Depositors can provide data to be archived and distributed by the repository. The depositor determines to whom the data may be distributed by specifying a user access level. The archiving process follows a defined workflow for depositing the data and defining descriptive metadata for a resource. The workflow is illustrated in the image.

The process begins with the depositor providing all parts of the resource to be archived. This data is inserted into the archival system by trained data managers at the repository. This insertion process also requires the creation of descriptions for the data, the descriptive metadata, also sometimes referred to as catalog metadata.

The archive performs quality tests of metadata and - as much as possible - of object data. It then ensures that a persistent identifier is assigned to the resource. The metadata is always made publicly available, but the data itself is distributed only to users or user groups specified by the depositor.

The relationship between the depositor and the repository is governed by the Depositor's Agreement, which stipulates the rights and responsibilities of both parties. Among other things, it states that the depositor holds the rights to the dataset and it specifies under which conditions the archive may distribute the data.