Survey on records system!

When doing a survey of existing records system, one normally would find some of these. As such, in organizations where no structured records management programme has been in place, surveys often reveal a variety of problems. Typically a survey may find that:

·        paper records systems are congested, and in some cases have been used to store information products and other materials which are not records

·        paper records are poorly organized and difficult to retrieve, and their arrangement does not fully reflect the processes and activities which led to their creation

·        parts of some record series appear to be missing from the paper systems, but some of the missing records are believed to be held in electronic form on personal computers

·        computer storage is not organized to match the paper system, but each worker follows their own system: most store records alongside work in progress, and many use random and seemingly meaningless file titles, so that correlating electronic and paper documentation is impossible

·        records stored on personal computers are inaccessible when the worker is absent

·        further records which are needed appear to have been lost or destroyed, but no-one knows exactly what exists or where

·        when employees leave or change jobs, computing staff clear the contents of their hard disk or personal account: everything is deleted regardless of any continuing value it may have for the organization

·        older paper records, together with some unlabelled computer tapes or floppy disks, are in unmarked cabinets and boxes in a basement.

Surveys do not always find the existing situation as dire as this. Sometimes a survey discovers that fairly adequate systems are in place.