ERDMS: Practical Guide to Implementing Digital Records Management in the Public Sector

Digital Transformation from the Archive: From Paper to Institutional Power
In a world where digital is no longer optional but mandatory, traditional records management has become obsolete. Physical archives overwhelm public offices, slow down procedures, and hinder access to information. Citizens demand efficiency, transparency, and agile services; paper can no longer remain the weak link in the administrative chain.

This is where the ERDMS comes in: the Electronic Records and Document Management System. Much more than just software or a scanner with an elegant name, the ERDMS represents the operational core of the digital records ecosystem in public institutions. Proper implementation not only ensures compliance with the law (such as Law 594 of 2000 or Decree 1080) but also marks a leap toward a smarter, interoperable, and citizen-centered State.

For a complete overview of ERDMS from a Digital Government perspective, check out our specialized guide at Cuantico.com.

An ERDMS, or Electronic Records and Document Management System, is the backbone of records management in the digital era.

It is a technological platform that enables public institutions to manage the entire lifecycle of electronic documents—from their creation to their final disposition (preservation or disposal)—while complying with archival, legal, and technical standards.

It’s not just about digitizing paper. An ERDMS is not a Wi-Fi scanner or a shared cloud folder. It is a comprehensive solution that organizes documentation according to the Document Classification Scheme (CCD), applies the Records Retention Schedule (TRD), ensures authenticity through digital signatures, and enables access, search, preservation, and auditing of documents with full traceability.

Learn how to design a complete records management strategy in our article on digital records management in public institutions.

1. Document Classification Scheme (CCD): hierarchical structure of documents by processes.
2. Records Retention Schedule (TRD): defines retention periods and final disposition.
3. Document Types and Metadata: enable fast searches and automatic classification.
4. Digital Signatures: ensure authenticity and legal integrity.
5. Technological Integration: connects the ERDMS with other systems (PQRD, ERP, filing systems, etc.).
6. Access Control and Traceability: user-based security and activity logs.
7. Digital Preservation: ensures long-term conservation with standard formats and periodic backups

1. Initial Assessment: evaluates records management maturity, current processes, and existing tools.
2. Regulations and Internal Policies: formalizes institutional records governance.
3. System Selection: in-house development or acquisition, depending on context and resources.
4. Training and Change Management: prepares key users and adoption leaders.
5. Pilot Implementation: start with a critical department, evaluate, and adjust.
6. Full Rollout: institutional deployment with technical monitoring.
7. Audit and Sustainability: monitor, improve, and ensure ongoing maintenance.

Cuantico Tip: we have developed a progressive implementation methodology that combines regulatory compliance, governance, and user experience. You can review it in ERDMS + Digital Government.

Does your institution still manage documents like it’s the 90s?
It’s time to take the leap! At Cuantico, we support public institutions in the real digital transformation of their records management processes.

From assessment to implementation and sustainability of the ERDMS (Electronic Records and Document Management System), we work with you so your archive stops being a problem… and becomes an institutional advantage.

Write to us at info@cuantico.com or visit cuantico.com/gestion-documental-sgdea-gobierno to schedule an exploratory consultation.