Abstract: A novel records management system for managing the records of an organization at least includes: a central records policy manager which provide access to organization documents; a plurality of local records policy managers which provide access to organization documents; a network adapted to couple the local records policy managers, and adapted to couple the local records policy managers to the central records policy manager; and a system synchronizer adapted to synchronize local records document management changes performed by the local records document managers with the central records policy manager. The central records policy manager at least includes: a central document life cycle manager; a central records life manager; and a central document management rule module adapted to implement and modify an organization document management rule set.