Gravity Union is extremely excited to be sponsoring and presenting at the 2025 ARMA Canada Information Conference in beautiful Montreal, QC!
This conference will bring together hundreds of industry professionals to the premier event for Information Professionals to connect, learn, and shape the profession in Canada.
Be stop by the Gravity Union booth to say hi! Also check out our team members’ sessions on implementing Purview, automating RM, metadata best practices, retention schedule tips and more! Details on sessions below!
Where to find us:
Be sure to stop by the Gravity Union booth to say hello to our team, and chat about how we can support your journey towards ensuring compliance, implementing Purview, organizing your org’s SharePoint - and more!
Session: Automating RM: Lessons from the Municipal District of Bonnyville’s SharePoint & Purview Journey
Session Description: Many organizations have transitioned to SharePoint Online and the Microsoft 365 (M365) platform, leading to overall organizational adoption resulting significant growth of content. The exponential increase in organizational content is a positive development as organizations adopt and adapt to the changing horizon of information management. Due to unplanned and rapid implementation many considerations, like permissions, were not accounted for resulting in the site creation sprawl and disorganized content. There may be an abundance or scarcity of document libraries and folders. Users might be creating nested subfolders due to the lack of clear alternatives for better organization. Additionally, there could be an accumulation of duplicated, old, outdated, and irrelevant content.
In this session, we’ll discuss how the Town of Bonnyville collaborated with Gravity Union to establish a simple yet scalable and detailed SharePoint architecture. This approach has resulted in a more user-friendly system, enhanced search, improved productivity, and the automation of records management behind the scenes for departments and teams.
Speaker Bio: Michael Schweitzer, CEO and Founder of Gravity Union
Michael Schweitzer is the founder of Gravity Union with over 15 years of enterprise technology experience. A certified expert in Microsoft and Collabware solutions, Michael has led over 100 SharePoint ECM projects. He is a frequent speaker at ARMA events and SharePoint Saturdays, sharing his expertise in records management and compliant information governance.
Speaker Bio: Kelsey Laye, Records Management Coordinator at Municipal District of Bonnyville
Kelsey Laye is a Records Management Coordinator with 14 years of experience in municipal government. Passionate about digital transformation, Kelsey has successfully led two major digital transformation initiatives, helping to modernize operations and enhance efficiency for Municipal Government. With a strong background in privacy and access to information, she brings 12 years of expertise in navigating complex regulations and data security. An avid supporter of Microsoft technologies, Kelsey is dedicated to driving innovation in records management and privacy practices. She is eager to share her insights on the intersection of digital transformation, data governance, and technology solutions.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Session: Top Lessons from SharePoint and Purview RM Projects: A Case Study with the City of Winnipeg
Session Description: In this session, Shelly Smith, Records & Information Management Coordinator for the City of Winnipeg joins Gravity Union founder Michael Schweitzer to share top lessons learned from their collaboration on the SharePoint and Purview Records Management (RM) project for the City of Winnipeg.
Drawing from project experience, they’ll discuss lessons learned, best practices, and strategies for ensuring compliant information governance.
Whether you're just starting your M365 RM journey or enhancing your current system, this case study session will provide actionable insights to guide you toward RM success.
Speaker Bio: Michael Schweitzer, Gravity Union, CEO and Principle Consultant
Michael Schweitzer is the founder of Gravity Union with over 15 years of enterprise technology experience. A certified expert in Microsoft and Collabware solutions, Michael has led over 100 SharePoint ECM projects. He is a frequent speaker at ARMA events and SharePoint Saturdays, sharing his expertise in records management and compliant information governance.
Speaker Bio: Shelly Smith, City of Winnipeg, Records & Information Management Coordinator
Shelly Smith has been with the City of Winnipeg since October 2015. Shelly has over 20 years of records management experience, in which she has overseen the implementation and operations of several diverse information management programs. Shelly has been an ARMA Winnipeg Chapter board member since 2011 and currently sits on ARMA International’s Chapter Advisory Committee, Conference Awards Committee, and Canada Conference Education sub-committee.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Session: Marvelous Metadata: Proving Record Authenticity Supported by Canadian Standards
Session Description: How can metadata validate the authenticity of records in an evolving digital world? This session dives into the vital role of metadata for records management, focusing on the Canadian standards that safeguard a document’s integrity and trustworthiness. Particularly focusing on the Electronic Records as Documentary Evidence standard and PIPEDA. Gain more understanding in the metadata involved in Canadian standards and privacy legislation (Privacy Act, PIPEDA, FIPPA, and the Electronic Records as Documentary Evidence standard CAN/CGSB-72.34-2024) and their requirements for record authenticity.
