ISO/TR 23081-4:2026

Information and documentation — Metadata for records — Part 4: Report on metadata element sets

This document provides an overview of the metadata element sets, developed in different countries and by different organizations according to the ISO 23081 series of standards.

Information et documentation — Métadonnées pour les documents d'activité — Partie 4: Rapport concernant les jeux d'éléments de métadonnées

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 23-Jun-2026
• ICS: 01.140.20 - Information sciences
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 11 - Archives/records management
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 11/WG 1 - Metadata
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 24-Jun-2026
• Due Date: 10-Jun-2027
• Completion Date: 24-Jun-2026

Overview

ISO/TR 23081-4: Information and documentation - Metadata for records - Part 4: Report on metadata element sets is a technical report developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) under the ISO 23081 family. This report provides a comprehensive overview and comparative analysis of metadata element sets for records management, sourced from various national and organizational standards. Its primary purpose is to guide organizations and countries involved in designing, assessing, or updating metadata schemas for managing records in electronic records management systems (EDRMS) and business systems.

ISO/TR 23081-4 serves as a resource to inform the development and harmonization of metadata standards, ensuring better interoperability, improved records lifecycle management, and enhanced information governance.

Key Topics

• Metadata Element Sets Survey
  The report offers a global perspective by analyzing 25 metadata element sets collected from diverse organizations and environments since 2015. These include standards from UNESCO, Australia, the USA, the UK, Canada, Luxembourg, European Union bodies, and major business entities.

• Common Metadata Elements
  Through systematic collection and analysis, the report highlights the most frequently used metadata elements across these sets, including:

  • Identifier
  • Title
  • Language
  • Creator
  • Description
  • Date & time
  • Format
  • Security and access
  • Subject
  • Location

• Records Management Context
  ISO/TR 23081-4 aligns metadata requirements with ISO 23081 principles, emphasizing the unique needs of records management in both business and archival contexts.

• Methodology
  The methodology includes mapping various metadata standards to ISO 23081 categories and extracting commonly recurring elements, providing actionable insights and a foundation for standardization.

• Practical Insights for Business Systems and EDRMS
  The report specifically analyzes differences in metadata requirements between business systems and dedicated document/records management systems, outlining which elements are prioritized in each context.

Applications

ISO/TR 23081-4 is highly valuable for:

• Records Managers and Archivists:
  Facilitates the development or upgrade of metadata schemas by providing a reference to common and essential metadata elements, supporting robust records lifecycle management and regulatory compliance.

• System Designers and IT Professionals:
  Informs the design and implementation of electronic records management systems (EDRMS) and other information systems handling records, ensuring correct metadata alignment for optimal system interoperability, search, and retrieval functionalities.

• Policy Makers and Standardization Bodies:
  Offers an empirical basis for national and international standard development, aiding in harmonizing metadata practices across organizations and borders.

• Quality and Compliance Teams:
  Assists in creating policies and procedures that meet international best practices for metadata in records management, thereby supporting auditability and accountability.

Related Standards

ISO/TR 23081-4 should be used in conjunction with the broader ISO 23081 series and related metadata standards, including:

• ISO 23081-1: Principles for metadata in records management
• ISO 23081-2: Conceptual and implementation issues for metadata for records
• ISO 15489-1: Records management - Concepts and principles
• ISO 30300: Records management - Core concepts and vocabulary
• ISO 15836-1: The Dublin Core metadata element set - Core elements
• AS/NZS 5478: Recordkeeping metadata property reference set

For those involved in information and documentation, adopting ISO/TR 23081-4 enhances metadata consistency, supports effective records governance, and promotes the interoperability of record-keeping systems on a global scale.

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Keywords: ISO 23081, metadata for records, records management, metadata element sets, EDRMS, information governance, ISO standards, documentation, metadata standards, interoperability, archival metadata, records lifecycle, metadata schema.

