ask Bill Roach how to do it >From: Bruce White <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Records Management Program <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:36:16 -0600 > >On 1/17/07, Schildmeyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>It's the troublesome third category that I think your compatriots are >talking about: information that requires some intelligence - human or >>machine - to make a determination that it does or does not qualify as a >company "record." This is information that is generated from a >variety of >sources, but must at some time hit one of those diamond-shaped decision >boxes on your flowchart that asks: "Is this a record >or not?" It then >branches into two or three different processes, "yes", "no", or "maybe". >(Or >"It depends" in listserv parlance.) The things >that are "records" then >need to have consistent approved retention and disposition rules applied to >them by the system. > >Greg (and Steve), > >An excellent observation. We were attempting to resolve this challenge at >my former company as part of the ECM implementation. In our environment >"documents" (a term I use somewhat loosely) are typically developed using >collaborative tool such as SharePoint, E-room or maybe (God forbid) e-mail. >These are typically out of the auspices of the Records Management >group/team. > >At some point during the process the document is declared a "record" and >dropped into the repository (Documentum) with retention and disposition >rules assigned. Determining that point for some records, such as invoices >(either receipt or payment) or contracts (signature or effective date) is >pretty straightforward. It is other types, such are account ledgers, >project files, etc. that can be a problem. And then there's e-mail, >another >challenge altogether. > >Based on my experience, if your business processes are already mapped out >then making the determination is much easier. If not, then someone is >going >to have make the decision, either using a "cheat sheet" or, in my >former employer's case, reviewing each record series and making a "best >guess" when the event happens; not an easy task. > >-- >Bruce L. White, CRM, PMP >Houston, TX >e-mail: [log in to unmask] > >List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html >Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance _________________________________________________________________ Turn searches into helpful donations. Make your search count. http://click4thecause.live.com/search/charity/default.aspx?source=hmemtagline_donation&FORM=WLMTAG List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance