In Tips, Techniques and Shortcuts for Organizing and Maintaining Files and Records, you'll learn...
- How to analyze your organization’s current filing practices and tools, overcome their shortcomings and make improvements, including calculating current space requirements and choosing filing equipment and supplies
- How to create a new records management system that allows employees to utilize personal filing systems such as tickler files, work-in-progress files and other special-use files—in addition to the organization’s central filing system
- How to use a simple indexing/cross-referencing system that eliminates the need to look in several places for the same information
- How to develop a records retention schedule for deciding whether files should be permanently archived, kept temporarily or destroyed
- And much more!
Is an inefficient filing system negatively affecting your organization’s productivity? Every time an employee has to search for information or wastes time filing records that could be thrown away or allows an important detail to slip through the cracks because an issue was not followed up on, it costs you. In this seminar, you’ll learn a systematic approach to organizing and maintaining easy-to-use, retrievable records. We’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of filing systems available and help you choose one that meets your organization’s specific records management needs.
WORKSHOP AGENDA
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Analyzing your filing and records management needs+
- The first step—how to conduct a records survey and inventory (it’s easy with the convenient records survey and inventory forms included in your workbook)
- How to assess and tailor the best of the major filing systems to fit your particular needs
- How to develop systematic filing guidelines and rules specific to your department
- How to determine which files should be classified active, which inactive and which may be thrown away
- How to ensure your office files contain only current, useful information without resorting to costly, time-consuming “purging”
- How to implement your own records retention schedule
- How to make sure documents with a legal retention requirement aren’t unintentionally discarded or destroyed
How to implement improved records management practices right away+
- How uniformly identifying filing “units” can ensure filing accuracy
- How to reduce the sheer volume of files without unintentionally discarding important records
- How to recognize the difference between active files, inactive files, long-term records and useless paper
- How to group “natural order” files in a logical sequence
- How to recognize and eliminate the biggest filing bottlenecks that can slow you down
- How to organize many different types of information and records into one efficient, easy-to-use system
- How to apply clear-cut guidelines for alphabetical files that will save you hours of filing and finding
- How to use a simple system of cross-reference indexing to track every important record
- How to set up standard charge-out procedures that trace the location of borrowed files
Creating your own records management system+
- How to evaluate the effectiveness of your current practices, tools and supplies
- Choosing the equipment and supplies that work best for you
- Selecting the right filing equipment depending on available space, degree of accessibility and security requirements
- How to select the classification system or combination of systems that meet your needs
- How to calculate current space requirements and project for future growth
- How to choose filing equipment and supplies for the greatest efficiency, quality and economy
Special filing considerations+
- Recognizing which records must be retained for legal reasons
- How to prepare a records retention schedule to ensure no vital records are prematurely destroyed (a blank, camera-ready records retention form is included in your workbook)
- How documenting the destruction of certain records can protect you in the event of litigation
- How to provide for the security and physical safety of your vital records
- Quick action you can take to restore damaged files and records
- Evaluating the pros and cons of using off-site records centers for inactive records
Filing systems operation and retrieval+
- How to prepare records for storage
- How to index and code files for easy retrieval
- How to use the technique of “block sorting” to speed up the filing process
- How to use file guides as “road markers” to the right file
- How to label folders clearly and accurately
- How to arrange guides and folders for maximum retrieval ease and efficiency
- How to track checked-out files for follow-up and timely return of the records
How to create, maintain and store “paperless” files+
- How to use your computer’s or word processor’s sorting capability to help you create and maintain your master file index
- How to handle the special storage/retrieval requirements of computer printouts and nonpaper media
- Your personal computer—what this most powerful filing cabinet can do for you
- What no computer can do for you
- How to maintain your computer files
- When to consider microfiche to duplicate files and simplify file retrieval
