Records & Information Management
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Transcript of Records & Information Management
Records & Information Management
E-Mail How Are You GonnaManage it?
Helping others Manage the E-Mail Explosion
Presented by:Richard E Smith, CRMApril 2, 2007
Records & Information Management
It can be defined as the precise and judicious application of accepted practices and standards to control the:
creation dissemination utilization organization retrieval retention disposition
Of all records, regardless ofMedia - which includes e-mail
What is a Record?
Records are evidence of a business transaction or an administrative activity
• Must be retained to satisfy legal and operational requirements such as:
Contractual Administrative Financial Research Historical Tax Quality Management
System
Record Retention
• Employees create, receive, maintain, and dispose of business records and information
• Records provide essential proof that the company has met its legal, contractual and operational requirements
• Federal, state and local statutes and regulations require certain records be retained
Records & Information Managementand Electronic Records
• E-mail volume will only increase, so our reading (and writing) habits must improve, researchers suggest.
Some tips and e-mail tools: Set up folders to organize mail.
“Urgent" folder for top priority tasks; “Aging" folder for mail older than 30 days; "cc" messages into a folder that doesn't require action.
Create folders for tasks, and one for messages tied to upcoming events that don't require immediate answers.
Beyond that, sort messages automatically by sender and date.
Set your e-mail so it lets you view the first few lines in a message as well as the subject line; it might be enough to handle the message.
Write boilerplate text to answer common e-mail inquiries, and consider automatic replies as well.
Subscribe to mail lists sparingly.
Maintain separate personal and business e-mail accounts.
Break Backlog Behavior
Changing your habits also eases e-mail pressure. Simple Time management Techniques
Setting a time in both the morning and afternoon to handle e-mail, and dealing with each message only once.
Etiquette applies to e-mail, Don't overwhelm a colleague's mailbox with large
attachments. Write clear, succinct subject headers, which help to sort
mail. Write clear, succinct messages. Don't label a message "high priority" unduly, Use cc: sparingly. Avoid chain letters and jokes. Remember, not every e-mail requires an answer.
Records & Information Managementand Electronic Records
• Records & Information Management principles apply to electronic mail and voice mail
• Most e-mails are non-records and can be disposed of – once their business purpose has been met
Electronic Mail
E-mail is divided into two record areas E-mail content and
attachments Transmission and
receipt data
Electronic Mail Records
May include the following: Policies & Directives Correspondence &
Memos Work schedules &
assignments Document drafts
circulated for review or approval
Messages that initiate, authorize, or complete a business transaction
Final reports
Electronic Mail Non Records
Personal messages or announcements not related to official business
Electronic Mail Management
Identify and separate official company records from non-records
Save official records in designated file units
Index, retain and document the deletion of official records in accordance with the Master Records Retention Schedule (MRRS)
Master Records Retention Schedule (MRRS)
The MRRS consists of a
comprehensive list of records series that defines the retention period based on: Legal Requirements Contractual Requirements Operational Requirements
Documents retention requirements for business records and information
Electronic Mail Retention
Preserve all address, distribution, transmission, and receipt information with the message content
Protect the official company records from alteration, loss, corruption, or premature destruction
Be aware of and apply RM policies and procedures for e-mail management
Electronic Mail is Discoverable
Electronic records can be used as evidence in litigation proceedings
Official records must be identified, managed, protected, and disposed in accordance with the MRRS
Electronic Mail Tips
Separate unrelated, personal information from e-mail business records
Download e-mail messages and attachments that require retention
Protect messages, files, records, and passwords from unauthorized third parties
Understand company e-mail policies and procedures
Electronic Mail Policy
Describes the requirements for the disposition of records or information in the form of electronic messages E-mail user
responsibility…. Authority reference
should be back to your records management policy
Need to Remember
E-mails at work are business communication
Don’t assume that e-mails will be deleted
E-mail can be forwarded and end up anywhere, including the press
Make sure e-mails are accurate and complete
Consider whether there is a better way to handle an issue than e-mail
Effective Writing
Use one topic per message. Make actions clear. Write short, concise messages. Proofread your messages before sending. Important points should be “up front” and not buried in the middle or at
the end. Don’t send all messages out “urgent” because it’s like calling “wolf.” No
one will believe you when you do have an urgent message. Important messages should be followed up by a phone call. Be careful to use the “To” and “CC” distribution as intended. Do not put “a cast of thousands” on all your messages because it could
cause reader to ignore important messages. We send too many e-mails. Talk to people who sit close by.
E-mail is or can be a an Official Company Document
E-mail is a company record and belongs to the company. E-mail should be handled as any other
letter on letterhead. (Don’t put anything in writing you wouldn’t want discovered.)
E-mail empowers us.
Security Issues
Keep access code secure. Do not send confidential e-mail to people
who should not receive it. Is there a “need to know?” Keep in mind that if we want to “forward”
an encrypted e-mail, we must also “encrypt” before sending.
Conflicts & E-mail Don’t Mix
Don’t try to settle conflicts over e-mail. Don’t write something that you wouldn’t
say to someone directly. If angry, wait until you “cool off” to send
it. Note: No one ever regretted the e-mail they didn’t send
E-mail can become a rumor mill.
Recommended must haves for any Records Management Team for e-mail training 1. E-Mail Rules: A Business Guide to Managing
Policies, Security, and Legal Issues for E-Mail and Digital Communication
by Nancy Flynn, Randolph Kahn
"Whether you employ one part-time worker or 100,000 full-time professionals, any time you allow employees access to your e-mail system, you put your organization's assets, future and reputation at risk."
Must Haves continued …
2. Commonwealth Films The Plugged-In Mailbox Email Uses and
Misuses Training Topics: E-mail derailed Nothing Personal “Virtual" Food Fights “X"-mail: Sensitive email Digital discovery
E-Mail Responsibility
Individuals Supervisors & Managers Records & Information
Management Messaging Infrastructure
Group Law Department Internal Audit People or HR
Questions?
Thank You!