ISO 19475:2021

Overview

ISO 19475:2021 - Document management: Minimum requirements for the storage of documents defines the baseline requirements to maintain the authenticity, integrity and readability of documents managed by an electronic document management system (EDMS). The standard frames document handling as a business process covering receipt, processing (including conversion and approval), storage and delivery of documents, and specifies controls and policies to preserve evidential value and usability in legal and business contexts.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 19475:2021 focuses on practical controls and process requirements rather than product specifics. Major technical topics include:

• Document handling lifecycle: receiving, approving receipt, storing in the work process environment, processing, formatting for recipients, and delivering to other organizations.
• Minimum storage requirements: policies for storage systems that preserve readability and provenance; maintenance of change history and processing logs.
• Receipt and conversion controls: validation that a received document is appropriate for processing, verification of conversion accuracy when formats change, and preserving the receiving/approval context.
• Delivery controls and monitoring: ensuring correct recipient, suitable format for the recipient, and tracking use, transfer, copying, updates and disposal of delivered documents.
• Risk mitigation: controls addressing risks such as unauthorized receipt, incorrect content, inappropriate communication channels, or delivery to unintended recipients.
• Metadata and evidence: use of metadata to describe content, context, provenance and rights; maintaining evidence to demonstrate authenticity and integrity.
• EDMS/ECM integration: alignment with enterprise content management and preservation systems (see Annex A, B, C for guidance on EDMS/ECM requirements, approval processes and delivery formats).

Applications

ISO 19475:2021 is applied to ensure reliable document storage and handling across many scenarios:

• Implementation or auditing of an EDMS or ECM platform to meet minimum legal and business evidence requirements.
• Defining organizational policies for document receipt, conversion, approval, storage and delivery.
• Designing logging, metadata and preservation controls that demonstrate document provenance and processing integrity.
• Reducing operational and compliance risk when exchanging documents between departments or external partners.

Who should use this standard

• Records and information managers
• IT architects and EDMS/ECM implementers
• Compliance, legal and audit teams
• Quality managers and business process owners
• Archivists and preservation specialists

Related standards

• ISO 14641 - preservation system design and operation (referenced normative)
• ISO 15489 - records management guidance for evidential value
• ISO 9000 / ISO/IEC 27000 (terms and definitions referenced)

Keywords: ISO 19475:2021, document management, electronic document management system, EDMS, document storage requirements, authenticity, integrity, document handling, preservation system, ECM.