Chapter 2:
Terms & Concept
of Electronic
Records
“ ”
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this topic, students should be able to:
1. Understand the various terms in record keeping.
2. Analyze the important of good record keeping.
3. Able to verify the risks of not implementing
ERMS .
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Terminology
Records
information created, received and maintained as evidence
and information by an organisation or person, in pursuance
of legal obligations or in the transaction of business. They
provide evidence of business transactions and can exist in
any format.
(International Standard on Records Management, ISO 15489)
Books
Papers
Photographs
Machine readable materials
Documentary material
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Terminology
Records management
the control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposal of
records in accordance with professional and international standards of
practice.
Electronic records management systems (commonly referred to as
EDRMS or ERMS) or Electronic Records Management Systems – systems
specifically designed to manage the maintenance and disposition of
records. They maintain the content, context, structure and links
between records to enable their accessibility and support their value as
evidence.
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Terminology
Business systems
automated systems that create or manage data about an organisation’s
activities (for the purpose of this document). They include applications
whose primary purpose is to facilitate transactions between an
organisational unit and its customers.
System
use of the term ’system’ in this document refers to a computer or IT
system. This is in contrast to the records management understanding of
the term, which encompasses the broader aspects of people, policies,
procedures and practices. A system may comprise more than one
application and include plug-ins.
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Terminology
Metadata
Describes or specifies characteristics that need to be known about data
in order to build information resources such as electronic record
keeping systems and support records creators and users
Records management metadata
an inextricable part of records management, serving a variety of
functions and purposes. In a records management context, metadata is
defined as data describing the context, content and structure of records
and their management through time (ISO 15489 – 1:2001, 3.12).
Records management metadata can be used to identify, authenticate
and contextualise records and the people, processes and systems that
create, manage, maintain and use them, and the policies that govern
them
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Terminology
Electronic Recordkeeping
The development of automated processes an agency uses to manage its
electronic records that support the preservation of an electronic
record’s content but also its context and structure over time.
Electronic Recordkeeping System
Electronic information system that meets an agency’s recordkeeping
needs. Records are collected, organized and categorized to facilitate
their preservation, retrieval, use and disposition to meet agency’s
recordkeeping needs (National Archive and Records Administration,NARA).
Electronic Document Management System
is a software that manages the creation, storage, and control of semi
structured documents Consist of several technologies including
document management, COLD-computer output to laser disk, imaging
and workflow.
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Functions of Electronic
Records
1. Create – capture, identification,
classification
2. Maintain – controls & security, hybrid
records, retention, migration and disposal
3. Long term preservation
4. Use, access & dissemination – search,
retrieve & render
5. Administrative functions
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“ THE IMPORTANT OF
ELECTRONIC
RECORDS
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The Important of Electronic Records
Records are a valuable business asset. One of the key ways
organisations are held accountable for their actions is through
evidence of business transactions in the form of records. They
must be retained for a period of time that is in line with an
authorised retention schedule or disposition authority, sometimes
referred to as a ‘disposition’.
A record is not just a collection of data, but is the consequence or
product of an event and therefore linked to business activities.
Managing records in business systems, which contain data that is
frequently updated and dynamic, is particularly challenging and
may provide a rationale for implementing a separate electronic
records management system.
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The Important of Electronic Records
Records comprise not only content but also information about the
context and structure of the record.
An appropriately managed record will provide a basis for:
transparent, informed and quality decision-making and planning;
an information resource that can be used to demonstrate and
account for organisational activities; and
consistency, continuity and efficiency in administration and
management
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The important of
good recordkeeping
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protection and support in litigation, including the management
of risks associated with the existence or lack of evidence of
organisational activity
protection of the interests of the organisation and the rights of
employees, clients, and present and future stakeholders
improved security of business records and robust management
of commercial-in-confidence, personally sensitive or
confidential information
the ability to deliver services in an efficient and consistent
manner
ability to support current and future research and development
activities
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improved comprehensiveness and reliability of corporate
memory
availability of relevant business activity records when required
to support well-informed decision-making and policy
development
reduced risk of data loss or accidental destruction of records
reliable performance measurement of business outputs
increased public and/or client confidence in the integrity of an
organization's activities
identification of vital records for disaster planning, so that
organization’s can continue to function in the event of severe
disruption
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Authoritative and credible recordkeeping is an
essential component of good governance and for
underpinning reliable and consistent business
practice and service delivery.
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ISO 15489 - provides best- practice guidance on how records
should be managed to ensure they are authentic, reliable,
complete, unaltered and usable.
Organisations that do not employ an electronic records
management system may risk loss of key evidence of their
business activities, thereby resulting in a lack of corporate
memory, inefficiency and an inability to meet accountability and
legislative requirements.
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“ The risks of not
implementing a
electronic records
management system
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failure to meet legislative and regulatory requirements
embarrassment to your chief executive, the government and/or
private individuals, especially if inability to manage information
competently is highlighted in the media
poor strategic planning and poor decisions based on inaccurate
Information
business critical information not accessible for the conduct of
business, dispute resolution, legal challenge or evidential purposes
loss of credibility, lowered public confidence, or financial or
legislative penalties through inability to produce records or provide
evidence of business activity when required in a timely manner
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inconsistent and inefficient conduct of business
inability to exploit organisational information and knowledge to
full potential
unlawful disposal of records and inability to fully exploit
corporate knowledge and data
duplication of effort, and poor resource and asset management
reduced capability of demonstrating good performance and any
increased efficiencies or improved service delivery
organisational embarrassment and damage to reputation
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THANKS!
Any questions?
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