What is Electronic Records Management? Electronic Records Management
is a means by which to systematize the format, content, and administration
of data processed by electronic means. As with other Records Management
mediums, Electronic Data Management increases the efficiency of record
maintenance and disposition in accordance with the South Carolina Public
Records Act of 1973, as amended in 1990.
What Constitutes an Electronic Record?
Electronic records, as defined
by the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, are records created, generated,
sent, communicated, received or stored by electronic means. The term can refer
to both analog (i.e. audio and videotapes) and digital formats. Electronic records
include all documents, applications, databases, spreadsheets, and other materials
made by any microcomputer, minicomputer, or mainframe.
Why Electronic Records
Management?
South Carolina law and federal rules mandate that public records must be treated as
official records regardless of their format. Electronic records of state and
local governments are subject to the same controls and legal requirements as
paper documents and information on other media.
Due to the relative economy
of electronic data storage, there is a tendency to keep volumes of unnecessary
files indefinitely. Left unchecked, this practice ultimately creates an
inefficient and costly system to maintain. Aside from expenditures on equipment
and media, electronic data storage requires continuing maintenance and upkeep.Devising a records management
plan that keeps only those records needed to meet agency and legal requirements
is vital.
If properly managed, electronic records are also an effective vehicle
for preserving historical information. Because an agency's records reflect
the means by which it accomplishes its mission and goals, researchers,
both internal and external to the agency, may want to reference them
over time.
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