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4.1 The standard sections of the directives
4.2 Directives relating to the vital parts of an administrative records management programme: specific content'
4.3 Directives concerning the security of information: specific content
4.4 Directives concerning peripheral parts of the programme: specific content
4.5 Directives concerning other information media: specific content

In administrative records management, directives are regulations laying down specific principles for each part of the programme arising out of the policies that have been framed. They are standardized in form, whatever the policy or part of a programme referred to.

The first sections cover the same ground in each case, i.e. the subject-matter and purpose of the directive, the legislative framework, the ambit of the directive, the date it comes into force, the definitions relating to the subject concerned and the allocation of roles and responsibilities between the different parties.

Next, for each directive are stated the guiding principles setting out the course of action chosen and the way it is to be put into effect. This will constitute the bulk of the directives.

4.1 The standard sections of the directives

The section on 'subject-matter' and 'purpose' aims to provide a brief description of the nature and content of the part of the programme covered by the directive. It also describes the aims pursued.

The second section on 'legislative framework' is the corner-stone of the regulations. It recapitulates the laws, policies and regulations on which the principles and standards set out in the directive are based. If this information is clear and accurate, it will provide the reader with immediate references to the document that justified a particular administrative course of action.

The 'ambit' section describes the directive's range of application. Generally speaking, directives apply to all the administrative departments or units of an organization. The clear statement of this principle is vitally important for the programme's managers. It may nevertheless happen that a department does not come under one or other of these provisions. In such cases, it could be just as important to indicate precisely what the directive's limits are.

The persons drawing up a directive should also mention the date it comes into force. The date establishes the rights and duties of all the parties from a precise moment in time. Mention of the date takes away the excuse of ignorance from the uncooperative, since nobody is supposed to be ignorant of the regulations.

Each directive should also contain a series of definitions. These should include precise definitions of the terms used in the particular subject and a reminder of the most important definitions relating to the records management programme.

Lastly, the directives should make clear the allocation of roles and responsibilities between the various people involved. Efficient management in fact requires a clear definition of the exclusive responsibilities of each of the people concerned in the application or development of the programme in their department. Failure to do so will certainly lead to confusion and the overlapping of activities.

All these definitions have the same purpose, which is to provide clear explanations facilitating the understanding and application of the specific principles of each directive.

4.2 Directives relating to the vital parts of an administrative records management programme: specific content

4.2.1 The classification plan

The purpose of a classification plan is to permit efficient record retrieval and use. It is also to ensure the ordered and hierarchical arrangement of an agency's records.

Guidelines

The classification of State records is carried out in a uniform way in each government agency. There is a common administrative records classification plan for all government agencies and a specific plan for each agency, based on its own particular activities.
The general classification plan should be sufficiently flexible to permit regular updating. It is generally based on the functions and activities of the government agencies and classifies records by subject in a logical order. A classification structure which goes from the general to the particular in this way makes it possible to enter additional classification codes as new activities develop.
The classification structure is based on an inventory of all the records produced and received by a government agency. Only in this way can a classification plan provide an adequate response to user needs.
The classification plan should always be accompanied by an alphabetical index of the official subjects included in the classification structure and given a classification code in the standard plan. The plan also includes the descriptions and definitions relating to each category and subcategory of the subjects listed. Failure to include them will lead to individual interpretations, thus preventing any uniform application of this management tool.
The use of a standard classification plan in a government agency cannot be contemplated until the central body has provided adequate training for the staff responsible for its implementation there. The central body should also draw up a guide for the introduction and monitoring of the system.
The standard classification plan may be implemented through large centralized filing systems covering several administrative units, or through decentralized filing systems, with a classification section for each administrative unit in the government agencies.
Whatever the solution adopted, control of the development of the classification plan should remain with the central body. The classification plan for records common to all government agencies should be under the control of the central body, whereas the classification plan for records specific to each government agency should be under the control of each separate agency through its own records management team.

