Different methods of record keeping - 2750 Words

Different methods of record keeping (Essay Sample) Content: Executive summaryThe main aim of this report is to precisely give a detailed outline of the different methods of record keeping in Calcutt industries and the main challenges face in record keeping. The report also analyzes the various records keeping methods used and the probable recommendations to better record keeping methods. The report also differentiates the available methods of information management through record keeping. The physical and electronic data record storage forms are the common ones and I am going to individually analyze them, their disadvantages and advantages. The report is also aiming at evaluating the record keeping methods, the problems associated with record keeping and the probable solutions that will improve record keeping in Calcutt industries.Considering that the report is based on the management of information for present and future use, we certainly analyze the bad habits in information management by Calcutt industries and the probable remedies to the said problems. The report also draws conclusions and recommendations on the best record management strategies for industries taking into consideration all factors including the cost of setting up a good record keeping system. As discussed in the report, it is the duty of the management to ensue that the record keeping system in their organization is intact and up to date to prevent the issues of information which can have legal disadvantages or at times financial losses in case the misplaced records were of financial nature.Calcutt industries use both physical and electronic record keeping and the problem arises when it comes to the actual retrieval of the records. In physical record keeping, there is an inappropriate arrangement of the records with the active being mixed with the inactive records (Brake Blair 1997),. This has challenged the retrieval of documents and In turn cost the industries huge expenses in retrieving them. Electronic record keeping methods on the other hand is through three sites which also give a disparity in information and record management. Considering that calcutt industries is a under one management, information should also be managed electronically in one site and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s what the report aims at explaining the necessary procedures, precautions and recommendationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ in electronic record keeping.IntroductionRecord keeping in an organization can include both physical and electronic record management systems (ERMS). Information management has become a vital aspect in the modern industries as the government regulations also require industries to provide good, efficient and valid employees record for present and future references. It is the duty of the management to ensure that good record keeping measures are put into place with many organizations devoting a full time job to the record keeping department. The duty of the record keeping department is to ensure that the records are safe and in good orde r so that they can be easily accessible when needed by the management or any other agency (Consortium 2005). In traditional record management, records consisted of paper work and in active records were taken to dumping warehouses where they were stored and forgotten but were also reliable when some referencing was needed by the management of the industries.With time, paper record keeping proved to be expensive in matters of time and monetary expenses involved with the whole procedures. The management of many industries resolved in to the new forms of electronic recording which included e-mails, portals and other web applications. Information is not stored anyhow and that is why there is classification of records on the nature of their importance. Confidential records are separately stored from the normal records. Confidential records include the financial records of a company, the management decisions from top management meetings and the vision of the company. These records are stor ed and accessible only by the top management as a way of avoiding leakage of confidential information which can have adverse effects on the organization in the competition market as some of the leaked strategies might be applied by their competitors before them. As serious as the issue of safe record keeping is important, the management of any industry should ensure that information management standards are enforced and put in place to avoid any future chances of information loss or the misplacement of information records in time of need.BodyIn the modern and changing world, record keeping and management has become a vital issue in many industries and this has led to its evolution. Both physical and electronic record management systems have evolved with time with general guidelines developed over time to specify the safest and easiest record keeping strategies. With the onset of technology, many industries are switching from physical record management to electronic record management . This has seen the improvement of the department of record keeping and has also minimized the costs companies and industries incurred with physical record keeping. Calcutt industries are one of the companies stuck with physical record keeping and inappropriate electronic record management systems. Their physical records are not easy to be retrieved and this has led to delays in referring to old records with loss of some records in the whole scenario. Poor physical record keeping has often been associated with the loss of information and this has generally cost the industry time and money in the retrieval process.Physical records are easily arranged or classified in a good order to ensure easy future referencing by the necessary parties. This is also equally important in providing a systematic record system for easier retrieval purposes by the staff. There are many ethical practices that an industry can put into work in order to attain a good record keeping systems and they include; preserving the necessary information for a specific duration of time, taking care of all the legal requirements in due time and at an effective expense, enhance information is adequately provided in time it is needed and the integration of technology in record keeping to minimize costs and procedures involved with physical record keeping. Many industries have also come up with necessary policies and procedures to ensure that effective record keeping is maintained. While some companies have fully integrated electronic record keeping management systems, some have continued using physical record keeping with examples of storing crucial and secret financial data or management policies.Appraisal and disposal of recordsAppraisal means the initiative of an industry to identify the various business functions which need records to be created for. It generally involves the process of identifying the activities needing record keeping with examples of management meetings and records of employe es in an industry. The appraisal process includes both traditional and the electronic record keeping systems. The process of appraisal has been as a result of the initiative of many industries to keep record of the various activities within it and to also account for past events. In some cases, appraisal is validated by the state laws where specific functions are required to have effective records for future reference by the state. In many states, records of the company assets and the flow of authority are equally important as other necessary records. An industry must have factual records of the employees under its payroll, the directors, managers and the sole owners of the industry. This is to ensure that in case of an emergency like court cases, the appropriate management is consulted or notified.In calcutt industry, these active records have been mixed with the inactive records hence retrieval has proved to be a great challenge in case of need for referencing. Disposal on the oth er hand is the various strategies an industry uses in the retaining, destructing and the transfer of the valid official documents as a strategy of attaining manageable resources. Disposal by destruction of the records takes effect after the retention duration has expired and the records are no longer needed by the management. There has been a development of disposal schedules in many industries in order to effectively handle records and keep them up to date. In the disposal process, sentencing is validly done and it includes putting in place the strategies developed in appraisal. Sentencing in other words is the implementation of the appraisal process. Calcutt industries should effectively take into consideration appraisal and disposal of records to ensure that their information systems are up to date and effectively valid.Storage alternatives for industrial recordsIndustrial records exist in many different forms and the common include; handwritten documents, typewritten documents, audio and the video recordings and the computer based storage systems including the database, email and all other computer based records. In handwritten documents and the type written ones, industries normally take part in information management through keeping the paper records in files. The files are classified or arranged in a chronological order such that they can be easily retrieved in time of need. The classification might be in reference to alphabetical order or the time of creation (Handel man 2004). This will ensure that retrieval processes are fast and efficient. Audio, video and computer based records are electronically managed and specific measured must be taken to ensure that information is still valid.Calcutt industries for example should have a common online storage facility where all the emails are accessible from one site and database. With the introduction of cloud storage, the industry can also resolve in storing its audio, video and files online ...