Australian and international standards
The National Archives issues and endorses a number of Australian and international standards which relate to records and information management.
AS ISO 15489
The Australian and international standard for records management, AS ISO 15489, provides guidance on creating records policies, procedures, systems and processes to support the management of records in all formats. It is widely used in Australia and internationally in both private and public organisations.
The standard provides a descriptive benchmark that organisations can use to assess their records management systems and practices. It is designed to help organisations create, capture and manage full and accurate records to meet their business needs and legal requirements and satisfy stakeholder expectations.
This standard provides the basis for all the National Archives' records management standards, policies and guidelines.
Key components of AS ISO 15489
AS ISO 15489 is made up of two parts:
- AS ISO 15489.1: Records Management – Part 1: General
- AS ISO 15489.2: Records Management – Part 2: Guidelines
Both parts apply to records in any format or media, created or received by any public or private organisation in the course of its business.
Part 1 is the actual standard. It provides a framework for records management and outlines:
- the benefits of records management
- the need to identify the regulatory environment in which an organisation operates
- the importance of assigning responsibilities for records management.
Part 2 is a technical report that provides practical guidance to help organisations implement the framework set out in Part 1. It includes guidance on:
- records management policies, roles and responsibilities
- developing records processes and controls to manage records through the use of tools such as thesauruses and disposal authorities
- monitoring and auditing records systems to ensure that organisations meet legal and accountability requirements.
Purchasing copies of AS ISO 15489
Copies of Parts 1 and 2 of AS ISO 15489, as well as the standards referred to below, can be purchased from Standards Australia or by telephoning 1300 65 46 46.
AS 5090
AS 5090: Work process analysis for recordkeeping, is a complementary standard to AS ISO 15489. It helps organisations understand their work processes so that they can identify their recordkeeping requirements.
AS 5044
The AGLS Metadata Standard is the national standard for describing online resources to improve their accessibility. It is mandated for use on all Australian Government websites.
There is an Australian Government Implementation Manual available for this standard.
ISO 16175
ISO 16175-2:2011 – Information and documentation – Principles and functional requirements for records in electronic office environments covers requirements for software used to create digital information in office environments.
The standard is in three parts:
- Part 1: Overview and statement of principles – gives background information and fundamental principles
- Part 2: Guidelines and functional requirements for digital records management systems – sets out requirements for software systems designed to manage records
- Part 3: Guidelines and functional requirements for records in business systems – sets out requirements for managing information that is still in use and held within business systems.
The functional requirements set out in this standard are based on the requirements for recordkeeping in AS ISO 15489.
ISO 16175 does not cover functional requirements for the long-term preservation of digital records.
