Fred, I agree completely with your comment about the complexities of this
topic -it's another one of those "it depends" types of questions.

In the case of CAD, our use typically generates record copies in various
formats, including hard copy, as part of a certification process (for
example, with plat maps), or on the basis of project milestones. In SAP,
the complexity of some data means it can't easily be extracted in the
manner I described. For example, while accounts payable data has been
fairly easy to extract, purchasing and HR data have not. This means that
the data continues to reside in SAP, and the SAP system itself is necessary
to re-construct the record when needed. When we deal with the issue of
queries, etc... I think the issue of "records keeping" depends on the
ability of the system in question to reliably replicate the query during
the needed life cycle of an associated functional retention. This is
something SAP does rather well. If that can't be done, as you point out,
the issue becomes on of records capture/extraction needed to provide
required documentation (for example, the capture of long term retention
payroll reports in a more stable environment).

I'm going to make a somewhat educated guess, but I believe at least 80% of
the data bases we maintain in the county are of relatively simple design
and can be managed as discrete objects. The larger systems require a more
complex approach, but also operate under a greater degree of policy and
procedural control. In my opinion, in such systems, records keeping can be
both regular (discrete capture/extraction to meet specific business needs)
and opportunistic (migration to meet remaining system wide records keeping
needs).

>
> --
Dwight Wallis
Multnomah County Records Management
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
ph: (503)988-3741
cell: (503)260-2263
fax: (503)988-3754
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