Hi, Elizabeth,

Vendors, please do not contact me.

 We are beginning the process of replacing my records management software,
a stand-alone system on which I do all data entry from paper Transmittal
Sheets sent with the inactive and semi-active records boxes, with a
web-based system where users have access to the information on their boxes
in storage, past and present, and do their own data entry.

It is a quantum leap in technology, complexity and cost, even though the
functions you describe are in the box as far as the software is concerned.

- Warning! Venting! - Presently, I make the listing of current boxes in
storage available to the Record Coordinator of each department on an Excel
file.  The process takes about 8 hours to download the information from my
stand-alone system, remove the data on boxes no longer in storage, sort it
by department, create a discrete Excel file for each department that has
added/deleted/changed information about its boxes, create the e-mail with
the Excel file attached and send them at the end of the day. - Venting
complete -

Yes, it would be worth it not to do the duplicate data entry (the Record
Coordinator creating the paper form, and me doing the data entry), and not
spending a day once or twice a month creating the Excel files, because my
time is much better spent analyzing retentions to make sure we are in
compliance with laws and regulations, able to provide records in response
to litigation, and not keeping obsolete records.

So, if you can find an effective, efficient, and inexpensive process or
software to get your inventory on the intranet, go for it!

Lorinda Kasten-Lowerre
Records Management Analyst, Senior
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Torrance, California, USA
Member - The Orange County Chapter of ARMA International
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Larry Medina - "RM makes the rules; IT provides the tools".

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