Procedures

The directives governing the standard classification should contain a number of rules and procedures. The procedures should concern:

the inventory which forms the basis of the classification plan;
the establishment of a classification structure;
the preparation of a subject index including cross-references, key words, and a full description of each category and subcategory so as to ensure that the plan is used in a standard way.

Other procedures will be included in a guide to the introduction of the classification system, e.g.:

a filing procedure covering subject identification, file creation, choice of classification code, title, and descriptors;
the document retrieval procedures, which assumes the prior compilation of a file identification
the alphabetical classification rules officially adopted in the classification plan;
the file distribution procedure.

The central body should work out these procedures and propose them to the government agencies, which may adapt them to their own needs.

4.2.2 The records conservation schedule

The establishment and application of a records conservation schedule are essential for the efficient and cost-effective management of an agency's records and for the selection and safeguarding of documents of historical or research interest. The schedule lays down the official storage period for current and semi-current records and determines which records shall be destroyed and which permanently stored.

Guidelines

A records conservation schedule may be drawn up before or after preparation of a classification plan. It must, however, be based on the same general inventory of all the records of an agency in order to identify the document series, including computer records, for which periods of conservation and methods of disposal will be laid down.
Establishing a records conservation schedule requires the close collaboration of all those involved. Steps should be taken to ensure that the storage period for current and semi-current records meets the administrative and legal requirements of the units chiefly responsible for the creation and initial use of such records. These units hold the main files for which the overall periods laid down, but no provision for a conservation period is made for their secondary files at the semi-current stage and they rarely qualify for permanent storage.
The proposed disposal method should be approved by archivists, who alone are qualified to lay down criteria for selecting documents for permanent storage.
After approval by the central body, the records conservation schedule should be widely distributed within the government agency, accompanied by an explanatory guide to facilitate its interpretation, use and updating.
No State record may be destroyed before it has been entered in the approved records conservation schedule. Records that have become semi-current by virtue of the time-limits stated in the conservation schedule should be transferred to centres set up for that purpose. Non-current records earmarked for permanent storage should be transferred to archives centres in accordance with the approved conservation rules.

Procedures

In order to facilitate the preparation and use of the records conservation schedule, the directive should lay down procedures relating to:

the records inventory, which is the stage prior to the drawing up of a conservation schedule;
the preparation of the conservation schedule, outlining the different stages involved, including selection of the storage period best suited to user needs, legal and financial control and the granting of official approval. The schedule explains the need to describe each document series and the use made of it during the current and semi-current stages. It also spells out the need to distinguish between main and secondary files and to identify accurately the administrative unit in possession of the main file;
the declassification of records that have become semi-active. The procedure should explain how, once the date for the closure of main files has been established and the period of conservation at the current stage has been calculated, these main files arc transferred to the 'semi-current' archives. Secondary files are generally disposed of as soon as they cease being current;
the declassification of records that have become non-current. The procedure should indicate how main files that have reached the end of their semi-active life are to be transferred to the archives or disposed of. It should also provide for the unit holding the records to be consulted before final disposal, and for compliance with the directives in force.

It would be useful for any guide to the application of the records conservation schedule to include the two procedures for the declassification of documents and the directives concerning the transfer and disposal of non-current records, set out below. The guide could be drawn up by the central body and circulated among government agencies.

4.2.3 The management of centralized semi-current records stores

It is not enough just to set up special centres for the storage of semi-current records; they must also be run in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This calls for the establishment of some basic rules that users must observe. Although storage conditions vary according to the data medium, the nature of the services provided remains the same, whether a record is on a paper, microfilm or magnetic medium. In each case, the central store sees to the storage, communication and disposal of the records deposited with it.

