Carol, I would avoid "system of record" as it implies system specificity in
terms of record copy for a given system. In reality, in many records
systems, electronic and otherwise, the record copy may reside in a
different system depending on where it is at in the records continuum or
life cycle. For example, one may use Google Docs as a
creation/collaboration space, but move the final document to a shared drive
for longer term records maintenance. Similarly, a county deed recording
system may capture images of deeds electronically, and maintain those
electronic images for access purposes, but may produce microfilm for
permanent archival storage. Both records exist simultaneously in separate
systems, and serve different purposes, yet the record copy or
"authoritative" copy would be the microfilm version, as it is the only
version capable of existing for the required retention of the record.

Another issue relates to the fact that not all records keeping systems are
complete for the record they claim to the the "system of record". For
example, the term has been used in relation to our SAP system for
contracting, and that term is already causing problems and being
challenged, since SAP still only capture certain types of contracts and
certain types of related records. There are still records outside of the
system which serve as record copy for overall contract administration, but
do not reside in the "system of record". The danger here lies in mistakenly
identifying something as "non-record", not because of whether it matches
the legal definition of a record, but rather because it doesn't fit into
the "system of record". A record can legally be defined as a record (at
least in the public records environment I work in), and still not fit into
the "system of record".

I think a more useful way of looking at this is to think in terms of record
copy, and which system is most useful/compliant for the particular stage of
the life cycle/continuum, as those systems may change over time.

-- 
Dwight Wallis, CRM
Multnomah County Records Management & Distribution Services Manager
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
ph: Records- (503)988-3741
ph: Distribution - (503)988-3533, x29131
cell: (503)260-2263
fax: (503)988-3754
[log in to unmask]

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]