Records management can be overwhelming. Now that we've admitted it, let's take a deep breath and look at three steps to implement records management that can make it much easier.
Step 1 - Get/build a File Plan template.
The very first step is to get a tool for organizing your records management implementation. For most organizations, this is a simple spreadsheet containing a list of the types of records and documents along with departments responsible and retention. This spreadsheet is sometimes called a "File Plan" by the records management folks. To get started, you can download the sample File Plan we use at TEAM IM when we're implementing AutoRecords from the AutoRecords Download Site.
This spreadsheet contains a few samples as well as instructions for setting up your File Plan. If you have any questions about how to use the spreadsheet, please reach out to us. We're here to help.
Step 2 - Work with departments to build the file plan.
The next step is to plan how you'll gather the information needed for your File Plan. We strongly recommend working with one department at a time to get their requirements. It's likely that as you work with one department, you'll learn how their documents and records influence another department. This process will likely require multiple meetings with each department to finalize what documents and records they own and what type of retention policies are needed.
The File Plan is a very important tool in this process. It must be easy for the members of each department to understand what is in the File Plan and how long it will be kept. If there are unknowns, you can highlight those items and come back to them later, however as you build out the File Plan it should be easy for each department to review and ultimately sign off on their portion.
Step 3 - Implement the File Plan.
The last step in the process is to put the File Plan into some type of records management system. Obviously, we're going to be biased and recommend AutoRecords as the software solution, but regardless of the software, it's important that the development of the File Plan is dictated by the business and not by the software. If you have chosen capable records management software, configuring the file plan within the software becomes a straightforward process.
Summary
While it seems simple to take this three-step approach, we regularly encounter organizations that attempt to do everything at once. They don't have a complete File Plan, they have conflicting requirements in different forms from different departments and while the records management needs haven't been fully defined, they're busy trying to find records management software.
The best piece of advice for organizations in the middle of a records management effort is sometimes to step back, get organized and focus on one thing at a time. Please feel free to reach out to TEAM IM and ask how we can help guide you through your records management implementation. Regardless of whether you have complex records requirements and need to use AutoRecords or you just need to get control over a few critical processes, we can help make your efforts a success.