Distributed records management system

A records management method for managing the records of an organization comprising:

• via a central records policy manager, providing access to organization documents;
• via a plurality of local records policy managers, providing access to organization documents;
• networking said local records policy managers;
• coupling said local records policy managers to said central records policy manager;
• wherein via said central records policy manager, said method further comprises:
• via a central document life cycle manager, managing the document life of organization documents;
• via a central records life manage, managing the records life of said organization documents;
• and
• via a central document management rule module, implementing and modifying an organization document management rule set;
• wherein via said local records policy managers, said method further comprises:
• via a local document life cycle manager, managing the document life of organization documents;
• via a local records life manage, managing the records life of said organization documents;
• and
• via a local document management rule module, implementing and modifying an organization document management rule set;
• wherein said local records policy managers are adapted to carry out document management functions independent of said central records policy manager;
• and
• via a system synchronizer, synchronizing local records document management changes performed by said local records document managers with said central records policy manager.