Elsa case management system
Elsa is a case management system that handles matters referred to in the Act on Forenames and Surnames, the Guardianship Service Act, the Act on the Continuing Power of Attorney, the Act on Certain Personal Registers of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the Parenthood Act. The cases may have been submitted to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or initiated by the Agency itself. In addition, orders for certificates from registers maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, matters related to the registration of personal data referred to in the Act on the Population Information System and the Certificate Services of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the Municipality of Residence Act, and matters related to moving and addresses are processed in the system. In addition to these, the system is used to handle the confirmation of shareholders for estate inventory deeds and examinations of impediments to marriage. The system is also used to supervise guardian activities. In addition, the system is used in the process related to discontinuing the use of Suomi.fi Messages if the client is unable to disable Suomi.fi Messages as a self-service.
The State Department of Åland will introduce the system into use gradually during 2026.
Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) and the State Department of Åland
P.O. Box 123, FI-00521 Helsinki
Telephone (switchboard) +358 295 536 000
Email kirjaamo(at)dvv.fi
Contact person in register-related matters
Senior Specialist Sari-Kaarina Vähämäki
Telephone (switchboard) +358 295 536 000
Email kirjaamo(at)dvv.fi
Telephone (switchboard) +358 295 536 000
Email [email protected]
The processing of personal data contained in the register is based on subsection 1 c (compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject) or subsection 1 e (the performance of a task carried out in the public interest) in Article 6 of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. The Information Management Act (906/2019, section 25) lays down provisions on the Agency’s obligation to maintain a register of cases that are being processed and have been processed by the authority.
Legal basis Execution of the statutory duties of the DPDSA:
Act on the Population Information System and the Certificate Services of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, sections 4 and 5
Guardianship Services Act, section 84
Act on the Continuing Power of Attorney, section 25
Act on Certain Person Registers of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, sections 2 and 8
Municipality of Residence Act, section 1
Act on Forenames and Surnames, section 21
Parenthood Act, sections 4 and 5
Act on Central Government’s Joint e-Service Support Services, section 8e
The retention periods of documents in Elsa are laid down in the Archives Act. The retention periods are specified in the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's information management plans. Retention periods vary by process and by document from 24 hours to permanent storage. If you would like more detailed information on the documents for an individual process and their retention periods, please send an e-mail to [email protected].
The following information has been stored in the system:
- identification data and contact details of the interested parties
- details of applications, processing and decisions
- details of the supervision carried out by the guardianship services
- order details
Data on persons is obtained from the Population Information System.
Additionally, information is obtained from documents used for the processing of official matters.
Information from the guardianship service is disclosed in Finland to public guardianship and the courts in order to perform their statutory duties and those of the guardianship authority. Data is disclosed to the Suomi.fi e-Authorizations service to enable guardians and attorneys to act on behalf of their clients.
No personal data is transferred outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.
Automated decision-making is based on chapter 8b of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Automated decision-making can be used in applications initiated through the electronic name change service, in which an adult applies for a commonly used first name or a surname that they have previously held. Automated decision-making may also be used in the certificate service.
Payments are automatically determined in electronic services. In the certificate service, we will notify you of automated decision-making in the electronic certificate you receive and the receipt of payment. If an automated decision is made regarding your application in the name change service, you will be informed about it in the decision you receive.
Right of access
You have the right to access your personal data and check its content. You can send a request to check your personal data to the Registry office of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Be prepared to provide proof of identity.
Right to revision
You have the right to correct your personal data if you notice that it contains inaccurate or incorrect information. Submit the request to the Registry office in writing. In your request, please specify the information that should be corrected as well as the specific changes and additions to be made. Be prepared to provide proof of identity. .
Limitations to the rights of the data subject
The processing of personal data in ELSA is based on compliance with the statutory obligation of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or on the performance of a duty of a public interest or the exercise of public authority. In such cases, you do not have any right to demand that your personal data should be deleted or transferred to another system. Moreover, as a rule, you do not have the right to object to the processing of your personal data.
If you think that your personal data is processed unlawfully, you can submit a complaint to the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman.
Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman
Street address Lintulahdenkuja 4, 00530 Helsinki, Finland
Postal address P.O. Box 800, 00531 Helsinki
Email tietosuoja(at)om.fi
Switchboard +358 29 566 6700
Registry +358 29 566 6768
For more information on filing a complaint, see the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman website at https://tietosuoja.fi