What is an electronic archiving system (EAS)?
In a context where digital documents are multiplying, organisations need to guarantee that they are stored securely and correctly. The electronic archiving system (SAE) meets this challenge by ensuring the integrity, durability and traceability of essential information.
Our digital transformation experts explain its role and why it has become essential for businesses.
Definition: what is an EAS?
An electronic archiving system (EAS), or digital archiving, is a technological solution for storing digital documents in a secure, organised and durable way.
Unlike a simple shared folder or online storage, an electronic document management system guarantees that documents remain unchanged, authentic and accessible throughout their legal retention period.
In other words, it is a "digital safe" designed to protect the integrity of important company documents.
The difference between storage, EDM and EAS
There are several ways of managing digital documents, but they don't all have the same role:
Classic storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, server)
Used to upload and share files. No integrity or durability mechanism is guaranteed.
EDM (Electronic Document Management)
Used to collaborate, edit, classify and manage versions of a document. It supports day-to-day work, but does not guarantee long-term legal storage.
SAE (Electronic Archiving System)
Ensures the long-term preservation, inalterability, traceability and evidential value of documents. Once archived, documents can no longer be modified.
What is the purpose of an electronic archiving system?
An electronic archiving system (EAS) guarantees the security, integrity and conformity of information for its entire legal retention period. Here are the main objectives it helps to achieve.
Store documents securely and unalterably
An electronic records management system ensures that archived documents cannot be altered or deleted without authorisation. Thanks to encryption, electronic sealing and time-stamping mechanisms, digital evidence is protected from any alteration.
This preserves the authenticity of important documents, such as contracts, invoices and HR files.
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
Companies must keep certain documents for several years:
Invoices (10 years);
Electronic pay slips (50 years);
Accounting documents;
Supporting documents;
Employment contracts, etc.
The SAE ensures that storage complies with legal requirements, the NF Z42-013 standard and the best practices required by the authorities.
It is a practical response to the growing obligations in terms of information protection and governance.
Ensuring traceability and transparency
All actions carried out on a document (consultation, transfer, retrieval) are recorded in a secure audit log.
This traceability enables :
Prove the full history of a document;
Provide transparency during an audit;
Respond to audit or investigation requests.
The EAS is thus becoming an important tool for strengthening confidence and document rigour.
Make it easier to find and return documents quickly
An electronic records management system incorporates advanced indexing, metadata and intelligent search systems.
As a result, documents can be retrieved in a matter of seconds, even years after they have been archived.
This makes it much easier :
Administrative management,
Responding to audits,
Reporting.
No more digging through paper folders or dozens of scattered files.
Reduce the risks associated with the loss, alteration or falsification of documents
Without a structured archiving system, organisations run the risk of :
Loss of important documents;
Inconsistent versions;
Inadvertent alteration of files;
Unwanted falsifications or modifications;
Penalties associated with non-compliance with retention rules.
The EAS eliminates these risks by providing a secure, controlled and future-proof environment.
How does an SAE work?
An electronic archiving system (EAS) follows a rigorous process designed to guarantee the integrity, security and availability of documents throughout their lifecycle. Unlike a simple storage space, it applies technical and organisational mechanisms that ensure reliable preservation in compliance with legal requirements.
Automatic document collection and ingestion
The SAE recovers documents from different systems (accounting, HR, CRM, EDM, email, automated workflows).
Ingestion may be :
Automatic via connectors or API;
Triggered by a workflow;
Or manual with validation.
This stage ensures that documents arrive in the CAS with the right information, in the right format and without risky manipulation.
Classification, indexing and metadata
Once integrated, the documents are :
Classified according to precise rules;
Enriched with metadata (date, type, author, category, legal retention period);
Indexed for quick searching.
This structure facilitates retrieval and ensures consistent management of archives.
Sealing, encryption and time-stamping
To guarantee the integrity of documents, the EAS applies robust technical mechanisms:
Electronic sealing to prevent tampering;
Encryption to secure content;
Certified timestamping to prove date of filing.
These operations transform the document into durable digital evidence that complies with electronic archiving standards.
Document lifecycle management
The EAS automatically tracks the life cycle of each document:
Legal retention period;
Access rules;
Intermediate or final archiving;
Disposal on expiry (with traceability).