Guidelines

The users of a semi-current records office should be accurately identified, especially if this is a government service offered to State bodies free of charge. Depending on the legislation in force and the administrative framework, the central records office may be used by a captive clientele or by people who have chosen to use it.
The designated users may avail themselves of the services of a central records office provided they have had their records conservation schedule approved. All main files should be deposited with it on reaching the end of their semi-current life, as laid down by the conservation schedule.
The transfer of semi-current records to the central records office should be carried out in accordance with the standards and procedures for document identification, for arranging documents in the prescribed containers and for the description of the contents. Each container should bear a final disposal date as provided for in the conservation schedule.
A central semi-current records office provides not only secure and confidential storage of records but also offers a service for communicating those records to any originating unit wishing to consult them. This reference service is computer-controlled and provides for the sending of reminders for unreturned records. It also includes a rapid records delivery and collection service.
The rational management of a central semi-current records office is achieved by making sure that the storage deadlines set out in conservation schedule are kept to. Final disposal is initiated by the records office, which asks the client for permission to destroy records that have become non-current records or to transfer them to the archives, in accordance with approved schedule. The semi-current records centre normally arranges for the recycling of records or their transfer to the archives.
The head of the central records office should compile monthly and cumulative statistics of the records deposited, destroyed, consulted or transferred, and should communicate them at least once a year to all users as they are a very useful management tool for both parties.

Procedures

In order to ensure the rational use of the central semi-current records service, there should be a number of procedures and instructions for users to follow, normally set out in a 'users' guide'. These chiefly relate to:

the transfer and storage of files, indicating the standardized equipment to be used and the steps necessary for the transfer of semi-current records, taking care to point out the particular features of each information medium (paper, microfilm or magnetic tape);
the identification of the contents and their origin by means of a label attached to each container and a form which describes the contents and states the official storage period;
the consultation of the records deposited, requiring users to designate the people entitled to consult them. The instructions also explain the procedure for ordering records for consultation and returning them after use;
reminders about unreturned records and the efficient way to reply;
the declassification of records that have become non-current, which assumes the validation by the client of a list identifying the groups of records to be destroyed or transferred. This procedure defines the respective responsibilities of records owners and the central records office concerning the destruction of records or the selection and transfer of records to the archives;
the additional services provided by the central records office, and how to use these services, including consultation on the premises and the addition of documents to records already deposited.

4.2.4 Selection and transfer of non-current records earmarked for conservation

This is an extremely important stage, calling for close collaboration between records manager and archivist. The value of a State's archives depends upon how successfully the two cooperate.

Guidelines

Non-current records should be selected for the archives in accordance with the sampling and selection criteria laid down by the archivists in the records conservation schedule. The selection is either made by the archivists themselves or is delegated to the records manager of each government agency. This second possibility presupposes that the archivists have provided prior training for the staff who will make the selection and that they supervise the operation closely.
Each container sent to the State archives must be numbered and have on it an indication of its origin. Each container must further be accompanied by one or more forms which describe its contents. If documents are selected and arrangements made for their transfer without the help of an archivist, duly completed forms should be sent to the archivist before the boxes are transferred. They will then be checked first and any necessary changes made.
In cases where the transfer of records involves the simultaneous transfer of their ownership, it is still advisable to return a copy of the transfer forms to the agency that sent them as this will enable it to keep track of the documents transferred to the State archives and to consult them when required.
The processing of transferred records gives archivists an opportunity to evaluate the official records conservation schedule and the selection criteria used. This could lead to recommendations being made for changes to some of the rules for storage.
Documents stored on a medium other than paper should, when transferred to the archives, meet certain quality standards which will guarantee their permanent storage.
This applies to microfilms, sound and video tapes, magnetic tapes and other media.

Procedures

The directive concerning the selection and transfer of non-current records should also include procedures telling government bodies how to file paper documents being transferred and how to complete the necessary forms. The directive should also stipulate the quality standards to be observed for documents stored on media other than paper and the procedures for transferring them to the State archives.

