The capability to manage corporate information well is fundamental to any successful organisation. The Electronic Recordkeeping Metadata Standard identifies some of the key requirements for successful management of information in the electronic recordkeeping environment.

This standard sets out a systematic approach to ensure the information managed
in business systems and applications has meaning; also that it can be found when
needed; it can be relied on to be what it sets out to be; and it can be moved safely
from one system to another. Broad adoption of this standard across central and local government will assist knowledge sharing between organisations; by using shared approaches and processes common outcomes can be achieved.

The standard supports the Public Records Act 2005 requirement for the creation and maintenance of full and accurate business records. For records to be reliable evidence of business activity they must have context, which is documented in recordkeeping metadata.

Recordkeeping metadata documents the creation and use of records by identifying
and describing records, including their content and relationships with other records
and associated business activities. Recordkeeping metadata is essential to authenticate records and put them into context. Recordkeeping metadata allows you to manage your information assets with confidence and reuse your corporate knowledge to good purpose.

Metadata is often referred to as ‘information about information’. Metadata gives a
record its wider meaning. We are all familiar with metadata in one form or another. For example, the metadata associated with an email will include: the name of the sender and receiver, the date and time the email was sent and received, and the topic. Without this essential metadata, the purpose of the email will be unclear and its value as evidence will be non-existent.

The Electronic Recordkeeping Metadata Standard outlines the minimum requirements for creating and managing recordkeeping metadata. Much of the metadata identified in this standard already exists in common software applications or networks.

Minimum recordkeeping metadata does not necessarily need to be created, but
rather located in existing systems and then managed. Where possible the attribution of metadata should be automatic and many business systems and applications have this capability. This standard expects that manual application of metadata is kept to a minimum. Ideally the only metadata users will need to apply manually will be a title that reflects an organisation’s business requirements.

The creation and management of recordkeeping metadata requires technical expertise as well as an understanding of information management and recordkeeping. This standard is intended for a predominantly specialist audience. Staff in your organisation with responsibility for information and records management or technology management will need to refer to this document.

The standard is accompanied by Technical Specifications that contain a recordkeeping metadata schema that can be modified for use in your organisation’s business systems and applications. Organisations are encouraged to use the recordkeeping metadata elements in this document when exceeding the minimums outlined in the standard.

If you have any questions or comments about this standard and the accompanying
Technical Specifications, Archives New Zealand can advise further.

Signed:

Chief Executive and Chief Archivist
Date: 25 June 2008
Review date: 2012