The parcel fabric is a records-driven system that organizes parcel data based on the form in which the data was originally recorded. Parcel data is recorded on legal records such as plans, plats, deeds, and records of survey. In the parcel fabric, parcel features are associated with the legal record, and parcels are created and edited in response to changes to the legal record. By associating parcels with the legal record, parcel lineage can be tracked, and parcels can be linked with external recording systems.
Records feature class
Parcel features are associated with their legal parcel record, which is stored in the Records feature class. The Records feature class is a polygon feature class that stores the following information:
- A single record feature for every legal record added to the parcel fabric.
- A GlobalID for every record, which is referenced by all the parcel features associated with the record. The Created By Record and Retired By Record fields of parcel features store the GlobalID of the associated record.
- The record polygon, which is the record footprint. The record polygon matches the cumulative geometry of all the parcels associated with it.
- Unique record names that allow for integration and association with external recording systems.
- A Record Type field that stores user-defined record types.
- The number of parcels created and retired as historic by the record.
Learn more about the Records feature class
The following parcel features are associated with a parcel record:
- Parcel type lines
- Parcel type polygons
- Connection lines
- Parcel points
The parcel type line, parcel type polygon, and connection line feature classes have a validation type attribute rule that requires the features to be associated with a record feature.
History
History in the parcel fabric is tracked by capturing the legal parcel records that create and retire parcels.
Parcel features are associated with the record that created them and the record that retired them. When parcels are created in a new record, the GlobalID of the associated parcel record is stored in the Created By Record attribute field of the parcel features. When a new record retires parcels (makes them historic), the Retired By Record attribute field of historic parcel features stores the GlobalID of the parcel record.
Create a parcel record
Parcel records are created and managed in the Manage Records pane. To open the Manage Records pane, click the Create Record drop-down arrow 
in the Records group on the Parcels ribbon and click Manage.
When you create a record, you can populate fields in the Records feature class with information from the legal document.
- Click Create Record in the Records group on the Parcels ribbon.
Alternatively, open the Manage Records pane and click New Record.
- In the Create Record pane, type a name for the record or accept the default name.
The name should represent the legal record name, for example, Heritage Estates Subdivision No. 5.
- Choose a record type for the Record Type field.
To store and assign record types, create a record type domain for your parcel fabric. Examples of record types are merge and split. Once the domain is created, open the Records attribute table and assign the domain to the Record Type field.
Tip:
You can open the Records attribute table from the Records sublayer under the parcel fabric layer in the Contents pane. Right-click the Records sublayer and click Attribute Table. You can also add new attribute fields to the Records attribute table, and they will appear under New Record in the Manage Records pane. - For the Recorded Date field, provide the date the record was legally recorded. This is typically stated on the document.
When building parcels from polygons, lines will be associated with the records with the most recent recorded date.
- Populate the remaining fields with applicable information about the record and click Create to create the record.
The newly created record is automatically set as the active record in the map.
The record's heads-up-display (HUD) box in the upper left corner of the map view displays the active record. New parcel features are automatically associated with the active record in the map.
Record polygons
Each parcel record has a record polygon. The record polygon is the footprint of the legal record and should match the cumulative geometry of all the parcels associated with it. The record polygon shape includes the shapes of parcels that have been retired by the record (historic parcels).
When a parcel record is created, it has no geometry. Record polygons are generated when parcels are built or created or when existing parcel features are manually assigned to a parcel record. The record polygon is updated whenever parcels are added to or removed from the record.
Note:
Record polygons are not created or updated when more than 2,000 parcels are associated with a record.
Batch create parcel records
Use the Create Parcel Records geoprocessing tool to batch create parcel records using a record name or expression. If using a record name, the field should be added to the parcel feature's attribute table and should contain record names that are matched with their associated parcel features. The tool creates parcel records and generates record geometry based on the cumulative geometry of the input parcel features.