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5-13-02     MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS

First effective: 1994/11/22
Last revised: 1994/11/22

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GENERAL

Defines requirements for the management of records maintained on
electronic systems.


AUTHORITY

Document Disposal Act (RSBC 1996, c. 99)
Treasury Board, General Management Operating Policy, chapter 8.3.

APPLICABILITY

All electronic records in the custody and control of ministries
and other public bodies covered by the Document Disposal Act.


POLICY


1. ELECTRONIC RECORDS

Electronic records consist of data and information which is input,
created, manipulated and/or stored on electronic media which show
evidence of actions and decisions occurring during the transaction of
business.  Electronic records contain data and information which
consist of numbers, letters, symbols, or a combination of these, and
which require a computer to be accessed and manipulated.

Electronic records can be stored on media such as tapes and disks
(hard, floppy, optical) or stored in memory on electronic information
systems.

Electronic records include related documentation and metadata. 
Documentation may include technical specifications for system design
and development, user manuals, code books, and any other material
which explains the operating system and the software being used to
access and manipulate the data.  Metadata is data which describes data
and data systems (i.e., the structure of databases, their
characteristics, location, and usage).  All policies and requirements
of the British Columbia Archives (BC Archives)
pertaining to electronic records also apply to the related
documentation and metadata.


2. ROLE OF CENTRAL AGENCY

BC Archives is the central agency responsible for government-wide
policies for recorded information management.  BC Archives sets policy and
procedures for the management of all records including those on
electronic media.  BC Archives provides advisory services on the development
of electronic systems to ensure that records retention requirements
and policies are incorporated into information systems.


3. ROLE OF MINISTRY*

Each ministry is responsible for the administration, control,
documentation, preservation and security of records created, received,
maintained, used or stored on its own electronic media.  In
particular, a ministry office designated as an Office of Primary
Responsibility (OPR) for specified electronic records will ensure that
these records are preserved in electronic format according to their
records schedule(s).  Procedures must be compatible with standard
recorded information management procedures established within the
Government of British Columbia.

*  Ministry means all government organizations to which
this policy applies.


4. ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC RECORDS

Electronic records must be maintained so that they are accessible
and secure for the duration of their scheduled lifecycle.  This
facilitates compliance with the provisions of the Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  Integrity of the data
and information is the responsibility of the creating agency and the
current legal custodian.  The current legal custodian will ensure that
data and information are not lost or altered during any step in the
ongoing maintenance of the storage media.


5. SCHEDULING ELECTRONIC RECORDS

All electronic records will be scheduled in accordance with the
Document Disposal Act.  The Information System Overview (ISO) and
Information System Overview for an Application (ISOA) are used for
scheduling.  See policy 5.13/03 (Information System Overview).  The
BC Archives Standard ORCS Kit describes the ISO and ISOA and
provides instructions for their use.


6. FINAL DISPOSITION

Electronic records will be retained in accordance with approved
records schedules.  The current legal custodian will ensure that the
records are appropriately maintained and are accessible until the
point of final disposition.  Records scheduled for destruction will be
destroyed in accordance with approved government policy and
procedures.  Records scheduled for archival retention will be
maintained by the current legal custodian until transfer to the legal
custody of BC Archives.


7. TRANSFER TO ARCHIVES

See BC Archives policy 5.13/04, "Transfer of Electronic Records to
Custody of British Columbia Archives." 
(under development)


8. E-MAIL

See also BC Archives policy 5.13/01, "Electronic Mail."


9. IMAGING SYSTEMS

See also BC Archives policy 5.11/02, "Electronic Imaging Technology
and the Management of Government Information."


10. ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE (EDI)

EDI is the computer-to-computer transmission of data in a standard
format.  Data and information contributed to a common system by two or
more creators will be identified as shared.  In these instances the
metadata (e.g., data dictionaries) will be maintained to identify the
entire system, including the shared components.  When electronic data
and information is shared, controlled, integrated, maintained and/or
augmented by two or more different government bodies, one body must be
designated as the OPR for the records.  The OPR ensures that shared
data and information is maintained according to the schedule
applicable to the record series.  When the Government of British
Columbia shares government data and information with a contractor in
its employ, the data and information remains at all times the property
of the government.  This will be specified in all relevant contracts
into which the Government of British Columbia enters.


11. BACKUP COPIES

Electronic systems may be vulnerable to interruptions in
electrical supply and/or mechanical failure which can result in the
loss of data and information or degradation of electronic media used
for backup.  In order to safeguard government data and information
against loss in this manner, each ministry will ensure that backup
copies are made at appropriate intervals.  The interval (e.g., daily,
weekly and monthly) is based on the importance of the data and
information to the ministry or to government.  Policies and procedures
for backup copies are the responsibility of the Information System
Branch (ISB) of each ministry.  The Executive Information Officer for
each ministry will ensure that backup copies are made by the ministry.
These backup copies may be made by the ISB or by another party in
consultation with the ISB.  In all cases the Executive Information
Officer will ensure that the backup copies are maintained and stored
in optimal conditions.  The media manufacturer's recommendations on
whether to rewind, refresh, or copy the backup media and on the
frequency of such procedures must be followed.

Computer system backup records made as part of the regular
administrative process are scheduled under special schedule 112910.*

Backup copies covering vital records made at any point in the
recorded information life cycle will be housed in a safe and secure
off-site location.

* under development by BC Archives


12. SECURITY

Ministries and BC Archives will safeguard government recorded
information within their custody at all times.  This includes ensuring
continuing access to data and information stored on electronic media
for the life cycle of the information and compliance with the
provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act.  As of August 1995, all agencies will have a disaster plan in
place for the recovery of data and information on electronic systems
in the event of a local system failure or a wide-spread catastrophe.



END OF POLICY