This standard has four principles which must be taken into account when defining
and managing recordkeeping metadata. Each principle is followed by a statement of
its objective and a list of minimum requirements, together with explanations as to why
these requirements are considered essential. The principles are:
Principle 1: Recordkeeping Metadata Management Framework
The management of recordkeeping metadata must be defined, documented, assigned
and integrated into policies and procedures for records and information management.
Principle 2: Recordkeeping Metadata Creation
Recordkeeping metadata must be created and managed.
Principle 3: Recordkeeping Metadata Maintenance
Recordkeeping metadata must be maintained to reflect business and recordkeeping
actions, to sustain the record object throughout its existence, and to enable the
transfer of records between systems and organisations.
Principle 4: Recordkeeping Metadata Disposal
Recordkeeping metadata must be subject to the same controls on disposal as applies
to all records.
These high level principles are supported and achieved through meeting the
requirements outlined in the ‘Requirement’ column. The requirements are the
mandatory part of the standard. The requirements are focused on outcomes and the
standard is not prescriptive about how these outcomes are achieved. This framework
is concerned with identifying outcomes rather than prescribing specific recordkeeping
practices.
To help clarify the intent of each requirement, there are corresponding explanations in
the next column. The ‘Explanation’ column does not add any additional obligations.
Terms such as ‘should’ and ‘will’ are used purely in an explanatory sense.
