Accessing digital records
Records Management Advisory Services
Our records management advice is delivered through our Records Management Advisory Service (RMAS). We advise on record and information management in the wider public sector and, where required, to private archives and the commercial sector. The main focus of our work is advising on the management of electronic records. The work of RMAS is described in this section.
The National Archives has published comprehensive advice and guidance on managing and preserving records generated by central government and more generic advice on electronic records that can be used as a point of reference for all records and information managers. This is in our section on Records Management, Electronic Records Management and Digital Preservation.
The services RMAS provides include specialised advice on electronic records management (ERM) and digital preservation issues. There are many drivers for effective electronic records management in public authorities; our advisory work is informed by the Modernising Government programme for the delivery of online services, and general information policy including data protection and Freedom of Information. More specifically our work aims to support the need for information governance and democratic accountability by facilitating the creation and custody by public authorities of authentic records, and of decisions and transactions in accordance with the international records management standard BS ISO 15489. In respect of this agenda we reach out to our audiences by focussing our work on:
- Development of generic guidance on electronic records management policy and procedures
- Providing advice and developing guidance on sustainability of electronic records, to support digital preservation.
- The development of generic functional requirements for electronic records management system. These were originally written in 1999 in response to the Modernising Government White Paper, which required all central government bodies to manage their records electronically by 2004. These requirements were revised in 2002 and remain at present the accepted standard for ERM, both in the UK and internationally. To accompany the 2002 requirements, we are developing a document which explains clearly the rationale for each requirement.
- Advice to software suppliers developing ERM systems for use in government organisations. This advice was originally delivered in the form of a programme (now drawing to a close) which evaluated systems against the 2002 Functional Requirements.
- Collaboration with the Document Lifecycle Management (DLM) Forum
to develop the revision of the EU Model Requirements (Moreq2), which, drawing heavily on the 2002 Functional Requirements, is intended to supersede this standard. - Assisting public authorities in assessing compliance with the Lord Chancellor´s Code of Practice under section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act, through publication of an Evaluation Workbook.
- Liaison with external organisations involved in the development of additional standards, particularly the BSi and ISO
- Representation at conferences through presentations delivered by expert staff and information stands enabling one-to-one interaction with our customers.
Through the development of guidance and the stimulation that our Functional Requirements and related testing programme have given to the software industry, our expertise in the field of electronic records management has become recognised on an international level. While our work is predominantly focussed on electronic records management, we also advise public authorities to take into account the broader records management guidance that has been published by The National Archives´ Records Management and Digital Preservation departments.
Contact Information:
For enquiries relating to the Functional Requirements for electronic records management systems, and the development of future standards, please contact us at: e-records@nationalarchives.gov.uk
For enquiries relating to implementation of electronic records management in the public sector, please contact us at rmadvisory@nationalarchives.gov.uk
