Digital Imaging
Digital imaging, what many people simply call “scanning,” can be a useful records management technology. However, digital imaging is not the solution to all problems. If you are trying to save space by scanning records and then destroying the originals, scanning is probably an inappropriate choice. Microfilming is probably a cheaper and easier solution to implement. On the other hand, if you are trying to combine paper and electronic information in one place and provide access to those records simultaneously to a large number of people even at remote locations, then digital imaging is probably the best solution. For more detailed guidance, refer to the Digital Imaging section of the Electronic Records Management Guidelines.
That depends on:
- how long the approved records retention/disposition schedules say the records are to be maintained;
- how faithfully you plan on following the seven required steps in the Information Leaflet: "Public records stored as digital images: policy statement"; and,
- any other laws or regulations that might require you to keep the paper record. Basically, records that are scheduled to be maintained for less than ten years may be copied electronically and the original records destroyed with prior Archives authorization. Records that you must maintain for 10-100 years may be maintained solely in electronic form after scanning and the proper application of the seven steps in the Digital Imaging Policy. Records that are scheduled to be kept permanently in an office where they were either created or maintained as active records may be approved for destruction after scanning, but the Archives strongly recommends generation of a human readable copy of the records as an additional security measure. If no human readable copy is to be maintained written certification of intention to comply with the seven steps is required in advance before using a digital imaging system for long term or permanent records. Further, written documentation must be provided within a year of start up of any system used for records to be maintained for longer that ten years detailing the testing methods used with the recorded results of the test, and any corrective action taken after testing.
Destruction of any original record and substitutions of the digital image must be pre-approved by the Archives. Any permanently valuable records that are scheduled for transfer to the Archives for permanent storage must have a human readable copy in addition to the electronic copy (this includes indexes as well as the records). The Information Leaflet "Public Records stored as digital images" is available on-line. For more guidance on digital imaging technology, see the Electronic Records Management Guidelines
If the records have short-term retention value (less than ten years) state agencies and local governments may destroy the paper copies provided that record retention schedules have been established and proper authorization has been received from the SCDAH. For records having an established retention of ten years or more, the paper copies may be destroyed provided that state agencies and local governments comply with the seven criteria described in Public records information leaflet no. 13 – Public records stored as digital images: policy statement. For more specific guidance, refer to the Digital Imaging section of the Electronic Records Management Guidelines.