4.2.5 Destruction of non-current records

Most of the records produced and received by an agency in the course of its activities should be destroyed at the end of their current and semi-current life. A mere 5 to 10 per cent of all documents will have a historical or research value. In view of the large volume involved, it is economical to destroy non-current records as soon as they reach the end of their conservation period. This makes for more rational use of the filing space and equipment kept for current and semi-current records. The annual pruning of records also facilitates the retrieval and consultation of current administrative, legal and tax records.

Guidelines

No original document or main file may be destroyed before it has been entered on the approved records conservation schedule and an official request for its destruction has been made.
The request for destruction must be approved by the person in charge of the main file or the administrative records manager of the relevant agency, depending on the degree of centralization that exists in the application of the conservation schedule. It is essential not to minimize the importance of closely supervising compliance with the rules laid down in the conservation schedule and of checking with the relevant managers before proceeding with the actual destruction of the main files. The administrative records manager has to make sure that these two checks have been carried out in every case.
Once a document has been destroyed, a copy of the request for destruction, noting the precise date and method of destruction, and signed by the person in charge of the operation, should be returned to the person who made the request. The copy should mention the procedure followed in the case of confidential documents. On receiving confirmation of destruction, the originator of the request will be able to update his lists of documents and their copies in other administrative units.
The destruction of secondary documents and files does not require the same kind of supervision. This operation is conducted by the administrative units themselves, which see that the deadlines provided for in the records conservation schedule are kept to. In cases where the secondary files are of a personal or confidential nature, the unit concerned should contact the administrative records manager, who will take charge of the destruction, following the procedure laid down.
Before ordering the destruction of principal records that have been microfilmed, the records manager should check the legal status accorded to this information medium. He should also see to it that all the certifications required by the law in question are drawn up.
The methods and procedures governing the destruction of records vary according to the type of information medium and the records' degree of confidentiality. Where paper is concerned, recovery and recycling is permissible in all cases, with the exception of confidential documents. Even then, shredding and incineration are not the only methods of disposal. Video and magnetic tapes may be recycled after their contents have been electrically erased, but in those cases, too, of course, the more confidential the material, the more radical and 'foolproof' must be its method of disposal (i.e. shredding and incineration).

Procedures

The procedures included in the directive on the destruction of non-current records should specify the paper recovery and recycling methods prescribed by the government. They should also indicate how confidential records are to be destroyed, and include the procedure for obtaining witnesses' statements.

4.3 Directives concerning the security of information: specific content

4.3.1 The protection of vital records

Over and above the usual measures to protect documents against fire, theft, flooding, vandalism and dangerous substances, there exist a number of preventive measures to protect records considered essential for the maintenance and resumption of an agency's activities from the ravages of natural catastrophes, war and nuclear or other accidents.

Guidelines

The introduction and monitoring of a vital records protection programme should normally be entrusted to the records manager of the government agency concerned.
Such a programme should form part of an agency's emergency plan.
The first stage of this programme is to identify and assess, with the aid of the managers in charge of the agency's essential activities, which of their records are necessary for the maintenance of services and for their resumption after a catastrophe. Such records provide the foundation for the agency's basic rights as well as its legal and financial obligations. They account for around 3 per cent of all the records of an organization.
All records identified as vital should be protected by a series of measures, starting with the production of a back-up copy. This copy, produced on the same or another medium, should be stored in specially fitted premises providing maximum security and proper storage conditions. Another method would be to disperse back-up copies of vital records to a number of different locations. Whatever the solution chosen, the information in the back-up copies should be regularly updated. It is equally important to ensure rapid access to these records in the event of a catastrophe, as well as the necessary staff and equipment to process this vital information.
An important part of the vital records protection programme is concerned with planning for the resumption of activities in the aftermath of a catastrophe. Steps should be taken to establish, in conjunction with each manager in charge of essential activities in the agency, the chronological order in which activities should be resumed, identifying in each case the records needed and the staff who are to perform the different tasks.
In their capacity as programme managers, records managers should carry out random checks to ascertain compliance with, and the effectiveness of, the safety measures prescribed and to check on the updating and regular transfer of back-up copies. They should collaborate, as necessary, with the managers to have any shortcomings remedied.

