Electronic Archive: Advantages of Megapolis.Repository and Legal Requirements
A document has been found, but no one can confirm whether it is the final version, who had access to it, or how much longer it needs to be retained. In such a situation, a quick file search does not solve the problem: an organisation needs a managed electronic archive where context, rights, retention periods, and action history are stored alongside the content.
An Archive Begins Where a File Folder Ends
A shared network folder primarily answers the question "where is the file located". It may have basic access rights and a directory structure, but on its own, it does not describe the complete lifecycle of a document. From the file name, it is not always clear which file series it belongs to, when its retention period expires, whether destruction is permitted, and which version holds the status of the proper document.
A backup copy serves a different purpose: it helps restore data after a failure, corruption, or accidental deletion. It does not replace an active archive, because users should not perform daily searches, manage rights for individual documents, or process archival procedures within backups. The archive, in turn, does not eliminate the need for backups: its data and configuration must also be protected against loss.
A managed electronic archive combines the document with metadata, access rules, retention periods, and a verifiable history of operations.
Megapolis.Repository: A Professional Solution for Document Storage
Megapolis.Repository is a solution by developer InBase for the centralised storage of regulatory and other documents. Instead of fragmented directories, the organisation receives a repository with unified rules for describing and processing materials. IQusion acts as an integrator: linking the product with the customer's processes, source systems, and access requirements.
The system supports document lifecycle management: from acceptance and classification to long-term or permanent retention. For archival work, retention periods, file descriptions, and the generation of destruction acts are provided. Roles and access rights restrict the circle of users and permitted operations, while logging creates the basis for auditing what has happened to the material within the system.
Search relies not only on the file name but also on structured attributes. This is particularly important when a single file series contains many documents or when data comes from multiple information systems. Integrations help transfer materials to the archive without manual duplication, while electronic signature support enables working with signed electronic documents within a defined process.
No list of features automatically guarantees legal compliance. The result depends on which document classes the organisation has created, what retention periods and roles it has established, what metadata the integration transfers, and whether it verifies recovery, integrity, and accessibility throughout the entire retention period.
What the Legislation Requires
Article 13 of the Law of Ukraine "On Electronic Documents and Electronic Document Management" requires electronic documents to be stored in a form that allows their integrity to be verified. The period of such storage must not be less than the period established for the corresponding paper documents.
Information must remain accessible for subsequent use, and the electronic document must be capable of being restored in the format in which it was created, sent, or received. It is necessary to store data that allows the origin and destination of the document to be established, as well as the date and time of its sending or receipt, if available.
If a document cannot be stored on the original electronic medium, the law permits duplication across multiple media and periodic copying, with mandatory integrity verification during copying. To store electronic signatures, seals, timestamps, and associated certificates, a qualified electronic trust service provider may be involved. Archival storage and the transfer of electronic documents to archival institutions are carried out in accordance with the legislation on archival affairs.
| Requirement | What to Configure | How to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity | Acceptance rules, immutability control, action log | Test upload, reading, and verification of control data |
| Accessibility and Recovery | Formats, storage, backup, recovery procedure | Restore a sample of documents in their original format |
| Origin, Destination, Date and Time | Mandatory metadata and its transfer from source systems | Trace the document from the source to the archival record |
| Retention Period | Document classes, file nomenclature, trigger events for retention periods | Verify retention period calculation on test scenarios |
Advantages That Can Be Verified in Daily Work
The first practical advantage is managed search. An employee does not search through copies in various directories, but by agreed attributes and file series. The quality of the result can be assessed on real queries: whether the required document is found by its metadata, whether its context is visible, and whether materials that the user should not see are excluded from the search results.
The second is the segregation of duties. Roles separate viewing, entering, administration, and archival operations. Logging helps analyse the actions of a user or integration, but the value of the log depends on the completeness of events, its retention period, and regular monitoring.
The third is the consistent application of retention periods. Once document classes and trigger rules are configured, the archive can support the preparation of file descriptions and destruction acts. Final decisions are still made by authorised employees according to the established procedure: the system organises the work rather than replacing the appraisal of document value.
The fourth is controlled exchange with other systems. Integration with an EDMS, registry, or accounting system reduces manual transfer, but requires a clear field map, error handling rules, and control over duplicate submissions. It is these conditions that turn "integration exists" into a reproducible process.
Preparation Determines the Quality of an Electronic Archive
It is worth starting not with the transfer of all accumulated files, but with an inventory. The organisation determines which systems create documents, who their owner is, what formats and volumes have accumulated, what retention periods apply, and where metadata is lacking. Documents of long-term and permanent retention are recorded separately.
- Classification. Agree on document classes, file nomenclature, mandatory metadata, and naming rules.
- Retention Periods. Determine the regulatory basis, the trigger event for the retention period, and exceptions, including the prohibition of destruction during an audit or dispute.
- Access. Build a role-based model, segregate duties, and provide for regular review of rights.
- Migration. Clean up duplicates, map metadata, record control values, and log discrepancies.
- Acceptance. Verify search, rights, log, retention period calculation, export, and recovery on a control sample.
For migration, it is useful to agree on acceptance criteria in advance: how many records were transferred, how many were rejected, whether control values match, and whether the links between the document and the file series are reproduced. Such a protocol provides a concrete answer about the quality of the transfer, which an "import completed" message does not provide.
Procedures in the Spotlight
IQusion, as an integrator, helps transform archive requirements into a Megapolis.Repository configuration: describing data sources, the metadata model, roles, integration contracts, migration scenarios, and acceptance checks. The scope of the project must cover not only the launch of the software but also the procedures by which it will be used after commissioning.
On 20 November 2023, at the office of IQusion IT LLC, the company's director, Serhiy Balashuk, held a presentation on the electronic archive, its key features, advantages, and the legal validity of electronic documents. The presentation focused on the practical value of managed storage for organisations with large volumes of documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an electronic archive replace backup copying?
No. The archive manages documents, metadata, access, and retention periods, while backup copies are required to restore the system and data after a failure. Both mechanisms must work together and be regularly verified.
Is implementing Megapolis.Repository sufficient to meet all legal requirements?
No. The product provides the necessary mechanisms, but compliance depends on the organisation's regulatory documents, correct retention periods, roles, metadata, migration procedures, backups, and control. For a specific legal assessment, an analysis of the organisation's documents and processes is required.
Where should preparation for an electronic archive begin?
With an inventory of sources and document classes. After that, it is worth agreeing on the file nomenclature, retention periods, mandatory metadata, role-based model, and acceptance criteria. Only then should integrations and mass migration be planned.
