Records Management Basics

Records and Information Life Cycle

• The five phases: creation, distribution, use, maintenance, and disposition.

Transaction Documents

• Focus area for students studying organizational paperwork related to daily operations.

Records Classification

• Records are categorized by organizational value: vital, important, useful, or nonessential.

Document Imaging

• An automated system designed for scanning, storing, retrieving, and managing physical records.

Administrative Value of Manuals

• Policy and procedures manuals hold significant administrative value for organizations.

Useful Records

• General correspondence and bank statements are classified as useful records.

Records Management Definition

• Involves systematic control of records from creation to final disposition.

ISO 15489 Definition

• Defines a record as information created, received, and maintained for legal obligations or business transactions.

Protecting Vital Records

• Best practices include comprehensive measures encompassing various protective strategies.

HIPAA Privacy Rule

• Enacted to safeguard personal health information, protecting it through regulatory means.

Electronic Fund Transfer

• A secure, efficient, and cost-effective method for individuals and businesses to manage transactions.

Operating Level Workers

• Roles include Inactive Records Clerk, Imaging Records Technician, and Vital Records Clerk.

General Services Administration (GSA)

• Early legislation aiding records management in the United States.

Unstructured Information Percentage

• Represents 80% of total information created by an organization.

E-commerce Facilitation

• Enables business transactions through networks and computers.

Records Management Operating Level

• Involves workers responsible for routine tasks like filing and retrieval.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

• Describes technologies and processes for capturing, managing, storing, and delivering enterprise content.

Analyst Operating Level

• Includes roles such as active records analyst within the records management hierarchy.

Human Error in Record Classification

• Inaccurate classification during creation signifies potential human error issues.

RIM Program Features

• Important characteristics encompass a variety of necessary elements for effective records management.

RIM Challenges

• Involves adapting to new laws, evolving business processes, technological changes, and new record formats.

Records Manager Level

• Operates at the managerial level, overseeing records management strategies.

Federal Legislation Purpose

• Strives to balance and protect various facets of records management.

Alphabetic Records Management Procedures

• Correct order: inspecting, indexing, coding, cross-referencing, sorting, and storing.

Alphabetic Storage Considerations

• Factors such as the functionality of the system outweigh aesthetic decisions like color coding.

Advantages of Alphabetic Storage

• Involves appropriate accessibility, practicality, and efficiency.

Shelf Files Limitations

• Contrary to the belief, shelf files may not ensure confidentiality for records.

Records Storage System Criteria

• Considerations include cost, space, and record protection before making purchases.

Causes of Misfiling

• Misfiling occurs due to various contributing factors related to human error and system failures.

Finding Lost Files

• Search methods include checking between and under folders within storage systems.

Permanent Cross-References

• Creating guides or sheets in likely record locations enhances retrieval efficiency.

Motorized Rotary Storage

• A system that facilitates file retrieval by moving shelves around a central hub.

Alphabetic Filing Order Examples

• For The 14 Day Diet, 24 Carat Gold, and others signifies correct sequencing based on alphabetic criteria.

Business Correspondence Filings

• Incoming business correspondence is typically stored based on the name found in the letterhead.

Records Retention Program

• Established policies governing document retention, storage environments, and timeframes for record keeping.

Requesting Out-of-File Records

• Utilizes forms known as on-call forms for retrieval operations.

Records Inventory

• Detailed directory documenting types, locations, dates, and other vital information about an organization's records.

Archivist Role

• A trained professional specifically equipped to handle archival materials within an organization.

Groupings of Record Values

• Nonessential, useful, important, and vital define the spectrum of record significance.

Indexing for Records

• An index serves as a systematic guide for locating specific records in larger databases.

Active Records Transfer Timing

• Using the periodic transfer method, records transition to inactive status typically once a year.

Inactive Record Storage

• Transferring inactive records is essential when regular requests reduce and storage is limited.

Destruction Date File

• This tickler file tracks records slated for destruction based on scheduled timelines.

Inactive Records Index

• A record index that provides a summary of all stored records within inactive storage.

Perpetual Transfer Method

• Continuously transfers records from active to inactive storage based on need or relevance.

Records Activity Levels

• Defined groups include active, inactive, and archives, describing record engagement levels.

Document Classification as Records

• Various documents may serve as records depending on their content and context.

RFID System Components

• Consists of various elements facilitating tracking and management of records.

Charge-out and Follow-up File

• A tickler file organizing requisition forms by due dates for record returns in storage facilities.