Electronic Records WG

Objectives and tasks

Within the last fifteen years a series of initiatives and pilot projects has been set up to establish "electronic management" at the federal, Länder and municipal level. Here, a number of authorities have introduced various document and process management systems (DMS/PMS) which are designed to facilitate electronic filing (electronic records). So far, the initiatives and pilot projects have produced heterogeneous results, meaning that the DMS/VBS systems are currently only deployed in parts of the federal, Länder and municipal administrations. However, in view of the e-government laws enacted in the federation and some Länder (e.g. Saxony), there is expected to be a considerable increase in the number of systems used at the federal, Länder and municipal levels by 2020. 

This development means that all federal, Länder and municipal archives must respond quickly to the technical and archive-related challenges. There is already great interest in offering such documents to the relevant archives, especially by smaller administrative units which switched to working with DMS/VBS at an early stage (roughly ten years ago). A number of archives are already technically equipped to accept electronic files; others are still in the planning and development phase. Nevertheless, the goal is the same everywhere, regardless of the level of technical development in the archives: solutions need to be found which are as resource-efficient as possible and which also ensure the integrity, authenticity and usability of the electronic archive material. This is the point at which the nestor Electronic Records working group becomes involved by developing cross-archival and cross-disciplinary solutions. 

It was on this basis that the Electronic Records working group was founded on 17 April 2015 at the initiative of the Federal Archives and of the Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg. The WG consists of representatives of archives at the federal, Länder and municipal level, and of those of broadcasting organisations, the private sector, the churches and NGOs and all interested parties. It is open to all parties interested in making an active contribution to the working group. The Electronic Records WG organises joint working meetings at different locations approximately three times per year.

At the constituent meeting the WG defined the following objectives:

1. Generation of a catalogue listing the different forms of electronic records currently in use by the participants
2. Archive requirements regarding deletion from electronic record systems, taking into account the gap between
   the current situation and the target requirements, as well as the degree of possible compromise solutions
3. Interlinking and dissemination of results of the nestor Electronic Records WG, also in terms of contacting
   manufacturers or consultants and working towards interface definitions.

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