So today, electronic archiving is a real strategic asset for a company, particularly from a legal point of view, as significant developments have taken place in the field of proof, and probative value in particular.

The Law of 13 March 2000 Art. 1316-3 stipulates "A written document on electronic medium has the same probative force as a written document on paper medium" subject to the fact that the person who produced it can be duly identified and that it is drawn up and stored in conditions likely to guarantee its integrity.

For all that, this law and the different implementing regulations do not adequately define the value of the electronic document. In this matter, judges have a sovereign discretionary power.

Nevertheless, we can now base ourselves on standard NF Z42-013 entitled "Electronic archiving - Specifications relative to the design and operation of information processing systems in view of ensuring the storage and integrity of the documents stored in these systems".

This standard provides a set of specifications concerning technical and organisational measures to implement for recording, storing and returning electronic documents in order to guarantee storage and integrity of the latter.

Documents can either result from a process of digitization from documents on paper or microform, or be produced directly via a computerised process.