Standards Content (Sample)

Technical
Report
ISO/TR 23081-4
First edition
Information and documentation —
2026-06
Metadata for records —
Part 4:
Report on metadata element sets
Information et documentation — Métadonnées pour les
documents d'activité —
Partie 4: Rapport concernant les jeux d'éléments de métadonnées
Reference number
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
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Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Context . 4
5 Steps and methodology . 4
5.1 Collection of metadata element sets.4
5.2 Methodology .5
5.3 Conclusions .6
Bibliography .12

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
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with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
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this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
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Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
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related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 11, Archives/records management.
A list of all parts in the ISO 23081 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
Technical Report ISO/TR 23081-4:2026(en)
Information and documentation — Metadata for records —
Part 4:
Report on metadata element sets
1 Scope
This document provides an overview of the metadata element sets, developed in different countries and by
different organizations according to the ISO 23081 series of standards.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 30300, Information and documentation — Records management — Core concepts and vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 30300 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
identifier
data, string or pointer that establishes the identity of an item, organization or person, alone or in combination
with other elements
3.2
title
name given to a record, folder or class
3.3
subject
word or phrase indicating a topic associated with a registry object Typically, subject will be expressed as
keywords, key phrases or classification codes from a controlled vocabulary or formal classification scheme.
3.4
description
creation of a representation of an object and its component parts
3.5
creator
any entity (corporate body, family or person) that created, accumulated and/or maintained records
in the conduct of personal or corporate activity
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.7.1.06]

3.6
type
recognized form a record takes, which governs its internal structure and relates to its transactional purpose
or to the action or activity it documents
3.7
relation
identifies instances in which a record has a direct relationship with another record, either through content
or a direct business process, or clarifies how a record at one level of aggregation relates to records at other
levels
3.8
function
group of activities aimed at achieving one or more goals of an organization
[SOURCE: ISO 30300:2020, 3.1.12]
3.9
aggregation
any accumulation of record entities at a level above record object
[SOURCE: ISO 23081-1:2017, 3.2]
3.10
location
place where a record or resource is stored or held
3.11
security and access
security classification restrictions and permissions governing access to records
3.12
disposition
range of records processes associated with implementing records retention, destruction or transfer
decisions which are documented in disposition authorities or other instruments
[SOURCE: ISO 30300:2020, 3.4.8]
3.13
preservation
measures taken to maintain the usability, authenticity, reliability and integrity of records over time
Note 1 to entry: Measures include principles, policies, rules, strategies, processes and operations.
[SOURCE: ISO 30300:2020, 3.4.11]
3.14
accessibility
usability of a product, service, environment or facility by people with the widest range of capabilities
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.11.1.02]
3.15
publisher
entity responsible for making the resource available
Note 1 to entry: Examples of a Publisher include a person, an organization, or a service.
Note 2 to entry: Publisher http:// purl .org/ dc/ elements/ 1 .1/ publisher.
[SOURCE: ISO 15836-1:2017, 3.3.5]

3.16
source
external resource from which the present resource is derived
3.17
digital signature
signature based upon cryptographic methods of originator authentication, computed by using a set of rules
and a set of parameters such that the identity of the signer and the integrity of the data can be verified
Note 1 to entry: Digital signatures employ a type of asymmetric cryptography. For messages sent through an insecure
channel, a properly implemented digital signature gives the receiver reason to believe the message was sent by the
claimed sender.
[SOURCE: ISO 17523:2025, 3.4]
3.18
coverage
extent or scope of the content of the resource
3.19
mandate
legal, regulatory or business rules governing the organization
Note 1 to entry: In the records management field, mandates affect the records processes.
[SOURCE: ISO 30300:2020, 2.1.14]
3.20
medium
physical ‘carrier’ on which a digital record is stored.
Note 1 to entry: For physical records, the material of the record.
3.21
integrity check
method for determining whether the bits that make up a digital record have been changed in the course of
transmission or storage
Note 1 to en
...