Administering Organization Filing Centres (Registries)

©KenvisionTechniksLtd,2015
Administering OrganizationAdministering Organization
Filing CentresFiling Centres (Registries)(Registries)
Presented By:
Solomon Kaminda, MSc IT (Bristol – UK),
BSc IS (Records Management)
Senior Consultant- Kenvision Techniks Ltd

IntroductionIntroduction
• A registry is an information system established to
care for, organize and quickly provides a good
service by:
• Promptly processing the days mail
• Quickly retrieving requested files
• Always knowing where its files are
• Politely responding to all registry users
• Always striving to do more for users

IntroductionIntroduction
It is the heartbeat or nerve centre of the organization
as it controls the incoming and outgoing mail
To provide a good service registry staff must be:
◦ Alert
◦ Interested
◦ Efficient and especially
◦ Prompt
◦ Polite
◦ Positive

Forms of registry systemsForms of registry systems
1. Centralized System
• Organizations can either have centralized or
decentralized registry systems.
• A combination of the two systems is also
found in large organizations.
• Centralized registry system is whereby all
records of a given organization are received,
processed, distributed and stored at a single
point.

Advantages of centralized registryAdvantages of centralized registry
i. Requires less storage space for the organization as
a whole
ii. Requires fewer staff to operate
iii. Promotes uniformity in filing procedure
iv. Provides effective supervision of records
v. Develops specialization in staff in registry
operations
vi. Reference of related records of different
department is convenient

Disadvantages of centralizedDisadvantages of centralized
registryregistry
i. Can be a security risk to an organization a single
calamity can destroy its records at an instance.
ii. Not suitable when records are required urgently
through a telephone or files may not be immediately
accessible when required especially in large
organizations.
iii. Too many records may lead to problems of maintenance
and organization. Location of the registry could be
distant some departments.
iv. Unsuitable for storing confidential records
v. Registry staff may possess little departmental
knowledge hence may not satisfy each departmental
filing requirement.

Decentralized registry systemDecentralized registry system
• A decentralized registry system is whereby
records of an organization are received,
processed, distributed and stored (maintained) by
the various departments.
• Each department or a group of related
departments manage their records.
• A central coordinating unit must be put in place
for purposes of establishing control of the
incoming records and distributing them to the
relevant departments.

Advantages of decentralizedAdvantages of decentralized
registryregistry
i. Speedier access for the user – files are kept in their
department
ii. Complex material is more manageable (department are
free to use the filing arrangement) best suitable to their
needs.
iii. Volume of records to manage is low
iv. Fewer units will access each station

Disadvantages of DecentralizedDisadvantages of Decentralized
RegistryRegistry
• Not economical in use of space, equipment and
personnel
• Becomes difficult to develop specialized
personnel
• Duplication of files is possible.
• Wastage of time moving from one departmental
registry to another for reference purposes.

Types of registries within theseTypes of registries within these
systemssystems
•Personnel
•Secret
•General
•Accounts
•Technical, etc.

Personnel RegistryPersonnel Registry
• This is a registry that stores and controls
personnel files.
• The information contained in these files is
confidential in nature on individuals working in
that institution.

Accounts RegistryAccounts Registry
• A lot of records are generated particularly
records of accounting nature in all
organizations.
• In order to ease accounting services and
for quick action the organization may
decide to set up an accounts registry.
• Records kept and used will be accounts
records such as ledgers, payrolls,
payment vouchers, bank statements
among others.

Secret RegistrySecret Registry
• This is a registry maintained for the purposes of
keeping classified records that are of confidential
nature.
• Access is normally restricted as much as the
confidentiality can permit.

General RegistryGeneral Registry
• This registry is maintained for general records.
Examples of General records:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Functions of A RegistryFunctions of A Registry
• Receiving and registering all incoming mail.
• Dispatching and registering outgoing mail.
• Controlling file movement i.e knows the
whereabout of all files all the time.
• Classifies and files records appropriately.
• Weeding ephemeral records.
• Preservation of valuable records.

