Using a hierarchical structure of classes, subclasses, objects, and properties, IBM® Enterprise Records allows you to perform records management activities.
All of the classes in IBM Enterprise Records are derived from the Folder class located under the IBM Enterprise Records object store. The Folder class is used for deriving all the container classes of IBM Enterprise Records. The RM Folder class is a subclass of the Folder class. The RM Folder class contains classes and subclasses that help maintain records in IBM Enterprise Records. You can create and add any number of subclasses to the Electronic Record Folder, Hybrid Record Folder, Physical Container, Box, and Physical Record Folder classes.
You can use Enterprise Manager to view an object store's IBM Enterprise Records class hierarchy structure.
The following list describes IBM Enterprise Records classes with brief descriptions of each class and subclass:
Folder class is the parent class of all other classes in IBM Enterprise Records. The basic functionality of IBM Enterprise Records depends on this Folder class, which has all of the properties that help in records management processing.
RM Folder is the base class for all folder classes created in the IBM Enterprise Records application. The RM Folder class derives from the Folder parent class. The container classes described below are subclasses of the RM Folder class: Classification Scheme Root, File Plan, Location Container, Record Categories, Record Folders, and Volume.
The Classification Scheme Root class represents the root folder IBM Enterprise Records file plan objects. There is only one object for the classification scheme object in the object store. All classification scheme objects are filed under the classification schemes root folder.
The File Plan class enables a hierarchical grouping of various types of folders, such as record categories and record folders within a file plan. You can create many record categories and record folders under a file plan.
The Location Container class is used for tracking the access and use of a charged-out record. You can create many locations using this class.
The Record Category class is arranged, usually in a hierarchical structure, to reflect and support the business activities of an organization. It can have Record Folder and Record Categories as its sub-folders.The Record Category class acts as a container that can hold a record category or record folder as its first-level child, meeting PRO requirements. However, according to the DoD requirement, RecordInfo can also be included as a first-level child of the Record Category class.
The Record Folder class is used to create subclasses, such as ElectronicRecordFolder, PhysicalContainer, PhysicalRecordFolder, and HybridRecordFolder. Following is a brief description of the classes derived from the RecordFolder class:
The Volume class acts as a holder for records.
Apart from using the classes mentioned above, IBM Enterprise Records also uses the Document class and its subclasses, the Record and Transcript classes. Electronic Record and Marker Record are derived from the Record class. The following figure depicts the Document and Record class hierarchy.
The following list describes the IBM Enterprise Records classes used for establishing a document and record hierarchy with brief descriptions of each class and subclass:
Document class is the parent class for all documents in Application Engine or Workplace XT. You can declare documents as records. A Document's RecordInformation property's DeletionAction metadata is set to Prevent Delete, which means that the document is not deleted until the Record pointed to by the RecordInformation property is deleted. The Document class is the base class from which all other document-related subclasses (Record, Electronic Record, Email Record, Marker Record and Transcript) are derived.
Record is the base class for all types of records in the file plan. The Record class is a subclass of the Document class. All the records in the file plan are represented as documents. A Record's RecordedDocuments property has an object-valued property where the object referenced by that property has its DeletionAction metadata set to Cascade, which means that if a Record is deleted, the Document pointed to by the RecordedDocuments property will also be deleted.
The Electronic Record class inherits its properties from the Record class. All documents having electronic origin are declared as electronic records using this class. You can declare an electronic document as a record using Application Engine or Workplace XT.
The Digital Photograph Record class inherits from the Electronic Record class. The Digital Photograph Record class contains additional metadata for digital photograph records.
The Email Record class inherits from the Electronic Record class. The Email Record class contains additional metadata for e-mail records.
The Marker Record class inherits from the Record class. Marker records have metadata that indicates the physical location of the record. Marker records can be filed in electronic record folders or physical record folders. Marker records can be charged out.
The PDF Record class inherits from the Electronic Record class. The PDF Record class contains additional metadata for PDF records.
The Scanned Record class inherits from the Electronic Record class. The Scanned Record class contains additional metadata for scanned records.
The Transcript class is a subclass of the Document class. It contains a transaction XML, which is updated through a workflow and it acts as a disposal certificate in the form of an .xml file that is stored on the CE after final disposition. Using this file, you can view the metadata related to the disposed entity.
The Web Record class inherits from the Electronic Record class. The Web Record class contains additional metadata for web records.
In IBM Enterprise Records, you can create links between IBM Enterprise Records entities and other Content Engine objects in Application Engine or Workplace XT. A record can share links with other records, documents, and record folders. Similarly, a record folder can share links with records, and records folders in both IBM Enterprise Records and Application Engine or Workplace XT. By creating links, you can reference or associate related records and information, such as notes, attachments, and email-return receipts, to a specified record. All the links available in IBM Enterprise Records are weak links. For example, if two entities are linked and one entity is deleted, then the other entity is not deleted with it. You can create custom link classes and set them to behave as strong links. When entities are linked by a strong link, deletion of one results in the deletion of the linked entity as well.
The RM Link class is derived from the Link parent class. The RM Link class further subclasses to represent other subclasses. The following figure depicts RM Link classes and subclasses.
The following list describes the child subclasses of the RM Link parent class along with their brief descriptions:
The RM Link class is a subclass of the link class, which will be used for N-N relationships for the RM link class.
Extract Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between an extract and the record from which it originated. An extract link can be created between records and between a record and a document. The Extract Link is used for referencing selected portions of the record's content and not the entire content of the record.
Hybrid Folder Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between hybrid or electronic record folders.
Record Copy Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between the original record and its different copies. This link is created automatically by the system for a record when you create a copy of that record. The Record Copy Link is a weak link. When two records are linked and you delete a copy of the record, the linked copies of the record are not deleted with it.
Record Folder See Also Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between two related folders. A Record Folder See Also Link can be established between IBM Enterprise Records record folders or between an IBM Enterprise Records record folder and any other folder outside of IBM Enterprise Records.
Record Hold Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between a record entity that is on hold and the hold itself. This link is used for internal processing and is not visible in the IBM Enterprise Records UI.
Record See Also Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between records having related content.
Rendition Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between a record and its renditions. Rendition refers to an instance of a record rendered into another software format without loss of content. The content and most of the metadata are identical. You use renditions for preservation or access/viewing purposes.
Reference Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between a record and its references. A reference link can be created with other records, documents, or record folders having associated content.
RM Folder Hold Link is a subclass of the RM Link class. It establishes an association between an IBM Enterprise Records folder entity that is on hold and the hold itself. This link is used for internal processing and is not visible in the IBM Enterprise Records UI.