This management avoids the risk of errors, premature deletion or excessive storage.
Full traceability of actions
Every action carried out on a document (consultation, downloading, transfer, deletion, return) is recorded in a tamper-proof log.
This traceability enables :
Prove complete history;
Respond to audits;
Enhance document governance;
Ensure regulatory compliance.
No discreet changes are possible: everything is documented.
Secure return and audit
The SAE makes it possible to quickly retrieve any document, even years later, thanks to :
Advanced search;
Secure consultation;
Certified export mechanisms;
A full audit of actions associated with the document.
In the event of an audit, dispute or internal audit, the organisation can prove the authenticity and integrity of archived documents.
Electronic archiving requirements and standards
Electronic archiving must meet specific requirements in terms of integrity, security and compliance.
These practices are governed by a number of standards, some of which are international, while others are specific to Canada and Quebec. Here are the main references.
NF Z42-013 (France)
The norme NF Z42-013 is one of the most widely recognised standards for secure electronic archiving.
Even though it is French, this standard is commonly used as a technical reference for good practice, particularly in Quebec to assess the robustness of an EAS.
ISO 14641
The ISO 14641 standard is the internationally harmonised version of electronic archiving requirements. It provides a universal framework for organisations to ensure that their archives meet international standards.
Compliance with the Canadian and Quebec frameworks
In Canada and Quebec, there is no single standard equivalent to NF Z42-013, but several regulatory requirements govern the retention of electronic documents.
Organisations must comply with :
Revenu Québec and CRA rules regarding the retention of supporting documents;
Sectoral legislation (health, finance, municipalities, NPOs);
Bill 25 requirements;
Evidentiary value requirements for digital documents in the event of an audit;
Privacy obligations.
How do you choose an electronic archiving system?
Selecting an electronic archiving system (EAS) is a strategic decision that must take into account the issues of document security, compliance and longevity. Here are the main criteria to assess when choosing a solution tailored to your organisation's needs.
Technical criteria (integrity, encryption, traceability)
A good electronic records management system must be based on solid technical foundations in order to guarantee the integrity and evidential value of documents.
Criteria include:
Sealing and encryption of documents;
Reliable timestamping to prove the date of filing;
Complete logging of actions (consultation, access, restitution);
Inalterability mechanisms preventing any modification.
These features ensure that documents remain authentic and usable even after many years.
Integration capability (Microsoft 365, ERP, CRM, accounting software)
The EAS must integrate naturally with your existing tools to avoid manual handling and the risk of errors.
It must offer connectors or APIs compatible with :
Microsoft 365 / SharePoint / OneDrive;
Accounting software (Acomba, Sage, QuickBooks),
Manufacturing ERP;
CRM (Dynamics, HubSpot);
Automated feeds via Power Automate or other ETL tools.
Good integration guarantees automated, consistent and compliant archiving.
Hosting: cloud, local or hybrid
The hosting method influences both the security and flexibility of the system:
Cloud: ideal for most organisations.
Local (on-premise):relevant for organisations with strict regulatory constraints or a strong in-house IT infrastructure.
Hybrid: combines the security of local with the flexibility of cloud, often used during digital transitions.
The choice depends on your digital maturity, governance needs and sensitive data requirements.
Certifications and compliance
To guarantee the reliability of the system, you need to check the certifications it complies with, in particular :
NF Z42-013;
ISO 14641;
Canadian evidential value requirements;
Bill 25 compliance for the protection of personal information.
Support, migration and scalability
An EAS must be part of a long-term vision. It is therefore necessary to evaluate :
The quality of the technical support;
The ease of migration from your current systems (paper, EDM, servers, software);
The system's ability to evolve with the organisation: adding new document types, managing increasing volumes, future integration with other tools.
Secure and structure your documents with professional support
A well-established EAS strengthens compliance, improves governance, reduces risk and makes it easier to manage your company's sensitive information on a day-to-day basis.
At Mallette, our digital transformation experts are with you every step of the way: choosing the solution, integrating it with your tools (Microsoft 365, ERP, CRM), defining your document lifecycle and implementing secure archiving best practices.
Need help choosing or implementing an electronic archiving system? Contact us today!