System of record
- Ade McCormack
- Aug 3
- 1 min read
What is a System of record?
A system of record provides a trusted repository of operational data. They capture and maintain the authoritative record of business activities and transactions, describing what has happened but not, by themselves, creating a base level of organisational intelligence.
Systems of records exist across every business function. Common examples include:
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Inventory management
Supply chain management
Payroll
Product lifecycle management (PLM).
Intelligent organisations preserve these trusted systems of record but wrap them with systems of cognition that interpret information, generate insight and support decision-making. By transforming operational data into organisational intelligence, they unlock new sources of value without replacing the systems on which the business depends.