Records Management

Records management is very important for companies. There are many electronic records management systems that can optimize the process of records management. However, the huge amount of data is raising new challenges about how records management should be handled.

A few of the ongoing issues include big data, master data management (MDM) and how to deal with unstructured data and records in unusual formats such as graph databases.

Records are kept for e-discovery, compliance purposes, for their business value, and sometimes because no process has been implemented for systematically removing them. This might be a double-edged sword: getting rid of data makes IT nervous, but there are times when records should be dispositioned.

Read more

Records Management (RM) is supported by mature records management systems. However, the data explosion is raising new concerns about how RM should be handled.

A few ongoing issues include big data, master data management (MDM), and how to deal with unstructured data and records in unusual formats such as those contained in graph databases.

Read more

Defensible disposal of unstructured content is a key outcome of sound information governance programs. A sound approach to records management as part of the organization’s information governance strategy is rife with challenges.

Some of the challenges are explosive content volumes, difficulty with accurately determining what content is a business record comparing to transient or non-business related content, eroding IT budgets due to mounting storage costs, and the need to incorporate content from legacy systems or merger and acquisition activity.

Read more

Records management has changed from what it was before and there are new trends in it.   Records management professionals should adapt to it and be open to collaboration and working cross-functionally with business users to develop their road-map for the identification and exploration of new sources of corporate records.   Technology has evolved since the first wave of records management tools entered the market. Regulations changed and they now cover the broader spectrum of electronically stored information, for example, video, social media or instant messaging, not just the images or office documents that have traditionally been called "records." Information governance is emerging as a term that describes and supports a holistic, life cycle view of the creation, use, and protection of digital information.   Let's look more closely at these new trends. Read more

Discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party can request documents and other evidence from opposing parties. E-discovery deals with discovery of electronically stored information (ESI), including documents and e-mails.   E-Discovery preparedness makes it imperative for organizations to develop an enterprise wide strategy to manage the volume of electronic information. The discovery process affects many individuals in an organization, not just lawyers and others involved in discovery, but also IT professionals and records managers, who have to be prepared to produce electronic content for discovery and litigation.   For legal counsel, it means having a review process to determine what discovered content is relevant to the case. For an IT person, it means restoring backup tapes to show evidence on file shares, content management systems, e-mail systems, or other applications. But for records managers, this work will have begun long before any lawsuit with managing records for retention, placing legal holds, and finalizing disposition.   Read more