Microsoft 365 has transformed the way public sector organisations collaborate. But does that mean it’s time to retire the EDRMS?
It’s a question we’re hearing more often from Information Management professionals, Records Managers, CIOs and digital transformation leaders across government.
The reality is simple:
“Microsoft 365 is an outstanding collaboration platform. It is not, however, a purpose-built system for managing corporate records.”
For low-value, short-term information, managing content within Microsoft 365 can be entirely appropriate. But for records of enduring business, legal or evidentiary value, the compliance requirements are significantly higher.
Australian public sector organisations must be able to demonstrate that records remain complete, accurate, reliable, discoverable and defensible throughout their lifecycle.
As our latest whitepaper highlights
“These are not aspirational standards. They are legal obligations.”
Drawing on the CAARA Functional Requirements for M365, the paper explores some of the practical challenges organisations face when considering an M365-only approach, including governance complexity, metadata integrity, disposal requirements and long-term evidentiary obligations.
Rather than choosing between collaboration and compliance, many organisations are adopting an integrated approach.
“M365 and EDRMS are complementary, not competing.”
By integrating Microsoft 365 with an EDRMS, organisations can meet users where they work to enable modern ways of working while maintaining the governance, auditability and compliance controls required for public sector records.
Want to learn more?
Our whitepaper, Preserving Compliance, Enabling Collaboration, explores several important findings:
- Microsoft 365 is an excellent collaboration platform, but achieving compliant recordkeeping requires significant governance, configuration, specialist expertise, and ongoing operational oversight.
- Australian public sector compliance obligations remain unchanged regardless of technology platform, and organisations must continue to demonstrate evidence, accountability, lawful disposal, and long-term record preservation.
- A hybrid model that combines Microsoft 365 with an EDRMS provides the best balance between user productivity, compliance, risk management, and organisational resilience.
- Replacing an existing EDRMS often introduces significant migration, governance, financial, and evidentiary risks that may outweigh the perceived benefits of an M365-only approach.
Contact Kapish to get access to the full whitepaper or speak with our team about your information management strategy.
