The National Archives, the British government organization responsible for collating and sharing political and legal records, has identified more than 400 functional requirements for electronic records management systems. These range from pure records management considerations, such as the means and timing of record destruction, to optional modules such as physical and hybrid records management. Products that meet these needs in the application process are fully tested by TNA officials during a five-day period. Only eleven records management products, including Vignette Records & Documents, are currently approved by The National Archives.
The DoD 5015.2 standard focuses on ensuring records automation functions are consistent with Department of Defense legal and regulatory requirements. DoD 5015.2 has become the de facto design specification for electronic records management software applications defining the mandatory operational, legislative, and regulatory requirements that must be met by the records management application products acquired by the Department of Defense. To earn the DoD certification, a product must comply with approximately 150 requirements such as those for classified marking, access control, declassification and downgrading. In addition, the product must provide the infrastructure for a file plan that includes all forms of electronic and physical documents and also provide a retention plan that incorporates both time- and event-driven disposition instructions.
Vignette Records & Documents meets current information management needs by providing document management, document imaging and case management in a single application, supported by formal record keeping. Records may be captured as a result of information processing with no user interaction. Vignette Records & Documents supports both corporate compliance needs, such as Freedom of Information and Data Protection, as well as individual business improvements through more effective business management of information, including more effective customer enquiry handling, application processing, complaint management, and in local British government, supporting the electronic social care record.
The Vignette product effectively supports British central government organizations in delivering the targets for improved efficiency identified in the Gershon review published in July 2004 in Britain, as well as enabling local governments to achieve the priority outcomes set by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (OPDM) in April 2004. This increases Vignette's extensive experience with British central government departments, including the DTI, DVLA and the Houses of Parliament, and local government bodies, such as North Yorkshire County Council and Runnymede Borough Council.
Open standards-based Vignette Records & Documents is part of the broad information management suite of solutions offered in Vignette's Enterprise Content Management (ECM) product family. This suite gives government departments the ability to integrate both structured and unstructured records and documents from a wide variety of information sources such as legacy systems, e-mail, office and personal productivity tools. The information is then shared in accordance to strict security controls with the public through collaboration tools, Web content management and portal applications.
"TNA 2002 approval is considered to be the 'gold standard' for Electronic Records Management Systems (ERMS) and is the most comprehensive interpretation of the ISO 15489 Records Management Standard. Public sector organizations in the UK are required to consider TNA 2002 approved solutions," said Mike Davis, senior research analyst at Butler Group "This announcement gives Vignette significant new opportunities, and enables those who already have other Vignette products to take Vignette Records & Documents with confidence."
The interoperability and scalability of Vignette Records & Documents, together with its extensive search capabilities and integration with the rest of the Vignette ECM suite, enables organizations to maximize the value of stored records and documents through controlled access, offering a more strategic long-term view than that seen from pure-play records management systems.
"We are delighted to have met these standards and to be working closely with government organizations. Beyond simply meeting compliance deadlines, Vignette Records & Documents helps our customers to maximize the value of their information, increasing efficiency and knowledge sharing," said Conleth O'Connell, chief technology officer at Vignette. "The Web integration of this solution improves the speed and level of access to information that public sector bodies can offer citizens, moving forward the aims of the 'Modernizing Government' program."
