Electronic records

Computers and other electronic devices create many of the new records we use today. These records, although electronic in format, are the same as records in other formats. Electronic records show how you conduct business, make decisions and carry out your work. They are evidence of decisions and actions. Fundamental records management principles apply to electronic records and all other record formats.

The technical nature of electronic records makes managing them a challenge. There are a variety of electronic records: email, voicemail, geographic information systems (GIS), webpages, word-processing documents, spreadsheets, databases, digital images, and video and audio files. They can be stored on optical discs, magnetic tape, diskettes and an increasing number of other media. Electronic records are under constant threat from technological obsolescence — the rapid advancement of computer technology can render records inaccessible due to lack of planning.