We’ll explore best practices in metadata management for government and compliance-driven organizations with examples in one of the leading digital tools: Microsoft 365. Drawing on an examination of Microsoft’s Foundational Privacy Impact Assessment documentation, see how Canadian data is protected and managed when using SharePoint with the Purview Compliance Portal. Discover how custom metadata, retention schedules, and Canadian standards converge to create a robust framework that upholds records’ authenticity across various systems.
This session is valuable for team members in compliance-focused roles, including those working for federal agencies, as well as individuals interested in data-privacy-driven information architecture.
Session takeaways:
Understand the metadata involved in Canadian standards and privacy legislation (Privacy Act, PIPEDA, FIPPA, and CAN/CGSB-72.34-2024) and their requirements for record authenticity.
Learn which metadata elements are crucial for verifying a record’s credibility, including creation dates, modifications, and access logs.
Discover practical strategies for applying custom metadata and retention policies in Microsoft SharePoint and Purview.
Speaker Bio: Jessica Dobson, Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union
Jessica is a Digital Transformation Analyst with a background in Records Management. She has worked at both private and public organizations helping to find governance solutions for digital records with Microsoft SharePoint, taking into consideration both regulatory and business requirements. She is passionate about helping clients find solutions that protect and deliver information in a timely manner.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Session: Retention Schedules in the Modern Digital Age - Lessons Learned for a Practical M365 Implementation
Session Description: Organizations are increasingly adopting M365 and SharePoint Online to manage growing volumes of documents and records. This shift to "managing records in place" integrates the records lifecycle into users’ daily workflows and emphasizes automation, reducing the burden on end users. However, it raises important questions for Records Management professionals regarding their retention schedules: How will these changes align with traditional retention schedules designed for paper-based or early digital systems? What will the maintenance of such a system will look like? In this session, I’ll outline key considerations for adapting retention schedules to M365. Drawing from years of experience supporting government organizations transitioning their records to M365, I’ll share several practical approaches, along with their benefits and challenges. Topics of Discussion will include: - Best practices for managing records in place while streamlining the end user's experience - Managing transitory records categories within a file plan, and understanding where retention schedule may be too detailed - How to design useful automated and manual retention triggers by understanding the implications of each method These topics should be considered whether you are planning on using Purview or a third-party tool to manage records in M365.This session is suitable for all, but geared towards those in RM roles.
Speaker Bio: Pauline Richer, Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union
Speaker Bio: Pauline Richer, MILS, has 10+ years of experience in Records Management working for or with all levels of government across Canada as well as private organizations. She currently works as a Digital Transformation Analyst for Gravity Union, a compliance-inspired services firm.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Session: Preparation is Key: Governance Planning Strategies for Impactful IG Initiatives
Session Description: Embarking on an Information Governance (IG) project? Before diving in, set your project up for success with a strong foundation in governance and project planning. This session will explore the critical steps that make the difference between a project that stalls and one that thrives—covering essential planning practices like stakeholder engagement, governance management, and future planning.
Speaker Bio: Leah Daniels, Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union - plus other RIM Professionals!
Speaker Bio: Leah is an archives and records management professional with over seven years of experience in the field. She specializes in managing records through their lifecycle and is passionate about helping others do the same. Initially, Leah worked in the Oil and Gas Industry, where she trained staff on document management software, oversaw document control, conducted project audits, and developed policies. Now, she is a Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union and empowers clients in their M365 platform experience.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Panel Discussion: RIM at the End of the World? Building a Career - and a Profession - in Times of Change
Session Description: In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and global uncertainties, the field of Records and Information Management (RIM) faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This presentation examines the many challenges to the three E’s of Resiliency in the Records profession – Ethical, Ecological, and Economic. RIM professionals can navigate these turbulent times by leveraging their skills to build resilient careers and contribute to the evolution of the profession. Join the discussion to explore how Records professionals can thrive in a world where the only constant is change .
Speaker Bio: Leah Daniels, Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union - plus other RIM Professionals!
Speaker Bio: Leah is an archives and records management professional with over seven years of experience in the field. She specializes in managing records through their lifecycle and is passionate about helping others do the same. Initially, Leah worked in the Oil and Gas Industry, where she trained staff on document management software, oversaw document control, conducted project audits, and developed policies. Now, she is a Digital Transformation Analyst at Gravity Union and empowers clients in their M365 platform experience.
Location, Date and Time: TBD
Don’t miss this fantastic national IM event! Be sure to register for ARMA Canada:
