These are the categories of files you want to pull together so they will be easier to find and manage moving forward. Search your inventory for files that relate to a particular subject or function, result from the same activity, or belong to a particular case or project. This is the hardest and most time-consuming part of improving or creating a new filing system. Performing this analysis and answering these questions helps you decide where to store records and the amount of organization to apply in each case. Now that you have an understanding of WHAT records are being created, it is time to ask WHY they are created and HOW they are used. If you need help creating your inventory, contact your local IT administrator or UW-IT Records Management Services may also be able to assist you. You will be manipulating and adding information to this spreadsheet as you perform your analysis. At a minimum the inventory should include the file name and folder/path, though additional metadata such as creation date, date last modified, and author can helpful if you are able to obtain it. Focus on one location in which files reside at a time.Īt this stage, the goal is to create a spreadsheet of all of the files contained in the chosen location.
It is very likely you are dealing with one or more shared drives as well as individual drives your employees may be working in OneDrive, Google Shared Drive, or in SharePoint/Teams you may have a departmental email account and we know everyone has one (or more!) email accounts containing University records. In an average office or department, information resides in many places. The inventory also helps to identify inconsistencies in how information is currently being stored, accessed, and managed. The purpose of the inventory is to provide you an understanding of WHAT records are being created to make sure all of your electronic records deserve and have an appropriate home in the new filing system. An inventory is a detailed listing of all existing documents and files in an office. The first step to developing a new or making changes to an existing filing system is conducting an inventory. Involving others in the process results in a better system and increases compliance once it is implemented. In addition, ensure every member of the office understands the purpose and scope of the project. Office members can help determine which aspects of the present system work well and should be retained, as well as help identify specific problems within the present system that should be changed. The creator of a record may provide important insight useful during the inventory and analysis of the records. Seek the input of representatives from each functional area in the office. However, if you are planning to make changes to a shared space, it is best practice to: If you are working on your personal storage space or email, you may not need to involve anyone else.
When planning changes to any system, it is important to inform and involve the right people from the beginning. Steps to Developing a New File Plan Involve Your Stakeholders The right filing system produces important tangible results and eliminates costs associated with poor procedures. Reduces the risk of penalties for delayed or incomplete response to audits, lawsuits, and public records requestsĬritically, while it can be difficult to quantify, a good filing system spares individuals time and energy spent performing after-the-fact records management.Stronger business continuity in the event of a disaster or an unplanned emergency event.Improved onboarding and offboarding of personnel.Less time spent filing, searching for, and cleaning up information.Reduces the number of documents you keep.This guide provides recommendations and best practices for designing a system to organize your office’s electronic records. be expandable and flexible enough to meet users’ needs.align with the retention periods of the records it contains.ensure integrity and continuity of recordkeeping practices despite personnel changes.offer quick and easy storage and retrieval of information.While the focus has changed from paper to electronic records, the organizational concepts remain much the same across formats. In addition to adhering to an approved retention schedule, this also means organizing your records in such a way that they can be located, viewed, and disposed of in a straightforward manner. Materials that may be disposed of without a specific retention periodĪs a state agency, the University of Washington has a legal responsibility to demonstrate the proper care and management of its records.Electronic records that do not need to be printed or saved.
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