Functions of A RegistryFunctions of A Registry
a) Preparation of records retention schedules
b) Provide adequate security to records
c) Gives advisory services on issues pertaining
records keeping
d) Supply and maintenance of records storage
equipment
e) Storage of organizations records

Registry responsibilities &Registry responsibilities &
activitiesactivities
• In order to operate successfully, the registry should
ensure that incoming and outgoing correspondence
receives attention without delay. The registry staff
must ensure that:
i. All official correspondence is assigned to an appropriate
file
ii. That files are distributed to the appropriate action
officers without delay
iii. That required information is produced on an appropriate
file as and when required.
iv. That all files in use are recorded

Registry responsibilities &Registry responsibilities &
activitiesactivities
• They involve ensuring that:
i. All files not in current use are stored and maintained
in such a manner as to ensure their legibility and
preservation.
ii. Internal and external messengerial service is available
timeously
iii. Any unnecessary record is periodically disposed of in
accordance with prescribed procedures.

Requirements in setting up a
registry
• Adequate staff: - in terms of quantity and quality
• Space:– adequate for current and future
accumulations
• Location:– central for convenience of all users
- secure
• Equipment: – suitable for form of records
- durable
- compact
• Funds
• Records
• Total commitment from top management

Features of An Ideal RegistryFeatures of An Ideal Registry
a) Qualified and adequate staff
b) Good filing system
c) No useless records retained
d) Have a records retention disposition schedule
e) Good location
f) Adequate space
g) Appropriate storage equipment
h) Updated retrieval and control tools

Indicators of poor registryIndicators of poor registry
managementmanagement
The most obvious and visible indication of a degenerate
and inefficient registry are:
i. Heaping of files and documents on top of tables,
cabinets on the floor and even on the corridors.
ii. Deployment in the registry of stall of low ability and
academic achievement:
iii. Loss and misplacement of files which necessitates
wastage of staff time and efforts in unproductive
searches for files and documents.
iv. Un-procedural and uncontrolled opening of files by
the registry staff and action officers leading to
proliferation and duplication of files.
v. High incidence of temporary files opened due to
inability to locate the main files.

i. Poor tracking system of files as a result of the failure
to record outgoing and incoming files.
ii. Decayed, obsolete and rarely revised file classification
schemes characterized by dilapidation and existence of
files on obsolete functions and activities
iii. Existence of parallel ‘private’registries maintained by
action officers as a result of loss of confidence in the
efficiency of the registry.
iv. Unwillingness of action officers to return files they
frequently use to the registry for fear that the files may
not be easily located when they need.

i. Poorly titled files
ii. Slowness in the provision of information and files by the
registry
iii. Misfiling of letters
iv. Absence of security of files and documents, which leads
to their loss and leakage of information.
v. Ephemeral records mixed with important records
vi. Huge bulky files, which are not closed when they
mature for closing and
vii. Lack of schedule of duties for registry personnel leading
to conflict, confusion and negligence in the performance
of duties.

Records PersonnelRecords Personnel

• The registry should not be the dumping ground for
officers who have fallen out with the
administration or those waiting to exit.
• Inefficient staff will keep records inefficiently.
• The attitude of management in many organizations is
indifferent towards records keeping. As a result of this,
the least experienced and least trained personnel find
themselves assigned to do records work.

• Records officers, assigned to do records work
should be:
i. trained in records work,
ii. trained in records management and interested in
working with records
iii. have legible handwriting and
iv. better than average memory and clerical skills.
v. accurate, fast, alert and neat in their work habits.
vi. polite and prompt.

• The responsibility and authority of records
should be in the hands of designated officer
known as
• Records Manager/Records and Information systems,
Analyst, Records
• Management Director etc. This is a senior level
position.

Duties of Records ManagersDuties of Records Managers
i. Plans, develops and administers records management
policies.
ii. Regular Records Surveys
iii. Recommends organizations, filing systems and
procedures
iv. Recommends storage equipment
v. Participates in training of personnel
vi. Evaluates staff reports
vii. Review the need for new filing equipment
viii. Identify vital records
ix. Determine administrative retention periods of records.

