ECM Briefs

The next DLM-Forum Members Meeting is taking place this week in Lisbon, Portugal, on the 22nd and 23rd of November. Initiated by The European Commission, the DLM-Forum was established to encourage wider cooperation in the field of electronic archives both between the Member States and at the EU level. One of the main findings that came out of the first DLM-Forum held in 1996 was the call to establish functional requirements for electronic documents and records management in public administration and the private sector. This led to one of the major accomplishments of the DLM-Forum – the development of the model requirements for the management of electronic records, also known as MoReq.

Since its introduction in 2000, the MoReq has proven to be a highly regarded model specification for the management of electronic records for European organizations in both the public and private sector. It has gained widespread international recognition as the de facto standard for electronic records management systems (ERMS). The specification describes model requirements with a primary focus on the functional requirements for the management of electronic records by an ERMS. ERMS users can use it as a basis for preparing an invitation to tender or as a basis for auditing or checking an existing ERMS. In addition, academic institutions can use it as a teaching resource.

However, due to the continuous development and evolution of information technology and the increasing sophistication of electronic records, MoReq needed to be revised and updated if it was to maintain its standing as a highly valued European reference model. As a result, a MoReq Working Group was established by the executive committee of the DLM-Forum to consider revisions for MoReq. Plans for MoReq2 were presented at the DLM-Forum in 2005 and the European Commission agreed at that time to begin discussions for the future development of MoReq and to publish a definitive update of MoReq in 2007.

Draft versions of MoReq2 are available for review by several "panels" of reviewers from many European countries. Panels include software companies with an interest in electronic records management; professional and industry organizations; users and potential users of ERM software from a wide variety of organizations in many countries; and National Archives. The drafts are also reviewed on behalf of the European Commission by a group brought together by the DLM-Forum.

At this week’s DLM-Forum, Open Text will be participating on the MoReq2 Panel Debate that promises to cover pivotal issues in the road to developing updated standards. Panelists will debate the best ways of implementing MoReq2 and possible testing regime including translation, localization and adding local requirements in Chapter 0. The panel will also address lessons learned when translating and localizing MoReq. Vendors can begin testing and certification for MoReq2 in June of 2008.

Open Text is a leader in RM and committed to the adoption of international RM/compliance standards around the world. Open Text’s records management solutions are certified as compliant with the U.S. Department of Defense 5015.2-STD, a key standard for records management software used in corporations and governments. Open Text’s solutions are also certified under the United Kingdom’s TNA regulations and Australia’s VERS regulations.

Stayed tuned. In the weeks ahead, we will provide further updates on this developing standard, and our commentary on this important issue.