or how to use it?

We’ll explain everything you need to know about “for your records” to help you in the future.

Is It Correct to Say “For Your Records”?

“For your records” is grammatically correct and means something is provided for you to reference later. It’s commonly seen in formal emails when someone is giving you a file or attachment that might help you later but not now (i.e. “I’d like you to have the file for your records”).

“For your records” is correct English. You should use it to ask someone to keep something on hand in case they need it again. You never know when a situation might arise that requires something you might have been sent a few months ago.

• Please see attached for your records. Keep them safe until such a time as we need them again.
• I have provided the information you seek. Please, keep them for your records until we need them.

You may also come across the singular form “for your record.” There is no major grammatical difference between the two, though “for your record” only works when a singular file or attachment is provided:

• I am sending you this for your record. Please, keep hold of it until we call upon it again.

You will almost always find “for your record” and “for your records” used interchangeably. Most native speakers treat them as synonymous.

We’ve now explained that “for your records” is correct to use in formal writing. However, if you’re still uncomfortable with it or would prefer a different phrase, you should learn some alternatives. We’ve gathered some great suggestions on what to say instead of “for your records.”

Other Ways to Say “For Your Records”

Other ways to say “for your records” are “for your reference,” “for your files,” and “for your information.” These phrases are excellent in a formal email. They show that you have information that might be useful later. It shows someone to save them somewhere they can access them again.

1. For Your Reference

“For your reference” is great to use as an alternative. It shows you have something to give someone that they’ll benefit from “referencing” at a later stage. It works well when someone might be able to use the information later.

“For your reference” is one of the best alternatives you can use. It’s almost identical in every way to “for your records.” Most people prefer using “reference” because it clarifies that you want someone to refer back to information at some point.

• I have attached some of the information for your reference. Let me know if it applies to you.
• For your reference, these files will not be reviewed again. You should keep hold of them for the time being.

2. For Your Files

“For your files” is a great example of how to say “for your records” more clearly. It shows that you want someone to save something to their “files,” meaning you expect them to refer back to it at a later stage.

Encouraging someone to save something works well in formal (and informal) settings. While they may never need it, it’s good to have it saved and ready for use. If it’s saved, it’s easier to locate. You never know when something might occur that requires them to find that file again.

• I’ll hand this to you for your files. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you out, though.
• This is for your files. I don’t expect you to do much else with it right now. I just hope we can figure this out.

3. For Your Information

“For your information” is a good example of another way to say “for your records.” Most native speakers are familiar with this phrase. It shows that you have information that might pertain to somebody, even if it doesn’t currently work at the moment.

“For your information” is a great phrase in most contexts. It shows that someone should know something and add it to their “information.”

Sometimes, this just means they should keep it in mind for later. Other times, it might be more direct, expecting someone to save a copy of something to use later.

• I am handing this to you for your information. I think you would benefit from reading through some of these issues.
• For your information, I have attached the new changes. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to correct.

4. For Reference

“For reference” works well here. You can remove “your” from “for your reference” to show that someone can refer to something when they need more information. “For reference” is great when you’re looking for more simple alternatives.

“For reference” works in most formal situations. It lets someone know that you’ve got something that might benefit them in the future. They can also keep it saved to refer to when they think it’s more appropriate.

• I’m going to send it across for reference. I’m not sure when you’ll need it again, but I feel it’ll come soon.
• I’ll need this for reference. I appreciate that it’s not good at the moment, but I expect that to change soon.

5. To Add to Your Records

“To add to your records” is an instructive synonym you can use. It works best when stating that someone should “add” a file to their records because it might come in handy in the future.

It’s more instructive than the other alternatives because it clearly states what you want someone to do. It shows you want them to add something to their records rather than just read over it and take the information in. This encourages people to pay more attention to it.

• I would like you to have this to add to your records. I think it’s important for you to follow along with this.
• You can see this file to add to your records. It will come in very handy in the future. I’m sure of it.

6. To Use Later

“To use later” shows that you have something to give someone that might come in handy at some point. “Later” is used to show them that it might not make sense or be relevant now. It implies that they’ll have to wait before reviewing it again.

“Use” is a commanding verb. It shows that it’s very likely that the file or attachment will be relevant soon. “Use” implies that there will come a time when you have to use the file’s contents, making it more valuable to the recipient when they read about it.

• I want this to be here to use later if you need it. I attached the file just in case you find a use for it.
• I’m going to need this sent across to me to use later. I think it’s going to help me interview her.

7. To Refer to Later

“To refer to later” is a simple phrase you can use as an alternative. It shows you would like someone to refer to information later without using any fancy words. It keeps things simple, meaning most recipients won’t get confused by your language choices.

“To refer to later” works very well to let someone know something is quite important. While it might not be useful at the moment, “referring to it later” might give someone a clearer picture of why it’s needed.

• Can you send it to me to refer to later? I’m afraid I don’t have the time to look through all of it right now.
• She gave me the reports to refer to later. I hope I won’t have to do something like that for you.

8. For Later Use

“For later use” suggests you have sent someone something for a reason that is not yet clear. This shows that you would like them to get around to something “later,” implying that it’ll have more use in the future.

This is common practice in formal situations when you have made reports or files that are for future changes or systems. It shows that you’ve planned ahead for something but do not need the reports or files yet.

• I’ll keep it in mind for later use. I’m sure there will come a time when this becomes more relevant.
• She wasn’t going to send it across for later use. I had to speak to her to figure out her intentions.

9. For Future Reference

“For future reference” is a great phrase you can use as one of the synonyms for “for your records.” It means you want someone to refer to something in the future, as long as a situation arises when it might be relevant.

This usually encourages people to save the information you’ve given them. They should note down where they’ve saved it to. This ensures it is easy to access. If a situation comes up when it is needed again, a well-prepared person will know exactly where to find it.

• I’ll need this for future reference. When you return to your office, could you please email me about it?
• This should be used for future reference. Until there comes a time to use it, I think we should keep it private.

10. For the Future

“For the future” gives someone a rough timeframe for when something might become important, especially if it’s not currently relevant. You should use it when providing someone with information or files that might help them later.

This encourages them to save them for another time. They can refer to them whenever they feel it’s appropriate to do so. “For the future” is general enough to show that it might come up at another time, but it also may never come up again.

• For the future, you should have a copy of this report. I think that makes the most sense for what we’re looking for.
• The reports will be saved for the future. We will look back at them to see whether we’ve made any changes for the better.

What’s the Abbreviation for “For Your Records”?

“FYR” is the correct abbreviation for “for your records.” You may use it when it’s clear that you’re referring to something someone should reference later.

“FYR” is also the abbreviation for “for your reference.” Luckily, the two phrases are synonymous, meaning that “FYR” will work regardless of which phrase you abbreviated.