This course is designed for professionals who have responsibilities for records management whether they are in the public or private sector. The course will expose delegates to recent knowledge in records management as well as consider the opportunities and challenges brought by electronic information technologies.

Participants will also learn various issues relating to the legal and organizational environment for conventional and electronic record keeping which will include: the protection of records as evidence, the need for compliance with evidence laws, the challenges of meeting audit requirements, the importance of adequate budgets and the importance of identifying relevant legislation and policies. The course will also focus on digital preservation and archival description, archival codes of ethics and key issues involved with applying standards.

Course Objectives

This course will impact participants with skills to help their organizations:

• To reduce costs and waste
• Improve service
• Improve access to information
• Improve tracking accountability of records
• Improve security of information
• Develop a disaster recovery plan
• Begin business process reengineering by automating manual processes
• Reduce long-term storage costs
• Increased importance of environmental, customer service, disaster recovery, and regulatory requirements.
• Requirement to cut operating budget in Poor economy
• Enhance customer/public service
• Enhance information sharing internally and externally
• Provide new/faster services
• Preserve historic documents
• Achieve statutory/regulatory requirements more effectively
• Provide document security and Disaster recovery
• Stimulate, creativity, motivation and loyalty

Course Outline

Module 1 - Office organisation

• Describe organizing as a core responsibility of office professionals
• Illustrate their position in the organizational structure and the route of documentation they need to manage
• Identify and review the role of administration in their organization
• Assess their own organizing ability for effectiveness and efficiency
• Describe the need for effective systems as support for efficient administration
• Rate the effectiveness of their departments’ systems

Module 2 - Records Management

• Explain why organizations record and keep information
• Define “information management”, “records management” and “record”
• Name and describe the type of records that are specific to a contract in a selected
• business sector
• Describe the practice of records management
• Outline the process of managing physical records
• Discuss confidentiality issues
• Illustrate how to locate and provide records to users on request
• List the  components of a record keeping system
• Understand the importance of maintaining accuracy, safety and confidentiality of stored
• records
• List new trends in paper based document management

Module 3 - Paper records processing systems

• Explain the role of proper desk organization in records management
• Outline the options in the paperwork and email route
• Assess the efficiency of their departments’ current information storage and filing systems
• Describe classification, tracer, cross reference and index systems for paper based storage

Module 4 • Electronic records processing systems

• Explain the benefits and risks of electronic records management
• Understand how to deal with incoming mail and tasks
• List some of the “best practice” procedures of e-mail management
• Appraise the need for an e-mail policy in an organization
• Define the organizational requirements for storing records electronically
• Outline the processes of locating, retrieving, copying and dispatching information in an electronic storage system
• Illustrate the importance of secure storage of electronic records
• Highlight some of the consequences if information is not managed properly
• Understand the importance of dealing with confidential documents and issues
• Describe the processes of document scanning and tracking
• Highlight the legal requirements, policy and best practice of document retention in the context of their organization and industry
• Describe the concept of “archiving”
• Evaluate the importance of optimizing technology e.g. e-mail, bar coding,scanning.

Who should attend

• PAs,Executive Assistants, Secretaries,
• Record Officers,
• Store Officers/Managers
• Office Managers,
• Team Leaders,
• Managers/Directors who have responsibilities for records management and those who wish to acquire requisite skills for future roles in record management.

Methodology

The method of training for each module is highly participatory. And training sessions will include:

• Exciting practical group exercises,
• Role-plays
• Case studies
• Live instructions
• Video presentations
• Explicit practical examples
• PowerPoint presentations