Document library

Requested information: 

1.      What system does your agency currently use for electronic document and records management? When was this implemented, and what system did it replace?

2.      If you use SharePoint, has the environment been configured as a proper records management system (e.g. unique document IDs, mandatory metadata fields, retention and disposal rules, audit trails)? If not, why not?

3.      What tools does the agency use to search, deduplicate, and retrieve documents when responding to OIA requests? Are staff trained in Microsoft Purview/eDiscovery tools? If so, to what level?

4.      Has the move to SharePoint affected your ability to locate information or meet OIA deadlines?

5.      What were the primary factors behind shifting to (or remaining with) SharePoint instead of maintaining a purpose-built EDRMS? Was cost a significant consideration?

6.      What steps is the agency taking to ensure compliance with the Public Records Act and the OIA given the limitations of SharePoint as a records management platform?

7.      Has there been an increase in the use of section 17(f) — either refusals or requests for refinement — in your agency during this period? If so, what is driving that increase?