Managing e‐mail and e‐commerce records
| Pages | 98-102 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09565690210454798 |
| Published date | 01 December 2002 |
| Date | 01 December 2002 |
| Author | Alan Shipman |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Managing e-mail and
e-commerce records
Alan Shipman
Background
Most companies today use e-mail systems
for inter- and intra-office communications,
often (for example) agreeing contracts
without the use of paper documents. Many
people see e-mail systems as an informal
mechanism, and thus do not recognise or
consider the need for control of content and
distribution. Whereas in the past a telephone
call would be made, now frequently an
e-mail is sent. There are many business
advantages in such an approach, but there
are also some significant disadvantages. An
e-mail is classified in many instances as ``in
writing'', and thus can be used as evidence of
a discussion or agreement in much the same
way as paper documents. Often e-mails will
contain detailed discussions of the meaning
of particular parts of a contract. This
contrasts with evidence from telephone
conversations which (unless recorded) rely
upon personal recollections of what was
said, and is thus open to interpretation and
challenge.
With the ever widening use of the
``electronic transaction'', where items are
purchased using electronic (often Web-based)
systems, organisations have the increasing
need to be able to store electronic records for
accounting and audit purposes. Where a
problem with a transaction is identified, the
organisation will then need to rely upon these
records as evidence of the transaction. Will
these records stand up to challenge from
other parties, maybe even in court under
cross-examination by the opposing party?
In order to be able to operate satisfactorily
in an electronic environment, such e-mails
and e-commerce records need to be classified
as ``company records'', and thus be subject to
all the rules (including retention and
destruction) associated with paper records.
Indeed, as there are statutory requirements to
keep company records for specified minimum
periods of time, not keeping relevant
electronic records under proper control may
be regarded as against the law, thus leaving
the company, and its board of directors, open
to legal proceedings.
This paper identifies and describes a
number of industry standards and good
practice guidance material that has been
produced within the UK. These are designed
to help organisations meet the challenges of
records management in the modern electronic
environment.
The author
Alan Shipman is Managing Director of Group 5 Training
Limited, Nettlebed, UK.
Keywords
Electronic commerce, Electronic mail,
Records management
Abstract
Meeting the challenge of electronic working is not just
about giving your staff e-mail capability, or the setting up
of Web-based e-commerce systems. All these systems
create electronic documents, some of which need to be
classified as records, and also managed to the same (or
better?) standards as paper records. Organisations that do
not recognise this position, or who only give a fleeting
recognition to the need for good working practices in this
area, will not achieve full business benefit from their
electronic systems. This paper discusses some of the
guidance available from the UK's British Standards
Institution on this topic.
Electronic access
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98
Records Management Journal
Volume 12 .Number 3 .2002 .pp. 98±102
#MCB UP Limited .ISSN 0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/09565690210454798
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