Nolene,
I've always indexed active files too, while they're onsite in the file
room. Once they became inactive, we'd do the transmittal thing, box
them up, and send them offsite. This was awhile ago, and I wished we'd
been able to use barcode technology to allow for internal tracking,
check-out/in, and transfer to offsite storage much easier. At that time
it was tough enough fighting the "powers that be" so bar-coding was not
an option.
I agree with Patrick in that letting your vendor do it would depend on
how much control you wanted over your records. Personally, I've always
preferred that my vendors know as little as possible about what's inside
a box... all I wanted to give them was a unique number for each box I
sent to them: I wasn't real keen on putting a copy of the transmittal in
the box either (but I gave in on that one).
Oh the lessons learned over the years, if I ever get the opportunity to
manage a large central file room again....
Thanks, and have a great day!
Earl
Earl Johnson, Jr.
Consultant (Millican & Associates) to DHS Records Management
Department of Homeland Security
7th & D Street SW, Room 3636-22
Washington, DC 20528
Office: (202) 205-5803
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Nolene Sherman
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 6:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Indexing Active Records
I have always indexed active files and have just added a box number to
the file index once the file goes to off-site storage. I was speaking to
a colleague who mentioned that they use their off-site vendor's indexing
system exclusively. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then
wondered how, or if, they index files still on-site. I was wondering how
common is my practice vs. only indexing files once they are boxed and
sent off.
Nolene Sherman
Records Manager
CJ Segerstrom & Sons * South Coast Plaza
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
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List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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