What is the role of the IT department in federal electronic records management?

In a federal agency, electronic records management is a shared responsibility. The records management program sets policy and defines what must be kept and for how long, but the IT department builds and operates the systems where those records actually live. IT does not own the records, yet without IT’s involvement, sound recordkeeping in a digital environment is nearly impossible.

A Supporting, Not Leading, Role

The agency Records Officer and program staff remain accountable for records policy, retention schedules, and disposition decisions. IT’s role is to make those requirements technically achievable. This partnership matters because records management requirements must be designed into systems rather than added afterward.

Typical IT contributions include:

• System design and configuration so that recordkeeping features (capture, metadata, classification, audit trails) are built in from the start.
• Implementing retention and disposition in electronic systems, applying schedules so records are preserved for their full retention period and eligible records are deleted in a controlled, documented way.
• Security and access controls that protect records from unauthorized change or loss while preserving authorized access.
• Backup, migration, and format management to keep records readable as software and hardware change over time.

Preserving Trustworthy Records

A central concern is maintaining the integrity, authenticity, and reliability of electronic records throughout their lifecycle. IT supports this by maintaining audit logs, controlling versions, and ensuring records and their metadata stay linked. International guidance such as ISO 16175 describes how recordkeeping functionality should be embedded in digital systems, and these design principles inform how IT configures email, content, and line-of-business platforms.

Working as a Team

Effective electronic records management depends on close coordination among the Records Officer, IT, legal counsel, privacy and security staff, and program offices. IT translates policy into technical reality; records staff ensure the technology serves legal and archival obligations. When systems are decommissioned or data is migrated, this collaboration is especially critical so that permanent and unscheduled records are not lost.

For broader context on how these responsibilities fit together across an agency, see the federal records topic hub.