Filing and Records Management

2. Managing the System

2.1 Give one person overall responsibility for your filing and records system.

• Make each manager and individual responsible for managing information within the context of his or her job.
• All records should be available to all staff who need them to carry out their work (with appropriate and necessary safeguards for personal and sensitive information).
• Communicate the basics to all employees.

2.2 Ensure that new files are only created with specific approval of the person responsible.

2.3 Good indexing and titling are essential.

• A file's title must be meaningful and must accurately reflect its contents.
• Anyone who knows your system ought to be able to go straight to the right file nine times out of ten.
• If the nature of the contents shifts, the file's title should not usually be changed. It is better to open a new file.

2.4 Develop a clear tracking system for files.

• Ensure that files which are removed from their normal locations are signed out, so that they can be traced.

2.5 Do not allow files that spring up around projects to undermine the system.

• Make moving project data into the main filing system the final phase of any project.

2.6 Discourage the growth of personal filing systems.