Resources – Public release schedule

Discover new, updated and existing products and advice to help your agency meet the actions outlined in the Building trust in the public record policy.

Recent changes

Check here to find the 5 most recent changes we've made to our resources.

 

1. Manage information assets strategically with appropriate governance and reporting
Actions for Australian Government agencies Obligation Product
1. Assess your information management capability annually, using the National Archives' survey tool – Check-up. Mandatory Check-up survey.

2. Review and update your information governance framework to incorporate enterprise-wide information management. This should include governance for records, information and data.

Develop an information governance framework if one does not exist.

 Recommended

Establishing an information governance framework.
Advice updated June 2021.

Information governance framework template (DOCX 161 KB).
Resource released November 2020.

3. Review and update roles and responsibilities for your Information Governance Committee and Chief Information Governance Officer to include enterprise-wide information management.

Establish an Information Governance Committee and Chief Information Governance Officer role if they do not exist.

 Recommended

Establishing an information governance committee.
Advice updated December 2020.

Chief information governance officer.
Advice updated December 2020.

Chief Information and Data Governance Officer – role description example (PDF 60 KB). Advice released June 2023.
4. Create an enterprise-wide information management strategy. Recommended

Developing an information management strategy.
Advice updated June 2021.

Information management strategy template (DOCX 160 KB).
Resource released November 2020.

Information management for current, emerging and critical technologies.
Advice released December 2021.
5. Register your information assets where there is business value in doing so. Recommended

Conducting an information review.
Advice updated December 2020.

Designing and maintaining an information asset register.
Advice released June 2021.

Information asset register template (XLSX 88 KB).
Resource released June 2021.

Mapping the ONDC and National Archives’ metadata requirements.
Resource released February 2023.
6. Identify staff capability gaps in information management, in particular for staff with specialist information management roles, and plan to address them. Recommended

Six actions to manage information with integrity (PDF 886 KB).
Updated December 2023.

Digital Archiving eLearning module.
Resource released September 2021.

Information management and data capabilities.
Advice updated March 2022.

Capability gap analysis template (XLSX 181KB).
Resource released March 2022.

Continuing professional development.
Updated advice merged with 'Capabilities, skills and professional development'.

Capability, skills and professional development.
Advice updated June 2021.

eLearning.
Advice updated September 2021.
7. Actively support information management at a senior management level and have structures in place for senior managers to engage with skilled information management professionals. Recommended

Role of senior managers.
Advice released June 2023.

Quick overview: six actions for senior managers (PDF 96 KB).
Resource released June 2023.
8. Monitor progress made towards achieving policy actions, and regularly report on progress to senior management. Document risks of not following recommended practice. Recommended Internal progress-monitoring template (XLXS 76KB).
Resource released May 2022.
2. Implement fit-for-purpose information management processes, practices and systems
Actions for Australian Government agencies Obligation Product
9. Manage all digital information assets, created from 1 January 2016, digitally. Mandatory

Developing an information management policy.
Advice updated June 2021.

Information management policy template.
Advice updated March 2022.

Digital authorisations and workflows.

Digital Authorisations Framework (PDF 2.1 MB).

Retaining, managing and disposing of data and datasets.
10. Ensure business systems, including whole-of-government systems, meet functional and minimum metadata requirements for information management. Recommended

Business Systems Assessment Framework (BSAF) (PDF 1.64 MB).

Electronic document and records management systems.
Advice updated September 2022.

Australian Government Recordkeeping Metadata Standard (AGRkMS).

Metadata for the web.
Advice released July 2023.

AGLS metadata standard.
This resource was de-commissioned in December 2023.

Australian Government Metadata Validator. Withdrawn in December 2023.

AGLS user guide. Withdrawn in December 2023.

Australian Government Metadata Generator. Withdrawn in December 2023.

Metadata for interoperability.

Minimum metadata set.
Advice updated June 2022.

Metadata management.
Advice released September 2021.
Updated June 2022 with accompanying
advice on developing a business glossary.

Metadata eLearning module.
Resource released September 2021.

Metadata for Information Assets eLearning module.
Resource release November 2023

Managing records in Microsoft 365.
Advice released February 2022.

Managing social media and instant messaging.
Advice updated February 2023.
11. Assess interoperability maturity based on business and stakeholder needs. Identify interoperability maturity gaps and plan to address them. Recommended

Building interoperability.

Interoperability development phases resource (PDF 1.4 MB).

Interoperability scenarios (PDF 2.4 MB).

Data interoperability maturity model – advice (DIMM).

Data Interoperability Maturity Model assessment tool (PDF 5.3 MB).

Archival Control Model (ACM).

Australian Governments' Interactive Functions Thesaurus (AGIFT).

Minimum metadata set.
Advice updated June 2022.

Metadata management.
Advice released September 2021.
Updated June 2022 with accompanying
advice on developing a business glossary.

Mapping the ONDC and National Archives' metadata requirements.
Resource released February 2023.
12. Implement strategies, including storage and preservation strategies, for the management of all information assets. Recommended

Electronic document and record management systems.
Advice updated September 2022.

Storing information.

Cloud computing and information management.

Outsourcing digital storage.

Records Management Risk Assessment Framework Offsite Data Storage (PDF 214 KB).

Data management plan template (DOCX 176 KB).
Advice updated March 2022.

Digital Preservation eLearning module.
Resource released 30 September 2021.

Preserving information.
Advice updated June 2021.

Emulation as a preservation strategy.
Advice released April 2022.

Managing social media and instant messaging.
Advice updated February 2023.
13. Create digital information assets in sustainable digital formats. Recommended

Born digital file format standards.

Preservation digitisation standards.

Digitisation specifications for paper records in agencies.

Digital preservation planning.

Digital Formats e-learning module.
Resource released 30 September 2021.

Using General Records Authority 31 (GRA 31) to support digitisation.
Advice released June 2023.
3. Reduce areas of information management inefficiency and risk
Actions for Australian Government agencies Obligation Product
14. Transfer 'retain as national archives' information assets as soon as practicable, or within 15 years of creation, to the care of the National Archives. Mandatory

Records authorities.

Preparing records for transfer to the National Archives.
Advice updated June 2021.

Transferring information to the National Archives.
Advice updated June 2021.

Transferring records to the Archives: Initial assessment questions.
Advice updated June 2021.

Transferring digital information to the National Archives.
Advice released June 2022.

Moving records from an EDRMS.
Advice released March 2022.
15. Identify remaining analogue processes and plan for transformation to digital, based on business need. Recommended

Business System Assessment Framework (BSAF).

Capturing information.

Digital Authorisations Framework (PDF 2.1 MB).

Digital authorisations and workflows.
16. Identify poorly performing legacy systems; address information management requirements when upgrading, migrating and/or decommissioning systems to meet business needs. Recommended

Data migration.

Managing records in Microsoft 365.
Advice released February 2022.

Moving records from an EDRMS.
Advice released March 2022.
17. Sentence information assets regularly and promptly destroy information assets of temporary value when no longer needed. Recommended

Compliant destruction of Australian Government information.

Using Normal Administrative Practice (NAP).
Advice updated February 2023.

Examples of network folder structures.

Retaining, managing and disposing of data and datasets.

Appraisal and sentencing.
Advice updated February 2023.

Sentencing worksheet (XLSX 657 KB) and instructions (PDF 1.7 MB).
Resources released September 2021.

Feedback

We invite agencies and professional associations to nominate additional tools or guidance that support the policy. We also welcome feedback on our products. Please contact us through the Agency Service Centre.