What is an ERP archive? Functions, Benefits, and Legal Requirements explained
Benedict Breitenbach
Tue Jul 08 2025
A bookkeeper is looking for an incoming invoice from 2020. The supplier is demanding a late payment, the tax office is asking for proof — but the document is nowhere to be found in the archive. Two hours later, after a tedious search through old email attachments, network drives, and manually maintained folders, it becomes clear: the invoice was never properly archived.
According to a study by consulting firm McKinsey in 2023, employees spend on average 1.8 hours per working day searching for and compiling internal knowledge and information. That’s roughly a whole workday per week devoted solely to research instead of productive tasks.
Further studies by IDC confirm that knowledge workers lose up to 2.5 hours per day — approximately 30% of their working time — due to inefficient access to information.
When extrapolated to hundreds or thousands of transactions per year, this results in enormous time and cost losses — regardless of the exact document in question.
An ERP archive ensures that this doesn’t happen in the first place. It stores documents and data from the ERP system in a way that is efficiently accessible, legally compliant, and audit-proof — no matter how old they are.
What is an ERP archive?
The term ERP archive combines two components:
- ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning, the planning and control of business resources — from materials and personnel to finances and IT.
- An archive is a structured, long-term repository for information and documents that are no longer needed in daily operations but must be stored for legal or verification purposes.
An ERP archive is therefore a solution that collects and stores data from the business applications used in a company. The crucial point is that this data is stored in a legally compliant, audit-proof, and quickly retrievable manner — often for many years.
The systems from which the ERP archive receives its data — such as SAP, Microsoft, etc. — are referred to as ERP systems.
What does an ERP archive consist of?
A typical ERP archive consists of three core components:
ERP system
The operational system from which the archived data originates (e.g., invoice creation, order processing, warehouse management).Archiving system
A specialized platform that stores the data securely and in an audit-proof manner.Interface / Integration
A technical connection that ensures automated, rule-based archiving — for example, directly after an invoice is posted or an order is completed.
What is archived?
Depending on the industry and requirements, the following content may be stored in an ERP archive:
- 1. Incoming and outgoing invoices
- 2. Orders and delivery notes
- 3. Booking records and journals
- 4. Customer and supplier data
- 5. Contracts, credit notes, and reminders
- 6. Production logs and warehouse transactions
Why an ERP archive?
Why archive in an ERP archive at all? Why not simply save everything in a folder?
1. Legal requirements
In both the EU and Switzerland, there are binding legal regulations for the archiving of business-relevant data. Companies are required to store electronic records in a proper, secure, and privacy-compliant manner.
An ERP archive helps to fulfill these laws and retain oversight.
2. Technical reasons: Performance & order
ERP systems are not designed for long-term storage. Old records slow down:
- Database performance: Large data sets make queries slower
- System maintenance: Backups and migrations become more complex
- Clarity: Employees lose track of what is current and what is outdated
An ERP archive relieves the ERP system while keeping information accessible.
3. Organizational security
Missing or unstructured archiving leads to real risks:
- 1. Tax audits without supporting documents
- 2. Contract disputes without proof
- 3. Customer inquiries that cannot be adequately answered
A robust ERP archive protects against data loss, legal problems, reputational damage, and unnecessary work.
How does an ERP archive work?
An ERP archive is technically an interface between the ERP system and the archiving solution that ensures business-critical data is automatically stored.
1. Connection to the ERP
Usually via APIs, web services, or ERP-specific connectors — this automates the transfer of relevant data (e.g., invoices) immediately after posting or approval.
2. Data structuring
Documents are indexed by type, date, ID, etc. — enabling targeted retrieval even years later or after a system change.
3. Audit-proof storage
This includes:
- 1. Immutable storage (WORM, digital signatures)
- 2. Logging (audit trail)
- 3. Role-based access control
- 4. Optional timestamping and versioning
A well-designed archive is not a luxury — it's a necessity. Those who think ahead today avoid expensive problems tomorrow.
