Databases as Information Management Tools.

• Author: PHILLIPS, JOHN T.

As business needs become more complex, software tools designed to address them also become more complex. Information managers are expected to understand how electronic business records are created and stored in computer systems, and to grasp the intricacies involved in archiving them.

As any records manager knows, the regulatory, business, and legal requirements for organizational recordkeeping must be met, regardless of the media used to store the information -- paper, microfilm, or computer disks. When called upon to retrieve business records five or 10 years from now -- records likely to exist only in electronic format -- information managers will have to attest to accuracy, completeness, and authenticity, possibly without much assistance from computer professionals. Compounding the issue is the fact that new versions of software -- though faster, more powerful, and more capable than their predecessors -- are not necessarily compatible with previous versions and are much more complicated to operate. Faced with a growing volume of corporate records created and stored in difficult to access and maintain repositories, information managers will need a thorough knowledge of database management systems (DBMS) software technology.

According to software authority Chris Date, "A database system is basically a computerized recordkeeping system -- that is, a system whose overall purpose is to maintain information and to make that information available on demand." (Date 1986) The potential complexity of computer database software used to store electronic business records can add new challenges for records managers, computer system auditors, or individuals assessing the adequacy of an organization's quality assurance programs. It may not be easy to view, inspect, or assess business records stored as electronic data or digitized images, without a firm understanding of the inner workings of computer database software. For these reasons, occasional reviews of how contemporary computer software technology works will help information managers understand the implications of this technology for the creation and storage of business records.

Terminology: Business Records vs. Database Records

When an individual uses computer software to create a business record, such as a letter created with a word processor, that letter's content is usually stored in a single file on a computer's hard disk. Contained within that single file are the actual text characters, font designations for the characters, paragraph formatting, page formatting, tables, columns, or any other information that is needed to display or print the letter by the appropriate word processing software. It is possible to find that single file on a computer disk and re-create the original business record, if the software used to create that business record is available. When a search for information within the file is executed, the computer software searches in a linear manner from the beginning of the file to the end of the file, looking for the text string of interest. The word processor file stored on the computer's hard disk can be the complete authoritative record of a business communication.

In contrast, databases can be one file or a set of related files. A single database file contains an accumulation of "records" within the database. As an example, a mailing list database file could contain records of individuals, including such distinct data elements as a person's name, address, and phone number. When considered together, a single instance of these data elements (name, address, and phone number) within the database is a database record. This difference in use of the term "records" is often a source of confusion when information managers and computer systems personnel begin discussions about managing electronic records...