TS 13298

TS 13298 addresses the technical framework for electronic records management in organisations and the preservation of documentary status for records created electronically or later converted into electronic form. Its focus is the infrastructure, management functions and trust-related conditions needed for an electronic records management system (ERMS) to handle records reliably in institutional use.

Technical scope of electronic records management

This standard covers system requirements for an ERMS, records management techniques and practices, requirements for managing electronic records, and requirements for carrying out records management functions electronically for records that were not originally created in electronic form. It also includes the diplomatic characteristics that electronic records should carry, the measures needed to support legal validity, and the infrastructure required for applying secure electronic signature and seal systems. In this context, diplomatic characteristics are the formal and structural elements that help identify who created a record, when it was created, and in what transactional context.

Why it matters in practice

In general technical terms, electronic records management brings together capture, storage, access, retention, version control and evidential value. A well-designed ERMS supports classification, access control, traceability and long-term availability of records within an organisation. Secure electronic signatures and seals are key tools for supporting integrity and confirming origin. TS 13298 is concerned with defining the standards needed for these topics; the exact implementation depends on the organisation’s processes and the system in use.