Minnesota Recordkeeping Metadata Standard: Agent Element

An agency or organizational element responsible for some action on or usage of a record.

An individual who performs some action on a record, or who uses a record in some way.

To ensure accountability for recordkeeping decisions and actions. In conjunction with elements 10. DATE, 15. MANAGEMENT HISTORY and, when used, 16. USE HISTORY and 17. PRESERVATION HISTORY, to provide context for the creation, management, and use of records.

To act as an access point for users. For example, to enable users to search for all recordkeeping actions performed by particular agents on particular records, or to search for all records which have been accessed by a particular agent.

In order to meet regulatory and business requirements and community expectations for recordkeeping, agencies must be able to document corporate and personal responsibilities for actions taken on, and usage made of, records from creation through to disposal.

Use each time an action is performed on a record, or a use is made of a record.

Use in conjunction with elements 10. DATE, 15. MANAGEMENT HISTORY and, when used, 16. USE HISTORY and 17. PRESERVATION HISTORY.

Use of the optional sub-elements will depend on 1.1 Agent Type and the level of agent description required by the agency.

This element shall be linked to elements 12. AGGREGATION LEVEL and 14. RECORD IDENTIFIER.

Sub-Elements

(Name,
Obligation,
Schemes):

To identify the role played by a particular agent.

To provide consistency, through the use of assigned values, in the description of recordkeeping roles and responsibilities.

All records and record series shall have a Record Owner and a Record Registrar. All records shall have a Record Content Author.

Each use of an Assigned Value shall result in the creation of a link between the specific instance of the AGENT element and the relevant date/history element - either 10. DATE, 15. MANAGEMENT HISTORY, 16. USE HISTORY or 17. PRESERVATION HISTORY.

Agencies need to make their own decisions regarding the level of documentation they wish to use when describing an Agent.

The Agent Type of an individual who is not performing the actions of document authoring or registration, and who does not have a specific assigned role, shall default to ‘User.’

Assigned Values:

(Value Name,
Definition)

The above list of assigned values may be extended by agencies to meet specific business requirements.

To identify the jurisdiction within which records are created, managed, and used.

To provide contextual information about records.

Assigned Values:

(Value Name,
Definition)

To identify the agent's agency which owns the records and/or which is responsible for actions carried out on the records.

To provide contextual information about the creation, management, and use of records.

To ensure accountability for recordkeeping actions at the entity level.

To uniquely identify the person responsible for actions carried out on records.

To provide a 'key' or link to other details about the individual held by the system.

To act as a system security mechanism.

It is recommended that this sub-element and/or sub-element 1.6 Personal Name be used to facilitate the linking of agent details to actions on records recorded in element 15. MANAGEMENT HISTORY and, where used, elements 16. USE HISTORY and 17. PRESERVATION HISTORY.

Further identifiers may need to be added at a later time to uniquely identify the individual if records are moved outside the agency domain. In many cases, the addition of sub-element 1.4 Entity ID may be enough to uniquely identify an individual outside the agency domain.

To identify the person(s) who out actions on records.

To enable searches on all actions carried out by a particular person.

To provide contextual information about the creation, management, and use of records.

To ensure accountability for recordkeeping actions at the operational level.

The name of the business section(s) responsible for an action carried out on a record.

The name of the business section within which a person responsible for a recordkeeping action works.

To provide further detail about the agent.

To enable searching on recordkeeping actions performed by a particular business section within an agency.

To provide further contextual information about the creation, management, and use of records.

The title of the position(s) responsible for an action carried out on a record.

The title of the position filled by a person responsible for a recordkeeping action.

To provide further detail about the agent.

To enable searching on recordkeeping actions performed by a particular position within an agency.

To provide further contextual information about the creation, management, and use of records.

To facilitate contact with an agent at either organization or individual level.

To enable an interested party to gain access to the records or to ascertain further information about the records.

To provide a point-in-time snapshot for historical reference.

The default value could be either global agency-level details or individual-specific details.

In the case of individual-specific defaults, the contact details will have been entered into the system and linked to the individual's logon.

It should be noted that contact details may not be current, but will provide point-in-time information for historical reference.

To enable direct communication with the agent, who is a direct point of contact for providing access to, or further information about, the records.

To provide a point-in-time snapshot for historical reference.

The default value could be either a single central agency e-mail address or, when the agent is an individual, that individual's personal e-mail address.

In cases where the default e-mail address is that of an individual, the e-mail details will be taken from the individual's system profile.

It should be noted that a particular e-mail address may not be current, but will provide point-in-time information for historical reference.

To provide proof of the source and integrity of the record.

To provide for non-repudiation.

To provide authentication of the identity of the agent.

Government agencies, particularly those which conduct business with members of the public over the Internet, are moving towards the adoption of digital signatures and related technologies as a means of authenticating transactions carried out over the Internet.

The exact data to be covered by the digital signature (e.g., whether it is the record only, or the record plus its metadata) is an implementation-dependent issue and shall be defined by the agency.