5 Steps Need to Take Care of Before Implementing a Record Management System
Record management is one of the effective tools to control enterprise’s records, during the entire life cycle–from creation to final disposal. An Ideal service makes sure that records testifying enterprise activities are accessible and protected while useless records are systematically destroyed.
If your business doesn’t have any system to keep track of records/data, then this is right time to establish one such system in your organization. In this article I have presented few tips that need to consider before establishing any system.
1. Build a responsible team, who can develop and implement a strategic plan for the record management program and provide governance structure for same,
This team has the responsibility for developing, implementing and maintaining the program so assign responsibilities and authorities to team members. It consists of key stakeholders from the management i.e: information technology, legal, compliance and other key business groups and they will report sponsor of this project.
2. Conduct a wide inventory survey for all the records in your organization.
The process will help your organization to identify how much and what kind of information has to manage, like:
1. Records (information received or created by the business in pursuit of legal responsibilities).
2. Non-records (personal papers, reference materials, junk mail or publications).
3. Vital records (records that are critical for business continuity of the organization in the situation of an emergency.).
4. Archival records (age old historic records of persisting value that are stored and preserved).
3. Create your business records management policies and procedures in direction with vision of your business.
This policy serves as the base line for the full project. This should endorse at the top decision-making level, advertised throughout enterprise and made readily available to employees. Policy should include:
1. Definition of a “record.”
2. Records are kept centralized outside the organization or de-centralized.
3. Duration for which records are supposed to be archived.
4. Records disposition procedures.
4. Formulate a record management service.
This service comprises of a method for finding out retention timetable. This make sure those records are kept long enough to cope with legal, regulatory and business requirements. Records should not be destructed too early or retained too long; and one must comply with records destruction practices and systematic retention.
5. Execute a training program for all employees to successfully implement a record management service.
All employees & third party contract workers need to be coached and understand their responsibilities. This can be achieved via a combination:
• Self help intranet site to learn about record management.
• Communicate regular announcements related to procedures and policies via email to all staff member.
