Records retention policies, for paper or electronic records, are beyond its scope, and should not be determined by the law of evidence in any event. Someone who destroys paper originals in the ordinary course of business, ideally in accordance with a rational schedule, should not be prejudiced in using reliable electronic versions of those records. Someone who keeps some paper originals, say for archival purposes, should be able to produce the electronic versions in evidence, if the requirements of this Act about integrity can be satisfied. Many records today are produced using a computer with word-processing software and then printed. The electronic file is never used again.
Business correspondence is an example.
The reliability of the computer system is not at issue. This subsection allows such a record to be treated as a paper record. The paper printout would be the original for the purposes of the best evidence rule. Presumption of integrity 5. The first presumption is based on evidence that includes both the computer system that produced the record and the record-keeping system in which it operates.