Records Management is the professional activity that identifies “official” organizational records worth preserving (in any format), and then assigns retention periods with appropriate Integrated Life Cycle Management (ILCM) processing methods to those records. For instance, paper based reports or communications, electronic mail messages, digital drawings, Internet Web pages, and data in Accounting or Human Resources computer applications can all be considered records worth preserving. Some records are preserved in paper format with original signatures, some records may be retained in a record-keeping application, and some records may simply be archived on offline computer media. The goal is for the organization to not loose it’s “corporate memory,” intellectual property, legal documents, or other business information. It may be needed for operational activities, legal presentations, or demonstration of regulatory compliance. This goal is achieved by following Records Management Policies as a “normal course of business.” Of course, that means that these policies covering managing information in both paper and electronic format must exist and be practiced!
Know of an organization that needs Records and Information Policies designed, approved, and implemented? Contact ITD today!