Changes to the Vendor Certification Program
The Certification Program has been of value over many years to vendors and agencies alike. Under this program, Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) certified commercial products against the requirements of VERS Version 2: PROS 99/007 Management of Electronic Records Standard. We now believe both agencies and vendors would benefit from a more flexible approach.
From 30 June 2020 we will begin the transition from our VERS Version 2 Standard to VERS Version 3 VEO creation, using the new PROS 19/05 Create, Capture and Control Standard and Specifications.
What does this mean for your current products?
The phase out of the VERS Certification Program will be managed to minimise impact on products already certified under the current program.
Please be assured that:
- Products certified by PROV can continue to be purchased and used.
- Digital records transferred to PROV as VEOs from existing VERS Version 2 certified products will continue to be accepted.
Key dates
1 July 2021 – Assessment for product certification against the requirements of VERS Version 2 (PROS 99/007) will cease.
1 July 2025 – Vendor self-certification of existing VERS Certified products against VERS Version 2 will cease.
Introducing two new initiatives
The activities previously carried out under the VERS Version 2 Certification Program will be managed under two new initiatives.
VEO Validation Program
From 1 July 2021, PROV will formally begin testing Version 3 VERS Encapsulated Objects (VEOs) generated out of vendor systems upon request.
PROV will test and validate the capability of commercial vendor systems to generate valid Version 3 VEOS in compliance with PROS 19/05 Specifications.
From now on, the VERS products web page will be rebranded as a 'Commercial VEO creation products' page. On this new page we will continue to list all products certified under PROV 99/007 as well as products that create valid Version 3 VEOs under PROS 19/05.
System Self-Assessment
The PROV Recordkeeping Assessment Tool (RKAT) includes a module for self-assessment of systems against the requirements of the PROV recordkeeping standards and will be available for you to use via PROV’s website soon.
Vendors are encouraged to:
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VEO validation
Vendors that have created commercial products that are capable of generating Version 3 VEOs in accordance with the requirements of PROS 19/05 Standard and Specifications will be able to submit VEOs to PROV for validation testing.
Please note that PROV is currently in the process of developing a formal VEO validation procedure. In the interim you may begin developing V3 VEO creation products. However, PROV cannot formally validate your VEOs until we have developed the procedure. Also before any validation testing can take place, you will first need to test and troubleshoot your VEOs. See our technical development packages available on the PROV VEO creation products page for tools to test and troubleshoot your VEOs. |
Upon validation, products will be listed in the Commercial VEO creation products page on the PROV website.