As you will probably hear from the esteemed members of this list, there are numerous software packages to cater to most of your records management needs.
You will require a method for evaluating these packages so that you can make a more informed decision. I would suggest a spreadsheet that brings together each package to compare apples with apples.
What I did was to list all the things I wanted the package to do... must haves, nice to haves, wheew what a luxury, etc. Give each function a weighting factor so that realistic values can be appointed to each function. Then let the spreadsheet do the math and you will get a short-list of packages to look at in more detail. This worked for me.
Best regards and good luck.
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Diane Dodge
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 12:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: More Information re: Rec Mgt System
Thank you for your responses. I apologize for not giving more
information.
My company is a "high tech" consulting/services firm specializing in
Enterprise Asset Management. We also develop custom software products. A
lot of our contracts are with the federal and state governments, DOD, and
public utility companies. We also have contractors in various foreign
sites, such as Iraq, Japan, London, and some others I won't mention. For
more information about the company, see our website at www.trmnet.com.
Our headquarters is in Alexandria, VA and we have branch offices in
Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, Honolulu, Prospect KY, and Chesapeake,
VA. The company is growing rapidly, but has never had a Records
Management Program. I have been working to set one up. I had no training
in RIM. when I started here almost a year and a half ago. I was learning
as much as possible from the Listserv, ARMA membership, and lots of online
research. Currently, I am enrolled in the Records and Information
Management Certificate Program online through Chippewa Valley Technical
College. When I first came here, lots of our records were stored in
closets and under people's desks. I have been performing inventories,
interviews with users, developing retention schedules and transferring
inactive records to offsite storage. Most of my work has been with
administrative and financial paper records (and some electronic). There
is also a large segment of project and R&D electronic records which I have
not gotten access to yet. However, I have met with the VP's in those
areas to let them know about the RIM program and what I want to
accomplish. They became interested when I gave them examples of
executives being indicted and the type of information that got them into
trouble.
Our company is undergoing a change in business processes and part of that
will involve getting an electronic records/document management system
which will connect and serve the whole company. Up until now,we have
operated in more of a "silo" fashion. That was fine when the company was
small, but it is a hindrance now. One of the VP's sent a representative
from Spescom to give a demonstration of their product to my boss and me,
while he was waiting to see our President.
We need a way to bring all the records management (including some email)
and document production efforts together. I have been looking at systems
on my own. It wasn't until the rep from Spescom demo'd his product to our
boss, that management began to seriously consider getting an electronic
rec mgt system. I liked the one we saw, in that it seemed to incorporate
Records Management principles in its design instead of having RM "piggy
backed" onto an IT system. But I want to encourage the management to look
at other solutions before buying the first one they have seen.
I have not heard anyone mention Spescom in all the time I have been a
member of the Listserv, so I want to see if anyone knows about them.
I have not really defined our requirements here, but I just want to let
you all know the situation I and my company are in. It is growing rapidly
and has gone from a small company to a medium sized one in the time I have
been here.
Thanks for your interest and your advice.
Diane Dodge
[log in to unmask]
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
---------------------------------------------------------------
This message and any attached documents contain information that may be
confidential and/or privileged. The information herein may also be protected by the
Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Sections 2510-2521. If you are not
the intended recipient, you may not read, copy, distribute, or use this information. If you
have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply
e-mail and delete all copies of this message to include any attachments.
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
|
