Is Indexing Part of Your Smarter Storage Scheme?
Go ahead. File it any way you want. But will you find it later? The ultimate success of your records management program depends on your ability to retrieve quickly what’s needed for business, litigation or compliance events. A sound indexing method can help you organize your records madness.
It’s time to get serious—and specific—about your company’s records management program. If you’re going to create a system or improve your existing one, you should assess your needs from the ground up, and then put a plan into action. You also need to create an indexing methodology—essentially a map to your system—that tells you not only where to store things, but how to retrieve files quickly when they’re needed.
If your records management program is the set of tools you use to get jobs done, then consider an indexing methodology to be your well organized tool chest, one that lets you grab exactly the tool you need without even having to look for it. That said, let’s get under the hood to find out how a smart storage scheme works, and how it can benefit your company.
An index is crucial whether you’re storing paper or electronic records. While keeping orderly records is important, without an index, you or your computer system will need to skim through those files linearly to find needed info. An index is a shortcut, a way to locate exactly what you need and get there in one step. In a typical indexing scheme, you’d create database fields for all the content fields you might search on.
Keep in mind that having a strong content storage system guided by a top-notch index is good for more than just records retrieval and legal matters. Such a powerful combination lets managers quickly isolate information and crunch numbers to better inform their business decisions. A records management system will also make your team more productive, since you’ll need less time to find a file in the event of a request.
Assess Your Storage Needs
Start by evaluating the program you already have in place and conducting a thorough records inventory. Create meaningful classification systems for those records based on how you’ll be searching for needed information. The indexing methodology you eventually create should reflect these basic needs and let you store and retrieve data using criteria that makes the most sense for your organization.
Police Your Policies
If your current records management system isn’t doing all it should, perhaps the problem isn’t a lack of policies but a lack of consistency with those policies. Determine whether your information management policies are integrated across all of your organization’s departments. Is everyone entering records the same way? Are they inputting fields so that records correspond with the overall index? Also check to see whether your policies apply to both paper and digital records. And of course, new employees should always be trained to comply with these policies.
Audit Your Effectiveness
When you conduct a formal audit of your existing system, you’ll be able to pinpoint where it’s breaking down. Essentially, this is a drill to let you know what data is missing, as well as how easy or difficult it is to retrieve. For maximum benefit, your audit should include both hardcopy and electronic records. Any gaps you find will lay the groundwork for improving your indexing methodology.
Rate Your Retention Plan
Remember that part of designing an effective records management system is devising a records retention plan. Monitor your plan to determine whether you’re disposing of records on a set schedule, if at all. Your plan should apply to both active and inactive records, as well as to those stored offsite.
Create Classifications
A well-ordered classification system is essential to the success of a records management index. Classify your documents into 20 to 25 broad functions (e.g. operations, accounting, finance). From there, group the records into distinct classes. In most cases, you should aim to have from 100 to 150 classes once you’re done.
Improve Your Index
The goal of all this preparation is to create an indexing methodology that will make storage simple and afford rapid access to specific documents when you need them. As part of your index, specify ownership of records and set authorization rights, so that only designated users can access them.
Yes, this takes a great deal of work. But with a well-executed indexing methodology and clear rules guiding your records management program, storing and retrieving information will become simple operations.
Needle, Meet the Haystack
Sure, a haystack could be loosely called a “storage system,” but you wouldn’t want to search through it, would you? If that hits a little too close to home, maybe it’s time to improve your storage and retrieval methods.
As you create a methodology for your improved records management program, consider the following goals:
- Create a more perfect union. It’s time to unify systems among your departments. Your plan should encompass your entire organization, working across all organizational areas and geographic locations.
- Reduce overhead. An improved records management system can pay for itself by requiring less in the way of storage and administrative costs.
- Keep your hands clean. Strong records management protects your company from litigation and compliance risks by allowing you to quickly find needed documents. It’s good business sense in more ways than one.
Iron Mountain Suggests: Get Organized
You’re creating a strong, long-term foundation for your company’s records. But before you can do that, you need to get organized yourself. Follow these tips as you design or improve your indexing methodology:
- Set objectives. Your finished plan needs to drive cost efficiencies, improve accessibility for critical documents and strengthen compliance. Have those goals in mind as you work.
- Gather consensus. There’s no way something this ambitious could be the work of only one person or department, so get buy-in from key individuals at your organization. Hold cross-department planning sessions and listen to input.
- Enforcement is key. Once you’ve got a methodology in place, be sure it’s consistently applied and managed across all departments.
Do you have more questions about your firm’s records management options? Read additional Knowledge Center stories on this subject, or contact Iron Mountain’s consulting services team. You’ll be connected with a knowledgeable product and services specialist who can address your information management challenges.
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