By Batbold Munkhzul
Good record keeping helps organizations preserve institutional memory and preserve evidence of activities, transactions, and decisions. An effective document management system can save money on maintenance and improve company efficiency. Every company must implement a solid records management plan to prevent losing very important information and data.
Physical records are records we are able to touch, such as paper, CDs, etc. This data can be stored for many reasons, such as regulations or proof of a transaction. This kind of content is managed by physical records management. You have to decide what content to keep as a record. This is usually defined by the organization and all employees are trained so you’ll know what types of data you should keep. When this is done, the records manager will assign a file plan category with a retention schedule that defines how long to keep the records in this category. We can use the barcode to generate, so the location of the record could be tracked.
There are two types of filing systems to manage files – alphabetic and numeric. Files are classified by subjects or categories rather than by person or business name in subject filing, which is a variation of alphabetic filing. Records are arranged by number in numerical filing systems. Because information must be retrieved from an index, it is an indirect access system.
The advantage of alphabetic filing: A filing system based on alphabets is advantageous because it allows documents relating to the same individual or company to be grouped together in one place. An alphabetical filing system makes use of a direct filing system without the need for additional reference sheets or indexes.
The disadvantage of alphabetic filing: Searching for papers takes a long time, which slows down operations. A common name can result in confusion and congestion with the alphabetical method of filing.
The advantage of numeric filing: Accuracy, unlimited expansion, and the opportunity for unlimited cross-referencing are among the advantages of numeric filing. Since numbers can be used to identify the name or subject when calling for correspondence, there is an element of confidentiality when using a numeric system.
The disadvantage of numeric filing: It requires much time in referring to the index and locating the specified file. The numeric filing system is costly. The reason is that there is a need for a separate index for them. Also, it’s very difficult to arrange the files of miscellaneous papers.
Personally, I prefer an alphabetical filing system. This is easily the most commonly used office filing system in the world today. Documents are arranged on the basis of the client or customer they are relevant to. Names beginning with ‘A’ will be on top while ‘Z’ will be at the end. A common reason for the popularity of alphabetical office filing systems is that it makes it easy to locate documents regarding specific individuals, whether they are business entities, customers, suppliers, etc. We, humans, tend to relate more to entities than abstract ideas such as file numbers or dates. This is what makes this system so popular.
· How to organize electronic records
Documents and images are imported, stored, and managed digitally by electronic file management, also known as electronic document management. In this process, hard copies are scanned and captured, files are digitized, and hard copies are disposed of. In addition to computer hard drives and file servers, electronic records can also be stored online in the cloud (in an off-site location accessible via the web). In addition to internal storage devices, external storage devices are also available. It covers magnetic media, flash drives, and optical disks.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using the electronic filing system. Some benefits of this system are:
Access to records is quick and easy.
Record storage requires much less space than other types of storage required for physical records. It is possible to retrieve records multiple times and they will remain in the same order.
Records can be organized and updated easily on hard drives, flash drives, and memory cards.
Speaking about disadvantages we need to consider the following facts.
Sudden failures and power outages can erase or change data stored on magnetic media.
Storage media must be protected from extreme heat and cold and must be kept away from magnetic fields.
If it is not a rewritable CD and DVD, records stored on a standard CD and DVD cannot be updated.
Tape recordings must be accessed in the order in which they were recorded, which slows down access time. The archival system is regularly updated, and records need to be transferred to new technology.
A backup is just an extra copy of data in case the original is lost or damaged. In some ways, having the same file on our phone and computer is a backup, as is having the same file on our computer and in Dropbox or iCloud. To back up files to an external hard drive, you usually connect the drive to a computer or laptop with a USB cable. Once connected, you can select individual files or folders to copy to your external hard drive. If you lose a file or folder, you can recover a copy from an external hard drive.
· How to secure records
Records management requires appropriate safeguards for both paper and electronic data. Records management security has three main components: providing protection against physical damage, external data breaches, and internal theft or fraud. Threats to document management security come from all directions, from malware and data breaches to theft, fire, or flood, making it imperative to implement various types of document management security.
Access logs and passwords are the most common security management in every company. A unique combination in creating passwords will protect to access any files or documents. Workers should never share any passwords with anyone. If the employee changes his or her position, the company has to change passwords to prevent the ex-employees from not being able to access it. Also, no one should leave their office devices, and files, available to somebody to access. Looking high secure files and devices into a special container or highly secured rooms.
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