Comtent management software developer, Avand, has had its flagship product DataWorks certified for the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS), which is fast becoming a mandatory requirement for the archiving of electronic documents in the Australian government sector.

VERS describes a standard format in which electronic information can be submitted from multiple sources and organisations to form part of a single digital archive.

Avand business development manager, David Schulz said: "VERS uses the National Recordkeeping Metadata Standard (NRKMS) as its foundation, so in gaining VERS certification, DataWorks provides companies with a record-keeping system that complies with national metadata standards." 

VERS or PROS 99/007 is made up of five specifications, each contributing a component of the overall strategy. Specification 2 defines the metadata requirements of a VEO (VERS Encapsulated Object) - a bundle of metadata in a standardised format, the document in its original file format, and a rendition of the document in PDF format, all bundled in an XML object.

"Because the VERS metadata schema shares many common elements with the NRKMS, it will likely form the basis of a national digital archive. This makes the certification relevant to DataWorks clients throughout Australia, even though VERS is currently only active in Victoria and parts of South Australia."