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Presidential Initiatives

E-Records Management

Program Managers
  • Mark Giguere
  • Nancy Allard

Managing Partner

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Description

The E-Records Management initiative provides policy guidance to help agencies better manage their electronic records, so that records information can be effectively used to support timely and effective decision making, enhance service delivery, and ensure accountability. The Initiative is developing policies and guidance in four major issue areas: Correspondence management, Enterprise-wide electronic records management, Electronic Information Management Standards, Transferring permanent records to NARA.

Progress to Date
  • Issued guidance for transferring permanent e-mail records and attachments to the National Archives
  • Issued transfer guidance for permanent scanned images of textual records
  • Expanded methods of transferring electronic records to the National Archives
  • Endorsed revised DOD standard for common set of requirements for records management applications government-wide
  • Issued guidance for transferring permanent PDF records to the National Archives
  • Released Guidance for Coordinating the Evaluation of Capital Planning and Investment Control Proposals for Electronic Records Management Applications
  • Registered, into a NIST repository, XML schemata capable of supporting automated transfer and accessioning of e-records
  • Issued guidance for transferring permanent digital photography records to the National Archives
  • Issued guidance for transferring permanent digital Geospatial records to the National Archives
  • Issued guidance for transferring permanent web content records to the National Archives
  • Released methodology for determining agency-unique requirements not contained in DOD 5015.2-STD
  • Conducted numerous electronic records forums, email management courses and webinars
  • Released a recommended practice for Evaluating Commercial-Off-The Shelf (COTS) Electronic Records Management (ERM) Applications
  • Released guidance for Building an Effective Enterprise-wide Electronic Records Management (ERM) Governance Structure
  • Published a draft of DoD 5015.2 version 3 for public comment in the Federal Register; DoD subsequently issued version 3 as a final document
  • Expanded course offerings on electronic recordkeeping requirements and responsibilities to agency IT staff
  • Published report on Records Management Service Components requirements based on Federal Government, Academic, and Industry input

Next Steps
  • Accept test collection of electronic records from State’s SMART system on an experimental basis

Exhibit 300

Not available - initiative is reported as component of multiple NARA records management programs

 

In the E-Government age, the ability of federal agencies to create and appropriately manage electronic records has become increasingly important. Documenting citizen-government interactions, decisions for which government officials are accountable, and the government’s role in our nation’s history is a statutory mandate as well as a necessity for maintaining public confidence in E-Government transactions. Unfortunately, agencies have largely developed individual solutions to fit their immediate electronic records management needs, and have focused less on long-term records management issues and interagency sharing of records information that could increase government efficiency. The E-Records initiative will help agencies to better manage their electronic records, so that records information can be effectively used to support timely and effective decision making, enhance service delivery, and ensure accountability. Recognizing that electronic records management solutions lie in policies and experiences, as well as hardware and software, it will provide a variety of tools to address immediate and longer-term agency needs. Initiative components include:

  • Revised Baseline Functional Requirements for Records Management Applications for government-wide use;
  • Guidance to assist agencies in effectively implementing enterprise-wide electronic records management systems;
  • Forums and training courses designed to address the evolving electronic records management requirements and issues for professionals in records management, legal, information technology, and program offices;
  • Tools for agencies to transfer permanent electronic records to the National Archives in a variety of data types and formats so that records may be preserved for future government and citizen use.

Ultimately, this initiative will improve the government’s ability to ensure the integrity of electronic records and related information that agencies require to meet their legal and internal business needs. Adhering to standardized management procedures will enable easier access to records. Using standard tools across agencies will optimize e-records management (ERM) expenditures, eliminate duplicate electronic records efforts, and enhance service delivery to citizens.