This section explains some important concepts in Records Management, followed by an overview diagram of how these concepts interact with one another.

An element is a piece of information that is checked into Records Management. Elements can be integrated into records, but do not have to be. A record itself is also an element, and at the same time contains elements. This means it is possible for a record to contain other records as subrecords. Record models and file plans are also elements.

A record model is a template for records, which is created in Customizing. The template defines the structure of the records. Records that are based on the same record model always have the same structure. This improves user orientation within the records. The assignment of the record to a record model is made in Customizing when the element types for records are created.

A file plan is a central registry used for the management of records. The use of a file plan is optional.

Service providers enable integration of elements into Records Management and access to elements. Each service provider is responsible for a particular group of elements (for example, service provider for documents, service provider for notes, service provider for business objects). Within a service provider, you can adapt element types to further subdivide this group.

An element type groups similar elements together. Element types are the starting point for checking new elements into Records Management or searching for them in Records Management.

From a technical point of view, an element type is a division of the elements of a service provider. The element type sets the parameters for the service provider. You can only use a service provider if you at least one element type exists in this service provider. A service provider can contain any number of element types. To create element types according to customer-specific requirements, use the IMG activity Registry Maintenance.

Element types have the following functions:

• You do not need to make any technical entries (such as RFC destination) when inserting elements. These entries are predetermined for element types in Customizing, so you only need to choose a suitable element type.
• You can predefine a structure for the records by assigning element types to nodes in the record model.

Note: In technical contexts, an element type is also called a service provider space (SPS).

Records Management has an underlying framework that can also be used for other applications outside of Records Management. Each application has its own framework area. An area contains a group of service providers. It defines attributes for the element types of these service providers.

SAP supplies the area S_AREA_RMS, which contains all the service providers implemented by SAP. This must be used for Records Management.

An RMS is a discreet unit within Records Management. Different RMSs can be used to separate different business areas that physically exist in the same client of an installation (in a similar way to company codes). Dividing the records of a company into discreet units means that is it possible to provide particular groups of users access to particular records.

• Example: In a hospital there are personnel records and patient records. Employees in the personnel department only have access to the "RMS for personnel records", nurses and doctors only have access to the "RMS for patient records".
• RMS is a classification parameter of the area S_AREA_RMS. You assign values to this parameter using the Customizing activity Maintain Registry. You separate the different RMSs by assigning element types to one or more RMS. An RMS can contain any number of element types. Elements can only be displayed in the RMS in which they have been entered.

The type classifies elements according to their semantic content. It provides the user with orientation when searching for records (for example: The types "Documents", "Record models", and "Business objects"). In the Records Organizer, types are displayed as yellow folders in the standard setting of the role-based view.

• The type is a classification parameter of the area S_AREA_RMS. You assign values to this parameter using the Customizing activity Maintain Registry. SAP recommends that you only create a new type if you are implementing a new service provider whose elements cannot be assigned to one of the types supplied by SAP.

The following diagram provides an overview of the architecture of Records Management. The arrow shows the direction of reading.

Note: This diagram contains the elements that can be integrated in Records Management. In theory, any elements can be integrated into Records Management if the corresponding service providers are implemented.