Experience in implementing the Unified State Document Management System in institutions of the Kazakhstan, 1970s–1980s

Scientific article

DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-2-404-423

For citation

Yskak, A. S., Zhumatay, G. B. (2026). Experience in implementing the Unified State Document Management System in institutions of the Kazakhstan, 1970s–1980s, Herald of an Archivist, no. 2, pp. 404-423. DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2026-2-404-423

Yskak, Akmaral S., Zhumatay, Gabit B.

Narxoz University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Experience in implementing the Unified State Document Management System in institutions of the Kazakhstan, 1970s–1980s

Abstract

This article analyzes and summarizes the experience of implementing the Unified State Document Management System (USDMS) in Kazakhstan's institutions. The need to improve document management systems has always been pressing, as 80% of any organization's information is documented and requires a specialized approach. This step was taken at the state level in the second half of the 20th century with the development of the USDMS, the purpose of which was to implement and standardize proven document management methods. For the first time, measures were comprehensively adopted to mechanize and automate office work processes. The authors specifically review and summarize the experience of implementing the USDMS in Kazakhstan's institutions. The study utilized scientific literature, unpublished archival documents, regulatory legal acts, and methodological documents, which together provide a complete picture of the problem under study. This analysis of the experience of implementing the USDMS in institutions represents an attempt to study it for the first time. In 1974–1975, intensive work began on its implementation in all institutions. The supervising archives assisted institutions in implementing the Unified State Archives of Records by holding seminars and organizing courses on records management. From 1974 to 1978, approximately 3,000 specialists participated in 72 seminars organized by the Central State Archives of Kazakhstan, and approximately 2,000 employees completed annual professional development courses organized by several national ministries. Reviewing, analyzing, and summarizing the experience of implementing the Unified State Archives of Records in institutions across the country allows us to evaluate the research results and demonstrate their significance. Organizational measures for implementing the Unified State Archives of Records in institutions were carried out by employees of the records management service. The implementation of the Standard Instructions on Records Management was accompanied by the introduction of the main provisions of the Unified State Archives of Records. Despite the advisory nature of the Unified State Archives of Records of Records and the difficulties experienced by most institutions due to the insufficient qualifications of record management employees and the lack of a material and technical base, the work proved successful. The implementation of the Unified State Document Management System (USDMS) affected the traditions of most institutions and, in some cases, led to the transformation of traditional document management methods by differentiating them with the automation of individual document management processes. In fact, this mega-project was a significant event for Kazakhstan, as it covered approximately 1,500 institutions. The USDMS provided new impetus for improving documentation and document management, thereby facilitating the subsequent effective implementation of the Unified Digital Document Management System (UDDMS) project for government agencies in modern Kazakhstan. This was also facilitated by the continuity of document management and the accumulated experience of document specialists.

Keywords

Unified State Document Management System (USDMS), Kazakhstan, document management service, card registration form, document execution control, file nomenclature, automated control system (ACS), machine-readable document, mega-project, Unified Digital Document Management System (UDDMS).

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About authors

Yskak Akmaral Sydygalykyzy, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Narxoz University, School of Humanities, Associate Professor, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 8-700-481-77-26, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ORCID 0000-0003-3998-584X

Zhumatay Gabit Bekenuly, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Narxoz University, School of Law and Public Administration, Associate Professor, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 8-747-481-77-25, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ORCID 0000-0003-0468-8538

The article was received in the editorial office on 10.09.2025, recommended for publication on 20.03.2026