Encoded Archival Description (EAD) can be seen to have reached maturity as the global data structure standard for the electronic representation of archival finding aids. One factor responsible for this success, flexibility, is now being questioned as it has led to a great deal of divergent practice. This article discusses the attempt to tighten encoding practice found in the latest edition of RLG's EAD Best Practice Guidelines and how the theoretical practice suggested relates to the actual practice exhibited by the Access to Archives Programme (A2A). Consensus within the group developing the guidelines is seen to breakdown when it comes to the lower levels of the archival hierarchy and it is argued that archivists need to agree on content standards at these levels, as users are increasingly seen to search for archival material from the bottom up. (Contains 20 notes.)