4.3.2 The protection of personal data and confidential documents

Although an administrative records management programme aims to provide easy and rapid access to records, there are cases where it is, on the contrary, necessary to restrict and closely supervise access to records. This is true of records containing confidential information or personal data.' These records should be governed by rules and procedures guaranteeing privacy and conformity with existing legislation.

Guidelines

Responsibility for the protection of personal and confidential information lies first of all with the State, which has a duty to legislate in this field. The central body responsible for managing administrative records will then lay down the necessary directives and security standards.
Each government agency must appoint a co-ordinator to see to enforcement of the rules for protecting personal and confidential information. This person may be attached to the records management team, which could assist him in the periodical checking and permanent revision of the protection measures.
The protection of personal and confidential information will be all the more effective if the number of people involved is kept to a minimum. Only staff appointed for this purpose within the agency should be able to handle, update, consult or retrieve this type of information.
Documents containing personal or confidential information should be listed and given a special mark or code (stamp or computer code). Such documents should also be stored in a place to which access is limited and controlled.
The main holders of personal or confidential records have primary responsibility for controlling access. They must check the identity of the persons seeking access against the official list of authorized persons. Each consultation and retrieval data should be recorded in a register or computer (access code). Similarly, the names of people who receive copies of a personal or confidential document should be recorded.
Computer systems for processing personal or confidential data should have the same controls. Integrated into the systems at the design stage, the controls should be designed to guarantee the integrity and confidentiality of the data.
Personal data may not be used for purposes other than those for which it was first collected. It should be destroyed as soon as this purpose has been served, in accordance with procedures that safeguard its confidentiality. Personal information used for research is excepted, provided that it is used subject to measures safeguarding its confidentiality.
Personal and confidential records should be protected not only during processing and use but also during destruction. The most secure measures (shredding, incineration, and closely supervised recycling) should be adopted. In each case, the operation should be certified by official witnesses.

4.4 Directives concerning peripheral parts of the programme: specific content

4.4.1 The management of forms

Administrative forms represent a substantial proportion of the documents produced and received by an organization. The information they contain is often essential for the conduct of an organization's activities. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the forms in use ask for the right information and that the information is easy to process. Controlling their proliferation and eliminating obsolete or redundant forms are another aspect of form management. This helps to save on time spent designing forms, and on the cost of the equipment, storage and staff needed for them.

Guidelines

Within a government body, the management of administrative forms should be dealt with under a special programme under the responsibility of a manager. In most cases, it will fit into the administrative records management programme as one of the parts relating to the creation of documents.
A form management programme consists of two main parts: analysis and standardized design, and the control of production, distribution and filing. This programme is used for machine-readable forms as well.
The design and reprinting of forms call for an examination of requirements and the preparation of a plan to prevent unnecessary duplication or exhaustion of stocks. Forms are usually designed following a set of pre-established rules and standards. Responsibility for this part of the programme should be given to specialists to ensure design quality, clarity of instructions, the relevance of the information gathered, and production of the required number of copies.
Each current administrative form should bear a registration number, issue date and an identifier. These three things form the basis of a system enabling the forms to be classified by number and by main function. Such a system makes it possible to improve, merge or even eliminate forms. It also enables forms to be monitored and amended and their production, reprinting, distribution and storage specifications to be compared.
The unit in charge of form management supervises the whole process from design to storage, distribution and destruction. It should, however, always pay attention to the needs and comments expressed by the administrative units.

4.4.2 Report management

Like forms, administrative reports represent an important source of information in an organization. They contain data on the activities of staff and the progress of projects, and review existing problems. Since internal reports serve as the basis for most decisions, it is important to check on their quality. This type of administrative document is also a big source of office paper, especially since the advent of computers. Reports range from activity, progress and technical reports to computer reports and minutes of meetings. Substantial savings can be achieved for State bodies by keeping track of the number of reports, their production costs, and the extent to which they are distributed.

