Overview
ISO 13008:2022 - Information and documentation - Digital records conversion and migration process - provides authoritative guidance for planning, executing and controlling the conversion and migration of digital records. The standard focuses on preserving the authenticity, reliability, integrity and usability of records so they remain acceptable as evidence of business functions, processes, activities and transactions. It covers organizational planning, risk management, technical requirements, procedures, testing, validation and monitoring of conversion/migration projects.
Note: ISO 13008:2022 does not comprehensively cover backup systems, long‑term digital preservation methods, the functionality of trusted digital repositories, or analogue↔digital conversion processes.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & drivers: Identifies conversion and migration drivers (business, technical, legal) and when conversion/migration is appropriate.
- Planning & governance: Requirements for program establishment, risk management, resource allocation, documentation and approvals.
- Metadata & provenance: Guidance on conversion/migration process metadata to record actions, tools, dates and responsible parties for traceability.
- Technology planning: Aligning business requirements with technical choices, addressing emerging technologies and external service providers.
- Procedures & lifecycle steps: Stepwise project planning (e.g., understand source records and environment; define target state; select methods; test and validate; decide on source record disposition).
- Testing and validation: Structured testing phases-plan, configure test environments, execute tests, assess results and report-to ensure conversion/migration preserves record characteristics.
- Monitoring & controls: Ongoing monitoring to verify long‑term usability and compliance of migrated or converted records.
Applications and who should use it
ISO 13008:2022 is intended for organizations that must manage digital records as legal, regulatory or business evidence. Typical users include:
- Records managers and archivists responsible for maintaining record authenticity and chain of custody.
- IT project managers and system architects planning migrations between storage systems or application platforms.
- Compliance, legal and information governance teams evaluating evidentiary risks and accountability.
- Vendors and consultants offering conversion/migration services or tools.
- Digital preservation practitioners who need to assess conversion/migration as part of broader preservation strategies.
Practical applications include platform migrations, format conversions for interoperability, and system upgrades where records’ evidential value must be maintained.
Related standards
ISO 13008:2022 was produced by ISO/TC 46 (Information and documentation) and complements other records management and information‑governance standards. Organizations should consult their national standards body for additional, directly related ISO and national guidance on records management and digital preservation.