Essai de définition universelle du dossier

Abstract

What we call « dossier » in French (in English whether file or folder or record) is usually defined through the subject it refers to (financial file, medical record, clipping file⋯), and the meaning of the very word « dossier » is not further explained; the reason of using this word instead of another is not so clear. This issue of Document numérique about electronic files/records, both digitalized paper documents and native electronic documents, seems an opportunity to precise what a « dossier » supposed to be and if changing the medium from paper to electronic means also changing structure and content.