Guidelines

The control of administrative reports forms part of any government agency's records management programme. Although he has to take account of the needs of each administrative unit, the manager in charge of this part of the programme represents a central reference point and he guarantees a rational approach to the preparation, production and distribution of the reports.
One of the main objectives of report management is to guarantee the quality of the report's content and presentation. Those it is intended for must be provided only with the information they need and in a clear way so as to facilitate its use. Design, therefore, plays an important role in the effectiveness and attractiveness of a report. The laying down of standards of presentation for administrative units would clearly improve the quality of their reports, while reducing their preparation costs.
The supervisor of administrative reports should further bear in mind the need to rationalize production. He should carry out an inventory and assessment of all the reports regularly produced by the government agency. He could then reduce the number of reports by eliminating those that had become irrelevant, merging overlapping ones and publishing fewer copies of others. The follow-up and review of periodic reports could be carried out by having a report classification, numbering and identification system exactly like the one used for forms.
The copying, printing and distribution of reports should also be rationalized and monitored and the lists of addressees should be regularly revised and updated.

4.4.3 Management of correspondence and mail

Owing to the volume involved, correspondence constitutes a very large part of a records management programme. The frequent sending of mail is a big expense. The administrative costs are both direct (preparation, delivery, filing) and indirect (clarity and accessibility of information). The efficient management of correspondence calls for the permanent monitoring of all the rules relating to this part of the programme. The system chosen should be both as simple as possible and yet commensurate with the size of the organization.

Guidelines

The management of correspondence

In drawing up directives and establishing procedures for controlling correspondence, managers should stress the need for good drafting (use of a drafting guide, clarity and conciseness of expression) and the adoption of standardized techniques (standard letters and paragraphs).
Authors should indicate the classification code (ref. no.) as well as the letter's subject matter to facilitate the recipient's understanding of it and its filing and identification.
Limiting the number of copies of a letter to a strict minimum would be very beneficial to an organization. It is often very useful to circulate just one copy 'for information', to be returned to the official addressee for filing.
When the volume justifies it, the use of new technologies leads to appreciable increases in productivity in the preparation of correspondence.
Whether an organization's secretariat is centralized or not, it is important to keep track of the letters in circulation to prevent any from going astray (pending signature, for instance).
A correspondence monitoring system would enable an organization to record who the incoming mail is addressed to and its subject-matter, the person and administrative unit responsible for giving an answer and by when, the official addressee and who should receive copies. The system serves to check output and enables reminders to be sent, if necessary, to those falling behind. (It should be remembered that telephones and electronic mail are a useful supplement to written documents as they help to reduce delays and the amount of paper.)

Mail management

The setting up of an efficient mail service, both internal and external, calls for suitable planning and the use of qualified and trained staff.
The setting up of efficiently organized mail centres and networks facilitates the quick distribution of mail.
Outgoing mail should be processed with special care as correct postage and clear and complete addressing, in line with government postal standards, prevent costly and pointless delays and return of mail.
An official record of the dispatch and receipt of all registered and special mail should be kept in a register.
The division manager should sort outgoing mail by category (express or registered mail, bulk dispatch, etc.) as substantial savings could be achieved by making the right choice.
The manager of the system should permanently monitor operations to ensure that staff and equipment are used as efficiently as possible.

4.4.4 The recycling of different information media

Government bodies are increasingly concerned with environmental considerations related to the depletion of resources. Different types of document medium (paper, film, tape) are at least partly recyclable, recoverable or reusable. For example, it is possible to produce new paper out of old, recover silver salt during film development, and reuse old tapes after erasing the previous information.

Guidelines

Recycling and recovery should be effected employing environment-friendly procedures and methods.
Operating this part of an administrative records management programme requires the very active involvement of the central body in order to bring together the records that are to be recycled and to adopt standard, cost-effective procedures.
The approved records conservation schedule is the sole authority as regards destruction.
Before a recycling operation is carried out, it has to be ascertained if the records in question should indeed be destroyed.
Confidential documents earmarked for recycling should be subject to specific security measures to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. This normally requires witnesses to be present who can testify officially to the secure destruction of the information.

