Managing Personnel Records - International Records Management ...

A document management system allows an organisation and its users to create a
document or capture a hard copy in electronic form, store, edit, print, process, and
otherwise manage documents in image video, and audio as well as in text form. A
document management system usually provides a single view of multiple databases
and may include scanner for document capture, printers for creating hard copy,
storage devices and computer servers and server programs for managing the databases
that contains the documents.
One of the most common misconceptions by senior managers is that there is a
document management system available that can remove all the problems associated
with poorly run paper systems. However, there are still many problems associated
with document management, which has yet to become a fully mature technology.
There are serious questions about the use of document management systems,
including the following.
? Documents created from outside the organisation have to be captured by scanning.
This is labour intensive not only for the scanning process, but because every
image file needs to be individually ‘tagged’ with retrieval terms. Documents on
poor quality paper, documents written in pencil and hand-written documents are
very difficult to scan efficiently.
? Much of the data capture work is shifted from low cost filing clerks to highly paid
managers.
? Most document management applications do not include records management
functions.
? Experience has shown that these systems are mostly successful where they are
used by small units doing repetitive, standardised work where all the staff are
enthusiastic about using the technology. The system quickly breaks down when
staff members leave, or where it is expanded to involve a large group of people.
It is important to bear in mind that information technology is constantly evolving.
What was ‘experimental’ two or three years ago may have evolved into a viable
technology. At any given time the options available need to be analysed objectively
in the light of up–to-date information and a realistic assessment of the organisation’s
resources and constraints. To be effective, strategies need not be expensive or
complicated. Printing out key documents and preserving them on paper files may still
be a valuable protection against any failure to preserve and access the electronic
records over time.
Electronic records issues are discussed in more
detail in Managing Electronic Records, Automating
Records Services and Understanding Computers: An
Overview for Records and Archives Staff.
MANAGING PERSONNEL RECORDS
133