Seems to me that this is just your normal records management system. You
could develop an Access db for very simple collections, but there are
many, many software packages -- from relatively cheap to very expensive
-- that exist to do this.

Do you already have a records program in place and are just updating it
or are you in the very early stages and don't have a program in place? I
would caution you to take first steps first. Make sure you have a good
inventory, understand the work processes that generate the records and
establish a good classification scheme and file plan (either by
department of enterprise-wide: IMO departmental is easier, but
enterprise-wide is better). From that, develop the retention/disposition
schedule. Only once that is all in place, can you then create or
purchase software for the indexing.

ARMA has a multitude of books to help you with this process. I used
"Recordkeeping Requirements" and "Records Retention Procedures" by
Donald Skupsky and went to one of Dr. Langemo's seminars on developing a
records management program (I notice it's now on CD-video from ARMA). I
had another book about Establishing and Maintaining a Records Management
Program (or something close), but I seem to have loaned out the book and
never got it back and I don't see it in the ARMA catalog any more.

The company I'm with now decided they needed a records management
program and had the legal department put it together. They did a decent
job for folks that knew little about records management, but cut a lot
of corners. Then they decided to hire someone to implement and maintain
the program (I got the job). I find it very difficult to work with a
system that doesn't mirror the work processes that people do everyday.
The employees (and I) have a hard time matching what they  create to the
retention schedule, which was created based on an email survey asking
department heads "what records do you keep." What constituted a "record"
was not clearly defined. How the documents they created and received
were used and shared was not mapped and understood. We have 25 divisions
with each pretty much doing their own thing. So our schedule lists an
"office of record" but has all sorts of exceptions because this division
or that one has a different process. They set up standardized
departments in the software without knowing what each division actually
called their departments -- again, they didn't match employees reality.

It's definitely worth it, but it is a long, time-consuming and
difficult-to-get-people-to-do process. Because of the difficulty in
changing courses and the time and expense involved with re-doing stuff,
make sure you do it right the first time. 

Nolene
 
Nolene Sherman | Director of Records Management | Standard Pacific Homes
| 949-450-8583 | [log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----

I am in the early planning process for conducting a records inventory
for my organization and am looking for advice on maintaining the
inventory and possibly making it available via our intranet. Ideally I
would like offices to be able to look up records series (both those they
create as well as those held by other offices) and submit new
additions/edits to records series in their offices. I'd like to hear
from anyone who has designed/implemented a system for their records
inventory about your database/software application, as well as your
overall experience (is it worth it) and of course, any advice. Thanks!

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