Glossary of Terms

Archive: Regarding records management, it means a collection of records stored for preservation purposes – which implies that the archived information is well organized and well managed. It also means a collection of information stored outside the everyday systems and this information is often manually indexed.

Auditable: Business practices and operating systems capable of being documented and proved by an audit trail.

Capture: Process of bringing a document into a document management system. This generally includes ensuring that it is appropriately indexed, described and protected.

Classification: The systematic identification and arrangement of documents into categories according to logically parameters.  This involves organizing records according to an agreed structure designed to integrate with the current business structure.

Collaboration: The sharing and access to documents by several users. The term is often used to describe software tools that contain features designed to allow users to easily capture, share, publish, revise and re-use documents.

Compliance: Conforming to laws and regulations regarding document management.   Conformity through auditable documents proving necessary steps have been taken.

Conversion: Process of changing records from one medium to another, or from one format to another.

Digital: Usually “digital” is synonymous with the term “electronic”.  Also meant to signify a format capable of being processed by a computer.

Document: Recorded information treated as a unit. The term includes information in almost any form (paper or digital) and on any medium.

Document Management (DM): Set of processes, disciplines and technologies used to capture, store and control documents.

Electronic Document Management (EDM): The management of electronic documents contained in an information technology system, using computer equipment and software to manage, control, locate and retrieve information in the electronic system.  

Electronic Records Management (ERM): The management of traditionally non-electronic records contained in an information technology system using computer equipment and software according to accepted principles and practices of records management.

Enterprise: An organizational unit, such as a government agency, business, or non-profit organization.  

Enterprise Content Management (ECM): The technologies, tools and methods used to capture, manage, store, preserve and deliver content across an enterprise.

Indexing: Process of assigning important information to a document in a way that will allow a document management system to find it reliably.  This information usually includes details such as author, address, title, etc. and / or subjective information such as keywords.  Indexing information is either extracted automatically or entered manually.

Integration: The connecting of software applications so that data can transfer from one application to others through a consistent interface helping to better coordinate tasks and merge information.

Life-cycle: The course of developmental changes through which information, a document, or an information system passes from initial creation through mature uses to final disposition or replacement.

Metadata: Descriptive data describing context, content and structure of documents and records and their management. A document’s title is an example of its metadata. Likewise, the list of people who are allowed to see the document is also a part of a system’s metadata.

Middleware: Software which allows connection between applications allowing them to exchange data within a system.

Record: Information created, maintained and received by an organization pursuant to regulation or in the course of business.

Records Management (RM): The planning, control, direction, organization, training, promotion and other activities involved in the creation, maintenance, use and disposition of records in order to achieve efficient documentation of organizational policies and transactions and the effective and cost effective management of an organizations information based operations.

Repository: A direct access or off-site web accessed device where electronic records and associated metadata are stored. 

Series: Documents organized according to an established filing system or maintained as a categorized group because they result from the same transaction, filing process or activity.  Having a particular grouping because of some other relationship arising out of their creation, receipt, or use. 

Structured Information: Information normally consisting of fields or sequences which have predictable length or position. Such information is generally used directly by computer applications such as database systems.  Conversely, unstructured information usually consists of sequences that have unpredictable length or position. It is generally used through computer applications such as word processing systems and image viewers.