Nancy, a few very basic points I would touch on:
- Electronic records can include word processing documents,
spreadsheets, images and other formats beyond e-mail.
- Define what a record is and what the responsibilities of each records
custodian is. The situation you describe sounds as though the records
custodian will be each person at their desktop.
- Methods of setting up folders in Outlook or My Computer. The
functional categories found in retention schedules may be helpful in
this regard.
These touch on 3 areas of common confusion - a limited notion of what an
electronic record is (or even what a record is); assumptions that
someone else is taking care of maintenance (therefore the necessity of
identifying responsibilities); and a lack of knowledge on how to set up
a basic file structure.
The latter point touches on maintaining most of these records in their
native formats, as opposed to paper printouts. I agree with Steve that a
print based policy is not needed in most cases, although I tend to
advise such a policy for longer term records of a general nature,
usually with a retention of 10+ years. By general nature, I mean records
that have to have some sort of functional or subject categorization
imposed upon them, which may be inactive for extended periods of time. I
think because of the nature of these records, the current state of
technology available to most users, the relative instability of IT
structures, and the limited amount of such records a print policy may be
the only practical answer, as it is likely such records could be moved
to some format offline, and forgotten during a needed (and possibly
inevitable) migration period. This is particularly true if custodianship
is the responsibility of each desktop user, pertinent retentions are
long range, and the funds do not exist to implement effective electronic
records keeping systems. Consider which format would be most likely to
survive when "Bob" retires: Bob's CDs dumped in a file drawer, full of
word processing and spreadsheet based records, or Bob's printouts packed
up and shipped off-site. IMHO, Bob's desktop records probably wouldn't
have the retentions to justify the printouts, however there are
instances where they would.
This from a records manager who has had more than his fill of harried
bureaucrats desperately seeking the printouts that were never made of
the "paperless" system. All too many people believe that eliminating the
paper absolves them of their responsibilities as records custodians -
not so. If folks aren't going to focus on effectively maintaining
electronic records keeping systems over time - get the training, acquire
the tools, provide the staff - then they should learn to live with the
paper. It's durable, and it's probably what they deserve. Your training
may just the start needed - Good luck!
Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records & Distribution Services Manager
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution & Stores
(FREDS)
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland OR 97233
phone: (503)988-3741
fax: (503)988-3754
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