Archival Document Sorting

Document Sorting

• According to the document this process is key within Archival Organization and it is related to the Classification process which precedes it and the Description Process which goes before it.
• Aims to offer an accessible tool that guides work in archives, serving both theoretical and methodological purposes for public and private institutions, archivists, file clerks, and students. It aims to help establish the most suitable document sorting systems based on the attributes of the collections.
• It addresses the processes of organization, it allows the reader to understand their present circumstances.
• It addresses the sorting processes based on concepts and general information, going from broad topics to specifics, leading the reader to understand the original order principle.
• The application of general and specific standards, such as Procedure Manuals, and their connection to this subject matter is highlighted.
• Emphasis is given to the definition of Document Collection as the starting point of this Process, illustrating features and differences among simple and complex document units.
• Includes a glossary standardizing archival language for managing and maintaining institutional memory.

Organization Processes

• Processes in organizing archives: classification, sorting, and description.
• Requires attention from archival staff to clarify specific meanings.
• The use of "organize" and "sort" interchangeably in daily life is different in the archival context, as they denote very specific processes.
• Classification and sorting have distinct meanings.
• They are different specifications that make up what archival science considers document organization.
• Both are aimed at respecting or restoring the original context in which documents were produced.
• Classifying and Sorting are two operations within a broader Organization
• Organization involves classification and sorting and applies findings from the identification phase to the structure of a collection.
• Classification is an archival operation that establishes categories or groups reflecting the collection's hierarchical structure and it's the first step in the organization process.

Classification

• Organization is the result of proper classification followed by sorting, and complementary actions are essential for effective organization.
• Organization isn't only verified through physical examination of documents but also through control instruments like inventories and valuation tables; these tools ensures coherence and reliability.
• Classification involves setting up different document groupings, starting with the largest (the overall collection) and ending with the smallest (document collections with their document types). The process involves determining administrative units and their functions.
• Classification doesn't dictate the arrangement of documents within groupings but specifies which ones belong to each administrative unit, function, and collection.

Sorting

• Sorting begins where classification ends, applying to document collections, it can have well-classified document collections but are internally disorganized without a defined sequence.
• If classification establishes differences between document groupings based on origin, sorting establishes clear relationships between documents within a collection.
• Classification connects document groups, whereas sorting connects individual document units within the same series.
• Classification refers to document structure, while sorting concerns sequence, cause-and-effect relationships, continuity, and interdependence among documents.
• Sorting an administrative process that provides physical arrangement to the documents.
• Determines the sequence of documents and unites document units within a collection using a pre-set criterion.
• Sorting is a coherent physical arrangement and a record of administrative activity, reflecting the dynamics and movements over time.
• Contribute the organization documentation and institutional historical knowledge.
• Aids the access to the information, document understanding and the ability to the analysis of the content

Original Order Principle

• Documents aren't created all at once but gradually based on demands or steps which requires time, various parties, or locations.
• Reflection on events or activities required for resolving an issue, it focuses on the sequence in documents creation.
• Guide the physical ordering of documents within files and collections.
• Also called the Historical Principle, is a methodological tool for organizing archives effectively
• It involves considering the necessary steps for completing an action, reflecting the cause-effect relationship between documents where each document relies on previous ones.
• It allows understanding who produced the documents and why, and specifies all necessary production steps, from start to finish.
• The correct order of the collections and files reflects also how the information is seen.
• Occurs causes that allows this organization to be lost:
• Lack of employee understanding of functions.
• Absence of procedure manuals.
• Lack of knowledge to physical locate the documents.
• Interrupted processes.
• Incorrect document placement.
• Grouping by document types.

Procedures Manuals

• Describes the correct execution of a task or function, involving a series of related steps that transform resources into a product.
• Processes has a set start and a set end point through actions
• Regulations that allows the function of the administration
• Procedure Manuals guide or restore document order, reaffirming the original order.
• Well-ordered document collections and files demonstrate compliance of the procedures.

Sorting Systems

• Sorting systems that materialize the idea of sequence: Numerical, alphabetical, and Mixed or Alphanumeric.
• Numerical systems include simple and chronological methods.
• Alphabetical systems cover onomastic, toponymic, and thematic arrangements.
• The choice of sorting system depends on the specific characteristics of the collection.
• Applying a single system to all series without considering unique characteristics is incorrect.

Numerical Sorting Systems

• Ordinal system consist in arranging documents progressively by their identifying numbers.
• Chronological system arranges documents sequentially by date.
• The year is followed by the month, then the day.
• Chronological sorting is vital for organizing files.

Alphabetical Sorting Systems

• Focuses on letters and goes from A to Z.
• Onomastic is an alphabetical order name system used for permanent data like work, medicine and academics. The order is the last name, also note as first surname, second last name, and at the end the name.
• Toponymic it is an alphabet geographic place order that is based in a place, etc.
• Thematic system orders document based on topics.

Mixed sorting system

• Alphanumeric involves mixing alphabetic and numeric chronologic.

Document Collection

• The product of activities or functions carried out by people
• They are the record of an organizations
• Reflect the environment of the activities
• It includes documents that is grouped in collections reflecting the continuation of systematic activities.
• It is integrated of documents resultant from the repetition of processes and administrative or technical steps.
• Formed for similar document types that respond to similar subjects, creating uniform information.
• Could be simple or complex

Procedure for Classification

• Analysis of the document
• Selection of the right ordination system
• Implementation of the organization
• Series storage in appropriate units
• File of the document in each conservation element
• Identification of each of the conservation elements.

Document series

• Formed by documentary units simply (documenting types), where each unit is independent from each other.

Steps of complex documental units

• Analyze the content to determinate if it is procedure or process
• Verify if each unit reflects the original order.
• Apply the system ordination
• Storage each folder in the right conservation unit
• Identify the different conservation units

Document Subseries

• A subset of documents that is part of a series, identified separately by common types

Document Unit

• It is the fundamental element of a documentary series, which can be simple or complex
• It is the physical product of an activity carried out by the institution allocated function
• Each Document Unit has different structure form that differ from the rest and contains uniform information, for example, a report
• The basic documentary types that make up the file are those established by the Procedure Manuals for processing a specific process.
• When forming a documentary organization it necessary to identify each of the document forms that have been produced to ensure a correct series ordination.

Record

• The procedure to set the documents in the right order in a single issue or matter, which is produced as the process is set up to complete

Record ordination

• Is the procedure where the processes are executed, the main document to be first, and then the order that are being produced to resolve a treat.

Archival Sort

• Group of documents that cannot be separated since these documents are sequential activities with a technical and administrative function where should be respected.
• For the archival sort it is need a numerical order from the document itself. When the proper record is found then proceeds a validation to determine if they have the proper traits of the archival sort.

Foliation

• Archival integrity of the series once is stored with numerical order that goes from 1 successively.
• It could be implemented by simple or complex documentation.
• Before to implement archival sort is necessary to analyze a primary valorization which consists of analyzing the documentation for its traits and duplication factors. This applies to documentation with a non constitutive format.
• The document order should be implemented chronological from the oldest to the newest to apply the validation.

The respective control is implemented successively where for instances

• A file from 1-200 should have the archival record #1
• A file with documentation after the one above is set to a #2

If the process contain attached records to the documentation, these should be number successively where any differences shall not be implemented. Also should be attached different support for the documentation; In where it should be specified on where to find each different attachment location for the record file.

Here are some process that are a must for any archival organizing where demonstrates the ownership in the documentary process, with a required unique record to consolidate the ordination with the sole purpose of transferring these documents for traceability to archival keeping.