4.5 Directives concerning other information media: specific content

4.5.1 Management of records on microfilm

The use of micrography can be of considerable advantage to a government agency in the shape of faster retrieval, secure storage and a saving of space. Modern, sophisticated image processing technology may, however, be very expensive. It is therefore to be used sparingly if the desired benefits are to be obtained.

Guidelines

Before setting up a micrographic reproduction system for current records, economic studies need to be carried out to establish the cost-effectiveness of transfer from paper or magnetic medium tape to microfilm Except for special situations, the resultant savings in staff, money and materials should be greater than the cost of having paper files handled by staff and the cost of the floor-space used.
During the cost-benefit study, it is important to select, and to hold trials to test, the equipment (cameras, screens, etc.) and the microfilm medium (rolls of film, cassettes, microfiches, etc.). A medium or machine may give satisfactory results in one environment and be unsuitable in others.
The use of micrography should conform to the conservation schedule's specifications for each type of document.
When microfilming a legal document, all the provisions of the law or current regulations should be complied with to ensure that the microfilmed document has the same value as the paper original
All operations relating to micrography (picture taking and development, the chemicals used, checking of films) should be subject to strict quality control based on recognized standards (e.g. ISO/AIIM) to ensure the legal validity of the products and their conservation over time.
The quality of the environment is a factor that should not be overlooked in operating a micrography centre (cleanliness, adequate lighting, safety measures in the use of chemicals, calm, confidentiality of certain documents).
It is also important to draw up a comprehensive range of security measures concerning the conservation of master copies of films. The application and monitoring of these measures should be the responsibility of those in charge of micrography. The measures recommended include storing the films in different places, storage in disaster- or accident-proof vaults or, better still, in a building located elsewhere. Access to the films should be tightly controlled at all times.

Procedures

The importance of micrography, from the point of view of the resources invested and the possible legal implications, necessitates specific procedures relating to:

file preparation before microfilming so as to ensure that the operation proceeds efficiently;
photography and indexing, especially in regard to computerized document retrieval;
film development and duplication in a laboratory;
quality control of films in order to ensure complete textual reproduction and high standard of picture quality.

4.5.2 Management of electronic records

Electronic records account for a big proportion of modern administrative records and are becoming increasingly prominent in records management programmes. This trend is being reinforced by the growing daily use of microcomputers at individual work stations in addition to the use of central computers and their large data banks.

Guidelines

The specific nature of this information medium and the size of the investment involved justify giving the central body a co-ordinating role in electronic records management.
These records should be listed in the records conservation schedule in the same way as records on other types of medium, to ensure the rational management of computer space. (Destruction of obsolete data and conservation of data of historical or research interest.)
In view of the vulnerability of this data, specific steps should be taken to restrict access to it so as to protect its integrity and confidentiality.
A proper retrieval system would facilitate the management and updating of data stored on a magnetic medium.
The relative fragility of computer records calls for data to be stored on high quality tape and for a maintenance programme to be established and followed up; this should include periodic rewinding of the tapes containing records intended for long storage.
These records can be stored securely in specially built premises which provide protection against natural catastrophes, accidents, theft, misuse, magnetic fields, temperature variations and humidity.
It is also important to take account of the specific problems relating to vital records, especially by making back-up copies which should be stored in separate premises, and also transported in a secure manner.
The same protection measures apply to the documentation concerning the setting up of the systems, to their updating or to their recovery in the event of a disaster.
It is essential to destroy the bulk of computer-produced printed reports as soon as they cease to be in current use so as to prevent the pointless duplication of the volume of information preserved.
These principles also apply, mutatis mutandis, to the management of records produced on microcomputers and stored on diskettes.

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