# Records

After you opened a [session](/cortex-api/session.md) with a headset, you can create a record. A record is a permanent object to store data from an EMOTIV headset. You can associate a [subject](/cortex-api/subjects.md) to a record. You can add one or more [markers](/cortex-api/markers.md) to a record.

Unlike a [session](/cortex-api/session.md), a record is a permanent object. It is stored on the hard drive and then can be synchronized to the EMOTIV cloud. The [opt-out](/cortex-api/records/configoptout.md) configuration can let you decide if the records of a user are uploaded to the cloud or not.

## Record lifetime

First, you must [open a session](/cortex-api/session/createsession.md) with a headset. Then you call [createRecord](/cortex-api/records/createrecord.md) to start a new record. When the record is in progress, you can add [markers](/cortex-api/markers.md) to this record. You stop a record with [updateRecord](/cortex-api/records/updaterecord.md).

The record is linked to the session, so if you close the session, or if your application is disconnected from the Cortex service, then Cortex will automatically close the record.

After you stop the record you can export its data to a CSV or EDF file using [exportRecord](/cortex-api/records/exportrecord.md).


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