Introduction to Records
Management
Course Instructor : Mr. SANCHAWA, D
Introduction
• Records management offers tangible benefits to
organizations, from economic good practice in
reducing storage costs of documents, to enabling
administrative, financial and legal requirements
to be met.
• Poor management of record system makes the
performance of duties more difficult, costs
organizations time, money and other resources
and e.t.c
Introduction (ctd)
• Thus, in this lecture we are going to see the
concepts of record, document, record
management, record life cycle , the benefits of
records management, the principles for
effective records management and other
areas which deem to be necessary
Definitions of related terms:
Records
• Records are official documents that should be
stored for later use
• Records and Archives management Act,2002
defines records as recorded information
regardless of form or medium created, received
and maintained by institution or individual in the
pursuance of its legal obligations or in the
transaction of its business and providing evidence
of the performance of those obligations
What are records?
• Thus, records are information kept in various
forms such as paper or computer disk needed for
carrying out the activities of the organization.
The captured information can be in form of :-
• Paper (e.g. Files, reports, maps, print outs
invoices etc)
• Microfilm
• Compact disk
• Tapes and etc
What are records?
• Records are information that have been
documented by an organization in the course
of its business and maintained in pursuance of
certain obligations.
• Records are document created, received,
maintained and used by an organization or an
individual in transaction of business which it
provides evidence.
What are records?
• Healy, S (1997) sees records as documented
information consist of books, papers, maps,
photographs or other forms regardless of
physical characteristics made or received by
any public or private institution in connection
to functions, policies, procedures, operations
and activities of an organization
Document
• A document is any piece of written information in
any form, produced or received by an
organization or person. It can include databases,
website, email messages, word and excel files,
letters, and memos.
• Recorded information, which can be treated as a
unit (URT, 2011)
• Structured unit of recorded information either
published or unpublished, in hard copy or
electronic form and managed as discrete units in
information systems( Standard Australian, 1996)
A document and a record
• When document s are kept as future evidence
they become official records.
• In other words, all records start off as documents,
but not all documents will ultimately become
records.
• A FILE : An organized physical assembly (usually
within a folder) or documents grouped together
because they relate to the same subject, activity
or transaction (URT, 2011)
Question : ( 5minutes)
• Define the following
• 1. A file
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………..
• 2. Information
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………..
What is record Management
• Record management refers to administrative
management concerned with systematic
planning, controlling, creating, maintenance,
efficient and economic use and disposal of
records throughout the entire life cycle of
records of an organization (Samson, 2012)
What is record Management ?
Activities involved in controlling the life cycle of a
record, beginning with its creation and ending
with ultimate disposition
Leads to prevention of creation of unnecessary
documentation
Early identification of papers lasting value and
systematic planning of retirement procedures
Forms of records may INCLUDE?
• Paper reports, directives, forms,
correspondence
• Phone call notes
• Photographs, videotapes, posters
• Maps and drawings
• Databases
• E-mail
• Microfilms and etc
What is NOT a record?
• Material that does not meet the statutory
definition of the record include but not limited
to (Samson, 2012) :-
i. Technical reference material
ii. Catalogs , trade journals, manual
iii. Extra copies
iv. Black forms
v. Some electronic information
Why records?
To ensure continuity in administration
To ensure tax-payer’s interest is protected at all
times
For providing evidence in case of disputes
For planning & scheduling organization activities
For historical value
To make available needed facts, figures,
correspondence etc
Why records ?
• Documentation of workforce performance
• Provide evidence about past actions and
decisions
• For accountability and transference purpose
Criteria in creating records
• Is it necessary?
• What constitutes adequate
documentation?
• Is it desirable to have it in a consistent
format?
• What is its future life ?
• What is the best way to store and
retrieve it?
What are the characteristics of a
record?
• Records are evidence of actions and transactions
• Records should support accountability, which is
tightly connected to evidence but which allows
accountability to be traced;
• Records are related to processes, i.e.
“information that is generated by and linked to
work processes” [Thomassen, 2001, p 374];
• Records must be preserved, some for very short
time and some permanently.
• Authenticity : proven to be purport to be
• Created and sent by the Person implied to have
sent/created them
• Integrity : Must remain complete and unaltered
over time
• Usability : Can be located, retrieved, presented
and interpreted
• Reliability: contents can be trusted as a full and
accurate representation of the transaction to
which they attest
Records contain information from
which?
• Decisions are made
• Plans are developed
• Policies are made
• Objectives are realized
• Obligations are discharged
• Questions can be answered
• Historical evidence can be taken
• Investigations can be handled and etc
What are the categories of records?
• Records can be categorized in a number of
different ways:- Commonly recognized
categories include: (Standard Australian, 1996)
• Administrative Records : procedures
documentation, forms and correspondence ;
examples are staff manuals, rosters, logging of
property maintenance jobs, travel bookings
What are the categories of records?
• Accounting records : reports, forms and
related correspondence. Examples are
invoices, bank account reports, customer
billing reports
• Project reports: correspondence , notes ,
product development documentation e.t.c
related to a specific project
Categories of records (ctd)
• Case files: client records, personnel records,
insurance, contacts and lawsuit files
Question : 15minutes
• Describe records according to their use or
values……………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………

INTRODUCTION TO RECORDS

  • 1.
