Content area
Full text
SettinqStandards
Want to understand what electronic records management systems (ERMS) should do? The Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records (MoReq) is a good place to start.
At the Core
This article
* defines and explains the MoReq specification
* identifies MoReq's strengths and weaknesses
* examines the specification's future
The Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records (MoReq) is a generic specification for systems designed to manage electronic records. It is not an official standard, but it can be used to design, select, and audit such systems. In practice, an electronic records management system (ERMS) might be a separate system or, increasingly, it is more likely an electronic document management system (EDMS) with ERMS functionality bundled on to it.
Cornwell Affiliates developed MoReq for the European Commission's Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) initiative. The authors, Marc Fresko and Martin Waldron, were assisted by a distinguished review panel drawn from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the requirements went through a validation exercise involving six public and private sector organizations drawn from three countries. The MoReq specification is designed to be pragmatic, easily used, and applicable throughout Europe.
MoReq's target audience is very broad, covering every economic sector and both business and public organizations. It may be used as the basis for
* preparing an invitation to tender (request for proposal) prior to purchasing an ERMS
* auditing or checking an existing ERMS
* preparing records management training and course material
* a teaching resource for academic institutions
* a product development guide that highlights required functionality for ERMS suppliers and developers
* a guide for records management service providers (i.e., outsourced services)
The MoReq specification is clearly laid out and structured. There are separate chapters covering classification schemes, controls and security, retention and disposal, records capture, reference, search, retrieval, rendering, and administrative functions. Other functions, such as managing non-electronic records, workflow, electronic signatures, encryption, electronic watermarks, and workflow, are also touched upon. In addition, the specification covers nonfunctional requirements such as ease of use, scalability, and technical standards. There is an entire chapter on metadata requirements.
Concepts and terminology are clearly explained. Within each chapter there are general statements...