What is Electronic Records Management (ERM)?

ISO standard 15489: 2001 defines Records Management (RM) as the field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records.

What is Electronic Records Management?

ISO standard 15489: 2001 defines Records Management (RM) as the field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records. AIIM expands this definition to include records of all types including those maintained in electronic format.

Learn how to take control of your electronic records at AIIM's Electronic Records Management Certificate Program.

Currently, most information is created digitally, by some sort of computer or system application and stored on personal computers, network drives and PDAs, reaching terabyte storage levels and beyond. It is vital that organizations understand that information and records are assets of the organization, not the individual and as such need to be managed actively and properly. The incorporation of Electronic Records Management Systems (ERMS) and practices provide structure, consistency, security, and control over these records.

Download case studies, white papers, research and more on topics like electronic records management, compliance, and governance.

Electronic records management approaches are neither new nor unique. For decades, we have had centralized control of human resources (HR) and capital (Finance). Records management is the centralized control of the information assets of organizations. Establishment and enforcement of enterprise-wide records management explains the requirements, responsibilities, and accountability in managing an organization's information assets. The need for accountability and policy enforcement is becoming clear to executives and managers and, as more information is generated in electronic form, opening the risk of non-compliance and information loss. An enterprise-wide classification scheme within an ERMS, allows us to establish and manage:

  • Retention and disposition rules
  • Security and access controls
  • Digital rights management
  • Information sharing
  • Findability

There is the absolute requirement for a central function of RM professionals and staff to carry out the many critical activities and responsibilities needed by the organization. RM is often expected to conduct legal research on the many statutes and regulations impacting records practices. RM professionals must team with legal staff and IT to ensure that information and records are properly managed and readily available in the event of litigation, request for records under Freedom of Information laws (FOIA), audits, and government investigation.

AIIM has developed a comprehensive training program to help you focus and get control of the information and records in your organization. Visit www.aiim.org/training.

Join the ERM conversation at AIIM's online community www.aiim.org/community

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AIIM provides an educational roadmap for the industry.

  • Certificate Training Programs  - Industry leading Certificate Training Programs include Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Electronic Records Management (ERM), Business Process Management (BPM), Information Organization & Access (IOA/Search), Enterprise 2.0 (E2.0), Email Management (EMM) and SharePoint. Courses are available via the web or classroom.
  • AIIM Essentials Courses   - The AIIM Essentials programs are short online courses that are focused on very specific topics applicable to any organization, and are a perfect complement to the AIIM Certificate offerings. Courses include: Imaging and Recognition, Evaluating SharePoint, Web Content Management, Digital Asset Management, eDiscovery, and PDF/A.
  • In-person Seminars  - These free, educational seminars held in cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, help educate business and government professionals with information on the latest industry trends, key business drivers, case study examples, solutions, and more.
  • Information Portals  - Provide case studies and white papers, articles and research studies focused on Green ECM, Compliance/Electronic Records Management, SharePoint and ECM, Healthcare Information Management, and Capture/Scanning/Recognition.