Registry SupervisorRegistry Supervisor
The Registry Supervisor
 is directly responsible to the senior
administration officer.
 spends time in the daily supervision of the
registry.
 ensures there is adequate protection and
preservation of records.
 ensures that records are accessible only to
authorized users.
 ensures that worthless records are disposed of in
accordance with the specified procedures.

Registry ClerkRegistry Clerk
Receives, files the mail, looks after the custody of
registry files, other records and items such as bulky
reports, gazettes, stationery bring-up, diary etc.
Sorts, indexes, files and retrieves all type of records.
The clerks main responsibility though is to ensure
proper record keeping and prompt retrieval of
information, classifies materials and records.
Transfers records and disposes records in accordance
to retention schedule and under supervision.
Avails any file, record or information for which
she/he is responsible, immediately it is required.

How does a registry clerkHow does a registry clerk
achieveachieve
his/her aimhis/her aim
• The clerk needs to:
i. Learn everything he/she can about his particular
filing and record system
ii. Take pride in providing fast and effective service.
iii. Develop methods to deal with every aspect of his/her
work
iv. Be a skilled supervisor
v. Be a well thought out filling system that is so
arranged as to make the understanding of it as easy
as possible.
vi. Be a Senior staff who understands Registry aims and
who will co-operate to help Registry Staff attain
them.

Internal messengerial serviceInternal messengerial service
• Internal messengerial service is the direct responsibility
of the Registry.
• Messengers are responsible for collection, sorting and
distributing of all internal correspondence, files,
publications etc.
• Where a department or ministry has more than one
messenger, it is advisable that they should be allocated
duties to avoid backlogs.
• In some departments messengers are assigned to sections.
• Messengerial schedules should be allocated by the
Registry Supervisor.
• Internal messengerial services ensures that all mail, files
and other documents awaiting distribution have been
sorted in time.

Internal messegerial serviceInternal messegerial service
• Emphasis should be on the following:
• Ensure that all files that are due for re-submitting on
that day (B.U’s) are ready for delivery in the first run.
• Sort mail for pigeon holes or to be personally
distributed to individual offices.
• Deliver to “IN” trays of A.O’s and collect from “OUT”
trays.
• Return to registry on completion of rounds and re-sort
collected material.
• Place all files in the Clerk’s tray for marking before
sending to the next requesting officer.

External messegerial serviceExternal messegerial service
Collection of mail
• Messengers should collect postal mail at predetermined
intervals, at the time set by the registry in accordance
with post office sorting hours.
• In most cases, mail is collected at the post office at
stipulated times.

Registry and Action OfficersRegistry and Action Officers
cooperationcooperation
• This cooperation is imperative. For the registry to
perform at its best, the full cooperation of AO’s is
necessary.
• All file users must understand that they play a key
role in determining the standard of service they
will receive from the registry.
• Hence all must cooperate in observing basic
registry procedures.

Registry and action officersRegistry and action officers
cooperationcooperation
• The registry staff on the other hand must also be
fully aware of the practice, which they must
follow in order to gain the confidence and
cooperation of action officers.
• The AO’s should have confidence in their
Registry staff.
• The Registry Clerk should ensure that their
methods eliminate mistakes.

Performance improvementPerformance improvement

Performance improvementPerformance improvement
• Action Officers must act on files assigned to
them within a period of two days.
• In circumstances where an officer is unable to
take action within the stipulated period, the files
should be returned to the registry with a Bring
Up date for resubmission.
• Registry supervisors must prepare and submit
monthly returns to the HODs on the following:
• Total number of mail received
• Number of files acted upon by Action Officers
• Number of files with cases not acted upon during the
month
• Mail pending filing in the registry.

PerformancePerformance improvementimprovement
Such returns enable the Accounting
Officers/HOD monitor and evaluate the
performance of action officers and registry
personnel.
HOD to support and enhance the role of the
registries as the “nerve centre” of organizations
through holding regular/monthly meetings and
making frequent visits to registries to assess the
working environment, working tools, staff
performance.

THE ENDTHE END
Thank you

Administering Organization Filing Centres (Registries)

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