Why your agency needs smarter document management: The power of classification and tagging

Federal agencies are flooded with data. A staggering 80-90% of this data is unstructured, consisting of documents, emails, presentations and reports that pile up faster than they can be managed. Most of it is unlabeled, unorganized, and hard to find when you or your colleagues need them. This flood of unstructured data creates risks: compliance headaches, security vulnerabilities and missed opportunities to use information to serve the public.

Agencies don’t need more storage. They need smarter and more secure content management powered by classification and tagging.

By automatically classifying content and tagging sensitive information, agencies can transform data chaos into clarity, improve compliance and accelerate decision-making.

The challenge: Unstructured data overload in government

• Unstructured data covers everything from PDFs and slide decks to email threads and HR files. For federal agencies, the volume is staggering—and so are the challenges.Employees spend hours searching for the right file, only to come up empty or duplicate work that’s already been done.
• Compliance officers wrestle with FOIA requests and NARA retention schedules, but without the right labels, important records slip through the cracks.
• Sensitive data such as PII or CUI often sits exposed in documents with no protection, creating security vulnerabilities that can quickly escalate into breaches.
• Leaders don’t have a clear view of their information landscape, decision-making slows down.

The result is inefficiency across the board and mounting risk for agencies tasked with serving the public.

The problem is bigger than productivity. According to the National Archives’ 2023 Federal Agency Records Management Annual Report, only 63 percent of agencies say they will be ready to manage all permanent records in electronic format by the June 2024 deadline, while nearly a third admit they will not.

That gap illustrates just how much unstructured content remains unmanaged and how urgent the need for modern document governance has become.

The solution: Automated content classification

Document classification is the process of categorizing documents based on their content. Instead of relying on staff to manually sort and label files, we do the heavy lifting completely automated.

For federal agencies, automatic classification means employees can finally find the right information in seconds.

It means security and compliance teams can meet security and regulatory requirements with less stress and greater accuracy. It means workflows like routing and approvals happen automatically instead of through manual intervention. It provides agencies with a clear view of their information environment and reduces the repetitive, tedious work that drains staff time.

Automated classification lays the groundwork for what we at Collibra call true Data Confidence™—and that means you can be confident your team is using trusted, high-quality data.

A deeper dive: Tagging sensitive information

Classification alone isn’t enough. Agencies also need to identify and protect sensitive data. Sensitive information tagging automatically detects PII, financial data, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and more and applies the right labels.

Why it matters for federal agencies

• Data protection and security: Prevent unauthorized access to Social Security numbers in benefits files or passport details in travel records.
• Privacy compliance: Adhere to mandates like the Privacy Act of 1974 and the E-Government Act without relying on manual oversight.
• Risk mitigation: Reduce the likelihood of breaches such as an unredacted personnel file being disclosed in response to a FOIA request.
• CUI management: Properly identify and protect sensitive but unclassified data—like procurement documents that could expose national security information if mishandled.
• Facilitating redaction: Quickly locate and redact protected health information (PHI) when responding to public records requests from journalists or watchdog groups.

Tagging creates automated visibility and control, which is critical for a world where regulatory demands and privacy expectations are only growing.

Real-world applications for federal agencies

Smarter document management is already helping agencies accelerate operations while staying secure.

• FOIA requests can be fulfilled faster when classification locates relevant documents and tagging highlights redactions
• Classification prevents mislabeling of classified and unclassified information, avoiding costly security errors
• In HR and benefits offices, tagging ensures citizen and employee data is always protected
• In litigation, automated classification speeds up discovery by surfacing the right records while tagging flags sensitive details

Implementing a classification and tagging solution

Federal IT leaders know technology alone isn’t enough. Success depends on integration, security and adoption.

Agencies should choose solutions that scale across critical air-gapped, on premise, hybrid, and FedRamp systems and future platforms, with role-based controls to protect sensitive content. Accuracy and reliability are critical, especially in high-stakes government work. Staff must also be trained to trust and use the system. Many agencies begin with a pilot program, proving value in one area before expanding.

With the right approach, classification and tagging unify fragmented governance, creating one consistent framework for compliance, security and efficiency.

The payoff

Federal agencies can’t afford to let unstructured content slow them down or put them at risk.

Smarter document management powered by classification and tagging delivers measurable benefits. It protects sensitive information, strengthens compliance, streamlines operations and frees staff to focus on mission outcomes. It also builds the foundation for faster, safer use of AI and advanced analytics.

The urgency is real. As mentioned, barely six in ten agencies say they’ll be ready to manage all permanent records electronically by the federal deadline. That means a lot of organizations are still scrambling. Classification and tagging help close that gap. They give agencies a way to bring unstructured data under control, accelerate compliance and reduce the risk of falling behind federal mandates.

With Collibra, agencies can unify governance across every system and data source. Our platform gives you automated classification and tagging so your teams can trust, comply and use information with confidence.

The result is a more secure, more efficient and more effective government—that’s ready to serve the public with speed and integrity.

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  Shona Cerami

  Collibra

  Area Vice President, SLED

  Collibra