Introduction to Records Management

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An overview of what records management is and why it is important.

Definition of Records Management: Records management refers to the systematic and efficient control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of information created, received, and transmitted by an organization.
Types of Records: This topic covers the different types of records that an organization creates, including physical and electronic records, correspondence, emails, financial documents, personnel files, and any other formal and informal documents.
Record Lifecycle: This refers to the processes and activities involved in managing records, including creation, processing, use, retention, retrieval, and disposition.
Legal and Regulatory Framework for Records: This topic covers laws, regulations, and standards that govern records, including data protection laws, intellectual property laws, and industry-specific regulations.
Record Retention: This involves determining how long records should be kept before they can be destroyed or transferred to an archive. Factors considered include legal, financial, historical, and operational requirements.
Record Disposition: This topic covers the process of destroying, transferring, or archiving records once they are no longer needed for business or legal purposes.
Electronic Records Management: This refers to the processes and technologies used to manage electronic records, including email, databases, and electronic documents.
Information Governance: This topic covers the policies, procedures, and standards that guide an organization's records management practices, including information security, confidentiality, and data privacy.
Records Management Systems: This refers to the software and hardware used to manage records, including metadata, workflows, and access control.
Records Management Auditing: This topic covers the process of assessing an organization's records management practices to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
Basic Introduction: A basic overview of records management and its importance, covering topics such as record retention schedules, document imaging, and legal compliance.
Legal Introduction: An in-depth look at the legal requirements for recordkeeping, including retention periods, privacy laws, and regulatory compliance.
Health Care Introduction: A specialized introduction to records management for healthcare organizations, covering topics such as HIPAA compliance, electronic health records, and medical coding systems.
Financial Introduction: A focused introduction to records management for financial institutions, with a particular emphasis on financial transaction records, tax filings, and regulatory compliance.
Government Introduction: An overview of records management specifically for government organizations, including federal, state, and local government bodies, with a focus on public records laws and good governance practices.
Digital Introduction: An introduction to managing digital records, including topics such as metadata, file formats, and digital preservation.
Records Management System Introduction: An overview of records management systems and software, covering topics such as document imaging, retrieval, and audit trails.
Behavioral Introduction: An introduction to the psychology and sociology of records management, discussing change management, employee behaviors, and organizational culture.
Knowledge Management Introduction: An introduction to the intersection of records management and knowledge management, including knowledge capture, information sharing, and intellectual property protection.
- "Records management, also known as records and information management, is an organizational function devoted to the management of information in an organization throughout its life cycle."
- "This includes identifying, classifying, storing, securing, retrieving, tracking and destroying or permanently preserving records."
- "The ISO 15489-1: 2001 standard defines records management as '[the] field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records.'"
- "An organization's records preserve aspects of institutional memory."
- "The purpose of records management is part of an organization's broader function of governance, risk management, and compliance and is primarily concerned with managing the evidence of an organization's activities."
- "In determining how long to retain records, their capacity for re-use is important."
- "Records management shows linkages between records management and accountability in governance."
- "Storing, securing, and retrieving records."
- "From the time of creation or receipt to its eventual disposition."
- "The reduction or mitigation of risk associated with managing the evidence."
- "Activities, transactions, and decisions."
- "The ISO 15489-1:2001 describes it as the process for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records."
- "Records management is part of an organization's broader function of governance."
- "Records management is primarily concerned with managing the evidence of an organization's activities as well as the reduction or mitigation of risk associated with it."
- "Storing records is important for their eventual disposition."
- "Records management is part of an organization's broader function of governance, risk management, and compliance."
- "From the time of creation or receipt to its eventual disposition."
- "The efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records."
- "Recent research shows linkages between records management and accountability in governance."
- "Others document what happened and why."