    Introduction to Records Management CourseInstructor : Mr. SANCHAWA, D
  • 2.
    Introduction • Records managementoffers tangible benefits to organizations, from economic good practice in reducing storage costs of documents, to enabling administrative, financial and legal requirements to be met. • Poor management of record system makes the performance of duties more difficult, costs organizations time, money and other resources and e.t.c
  • 3.
    Introduction (ctd) • Thus,in this lecture we are going to see the concepts of record, document, record management, record life cycle , the benefits of records management, the principles for effective records management and other areas which deem to be necessary
  • 4.
    Definitions of relatedterms: Records • Records are official documents that should be stored for later use • Records and Archives management Act,2002 defines records as recorded information regardless of form or medium created, received and maintained by institution or individual in the pursuance of its legal obligations or in the transaction of its business and providing evidence of the performance of those obligations
  • 5.
    What are records? •Thus, records are information kept in various forms such as paper or computer disk needed for carrying out the activities of the organization. The captured information can be in form of :- • Paper (e.g. Files, reports, maps, print outs invoices etc) • Microfilm • Compact disk • Tapes and etc
  • 6.
    What are records? •Records are information that have been documented by an organization in the course of its business and maintained in pursuance of certain obligations. • Records are document created, received, maintained and used by an organization or an individual in transaction of business which it provides evidence.
  • 7.
    What are records? •Healy, S (1997) sees records as documented information consist of books, papers, maps, photographs or other forms regardless of physical characteristics made or received by any public or private institution in connection to functions, policies, procedures, operations and activities of an organization
  • 8.
    Document • A documentis any piece of written information in any form, produced or received by an organization or person. It can include databases, website, email messages, word and excel files, letters, and memos. • Recorded information, which can be treated as a unit (URT, 2011) • Structured unit of recorded information either published or unpublished, in hard copy or electronic form and managed as discrete units in information systems( Standard Australian, 1996)
  • 9.
    A document anda record • When document s are kept as future evidence they become official records. • In other words, all records start off as documents, but not all documents will ultimately become records. • A FILE : An organized physical assembly (usually within a folder) or documents grouped together because they relate to the same subject, activity or transaction (URT, 2011)
  • 10.
    Question : (5minutes) • Define the following • 1. A file ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………….. • 2. Information ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… ………………………………..
  • 11.
    What is recordManagement • Record management refers to administrative management concerned with systematic planning, controlling, creating, maintenance, efficient and economic use and disposal of records throughout the entire life cycle of records of an organization (Samson, 2012)
  • 12.
    What is recordManagement ? Activities involved in controlling the life cycle of a record, beginning with its creation and ending with ultimate disposition Leads to prevention of creation of unnecessary documentation Early identification of papers lasting value and systematic planning of retirement procedures
  • 13.
    Forms of recordsmay INCLUDE? • Paper reports, directives, forms, correspondence • Phone call notes • Photographs, videotapes, posters • Maps and drawings • Databases • E-mail • Microfilms and etc
  • 14.
    What is NOTa record? • Material that does not meet the statutory definition of the record include but not limited to (Samson, 2012) :- i. Technical reference material ii. Catalogs , trade journals, manual iii. Extra copies iv. Black forms v. Some electronic information
  • 15.
    Why records? To ensurecontinuity in administration To ensure tax-payer’s interest is protected at all times For providing evidence in case of disputes For planning & scheduling organization activities For historical value To make available needed facts, figures, correspondence etc
  • 16.
    Why records ? •Documentation of workforce performance • Provide evidence about past actions and decisions • For accountability and transference purpose
  • 17.
    Criteria in creatingrecords • Is it necessary? • What constitutes adequate documentation? • Is it desirable to have it in a consistent format? • What is its future life ? • What is the best way to store and retrieve it?
  • 18.
    What are thecharacteristics of a record? • Records are evidence of actions and transactions • Records should support accountability, which is tightly connected to evidence but which allows accountability to be traced; • Records are related to processes, i.e. “information that is generated by and linked to work processes” [Thomassen, 2001, p 374]; • Records must be preserved, some for very short time and some permanently.
  • 19.
    • Authenticity :proven to be purport to be • Created and sent by the Person implied to have sent/created them • Integrity : Must remain complete and unaltered over time • Usability : Can be located, retrieved, presented and interpreted • Reliability: contents can be trusted as a full and accurate representation of the transaction to which they attest
  • 20.
    Records contain informationfrom which? • Decisions are made • Plans are developed • Policies are made • Objectives are realized • Obligations are discharged • Questions can be answered • Historical evidence can be taken • Investigations can be handled and etc
  • 21.
    What are thecategories of records? • Records can be categorized in a number of different ways:- Commonly recognized categories include: (Standard Australian, 1996) • Administrative Records : procedures documentation, forms and correspondence ; examples are staff manuals, rosters, logging of property maintenance jobs, travel bookings
  • 22.
    What are thecategories of records? • Accounting records : reports, forms and related correspondence. Examples are invoices, bank account reports, customer billing reports • Project reports: correspondence , notes , product development documentation e.t.c related to a specific project
  • 23.
    Categories of records(ctd) • Case files: client records, personnel records, insurance, contacts and lawsuit files
  • 24.
    Question : 15minutes •Describe records according to their use or values…………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………