kontaktinfosystem

A kontaktinfosystem, or contact information system, is an information system designed to store, manage, and retrieve contact details and related metadata for individuals and organizations. It serves as a centralized directory that supports communication, collaboration, and relationship management within an organization or across partners.

The system typically stores contact data such as names, titles, organizations, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and social handles, along with relationships, roles, departments, and preferred communication channels. It may also include history of interactions, notes, and access permissions.

Key features include a flexible data model, search and deduplication, data validation, consent and privacy controls, audit logs, and integration capabilities through APIs, LDAP/SCIM, or CSV imports. Data quality and governance are central, with workflows for enrichment, verification, and retention.

An architecture typically comprises a central repository, optional distributed caches, a user interface for manual maintenance, and an API layer to connect to CRM, HR, ERP, email, and collaboration tools. Synchronization can be bidirectional, with conflict resolution strategies.

Common use cases include internal corporate directories, customer or partner directories in CRM ecosystems, hospital patient directories with privacy restrictions, and university staff or student directories. Some deployments support role-based access, consent management, and data retention policies.

Privacy and compliance are central in many jurisdictions. Kontaktinfosystems implement data minimization, consent tracking, data retention schedules, and audit trails to support GDPR, CCPA, or sector-specific rules.

Interoperability standards such as LDAP, SCIM, RESTful APIs, and common data formats (JSON, XML) facilitate integration with other enterprise systems. Challenges include maintaining data quality, keeping contact records up to date, and balancing accessibility with privacy.