As a person that has been looking at RM software for a number of years, I
can tell you that it is unlikely that most Records Managers will be finding
an outsourced records storage vendor providing software that deals much with
records content. It is simply not what their business model is about.
Outsourced records storage (for either electronic or physical records) is
about low-cost storing of objects - boxes, files, folders, containers, and
possibly electronic files on a server. All software used by outsourced
storage vendors needs fundamentally only three date elements - 1) Who "owns"
the object, 2) Where is it (tracking/retrieval), and 3) Something to enable
them to CHARGE BACK TO YOU for storing it. Example - 1) John Phillips, 2)
Boxes of Computer Disks, 3) John's Address to send the invoice to.
Everything else is considered icing on the cake.
Tracking such records-related information as content/subject and retention
period metadata does not really add value ($)for the outsourced storage
vendor, so they consider it an additional headache to deal with at best.
They need to charge extra for database customization, additional reports,
scanning/OCR of contents, etc. This is not to say that they will never offer
these additional services (at a price), it is just not something that most
of their customers ask for or that is in their financial interest.
So, most Records Manager's organizations try to retain and manage their own
document content and records tracking metadata internally within in-house
records management applications - that interface with the records storage
vendor's tracking system through use of a common data element - often a
barcode or box number. It is common to use the records storage vendor's
system for box retrieval, after searching an internal database that had
content related information, along with the box number or barcode number of
the item that was sent to the records storage vendor.
This means that it is extremely important to get cooperation from the
records storage vendor in setting up the initial metadata (box number or
barcode) that will be used to track boxes or containers, especially if any
integration between internal and outsourced systems is expected. That
metadata is the link between the Records Manager's ability to search
internal content-oriented records tracking systems and to also be able to
use the same metadata to search for actual boxes (or electronic objects) in
the off-site storage vendors' facilities.
John
********************************
John T. Phillips
MSLS, CRM, CDIA, FAI
Electronic Records Management
Consulting, Education, Research
Information Technology Decisions
www.infotechdecisions.com
865-966-9413
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Cheryl L. Rose
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 4:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tracking your inactive records.
We have benefited by having our own software to check against the vendor's
list, which we request occasionally. There have been discrepancies that we
were able to clear up (boxes we expected to be there but were not and vice
versa). The vendor list is definitely lacking as they automated and placed
inconsistent descriptions into new fields for reporting. We didn't worry
about the correcting their inaccuracies since we have better descriptions in
our software. We use Interwoven Records Manager as a stand-alone application
to track our active folder circulation and off-site records using barcodes.
It's worked well for us.
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Subscribe Recmgmt-L Anonymous
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 3:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [RM] Tracking your inactive records.
My company uses our own RM software system, to track and manage our inactive
off-site records. We have an interface between the system and IMConnect to
automate all of our transactions. Automated transactions include ordering
supplies, cheking in/out records, and creating pick up orders. Previously
we used a vendor supplied tracking program and I would never recommend it.
The problem is the vendor owns your information and if you want changes made
you have to pay to update your information.
We are currently in the pilot stage of Filenet Records Manager to manage
our electronic records.
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