managing electronic records in governmental bodies - National ...

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to the same principles by which all other records are managed. All the information
contained in paragraphs 4.1.2-4.1.8 above is also applicable to structured systems.
Although the proper management of all structured systems is equally important,
specific attention should be given to:
4.4.1 Data Warehouses and Geographic Information Systems
Due to the volatile nature of the information captured in these systems specific
attention should be given to their proper management.
Data warehouses are central repositories that capture data from diverse online
transaction processing sources for analysis and user queries. Data warehouses are
mostly used actively in customer relationship management environments. Data
warehouses are dynamic in nature and change frequently.
Geographic Information Systems capture geographical information in the form of
scanned and digitized map images. This type of system enables a user to envision
geographic aspects of a body of data and is amongst others used for weather
forecasting, sales analysis, population forecasting, land use planning etc. GIS
databases are also dynamic in nature and change frequently.
While some of the information captured on this type of databases might exist in
paper format, most of the dynamic assembly of information takes place online, and
the record of a specific instance of information assembly only exists in real time
while the user is accessing it. Different users can also require different assemblies of
information with totally dissimilar results, which makes it extremely difficult to
manage these systems or the records generated while interrogating these systems.
Governmental bodies can however be held accountable for the information users
have obtained from such systems. It therefore is imperative that governmental
bodies apply version control to both types of systems, and that they ensure that
records are captured of all queries and the results of those specific queries. The
absence of records of what information these systems carried as well as how the
systems were interrogated and what the results of the interrogations were, could
lead to governmental bodies being held accountable for how the information was
interpreted and used.
5. The National Archives and Records Service’s electronic records
management strategy
While its practical experience in the field is still limited, the National Archives and
Records Service has adopted a strategy underpinned by a legal framework explicitly
provided for in the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act
No. 43 of 1996, as amended). The Act specifies in sections 13(2)(b)(ii) and
13(2)(b)(iii) that the National Archivist must determine the conditions subject to which
records may be reproduced electronically as well as the conditions with regard to the
way electronic records systems must be managed.
Managing electronic records_Policy Guidelines.doc
First Edition
Version 1.1
April 2003