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January 2007
 DID YOU KNOW?In 2005, 77% of organizations that went through an electronic discovery event had to produce e-mail. (Source: Computerworld) |
In this issue:
YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 6 of 2006 Dear Records Manager:2007 is well underway, and it looks like this year will bring as many RM challenges as the last one, if not more! Information proliferation proceeds at an ever increasing rate, new information technologies are constantly emerging, and the rules and regulations governing records continue to evolve. With this in mind, TAB will continue to bring you articles, case studies, product features and news to help you stay ahead of the curve. To get you started, this month we’ve compiled our most viewed articles and case studies from 2006. We’ve also got another in the TAB White Paper Series for free download. Information in Motion: Planning and Executing a Corporate File Move is a definitive guide to moving your records and should be read by any records manager who might have a file relocation in their future. We always interested in what our readers think, so if you have any feedback, please let us know! Regards, YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 6 of 2006
1. Sexy RM? Six Ways to Get Your Program NoticedHaving trouble getting head office approval for your Records Management program? Hard to get management and executives to listen? Not getting support from IT? You aren’t alone. Our clients and colleagues often say that one of the biggest challenges they face is raising awareness of records management within their organization. We are often asked: is there a way to make RM sexier? Well, we’re working on it, but in the meantime the good news is that the many compliance issues and legal cases making headlines are helping to increase the profile of records management at all levels. To help you capitalize on this, we’ve put together a few things you can do to get your records management program on the front burner, and keep it there... 2. Energy Sector M&A Case Study: Managing Newly Acquired RecordsThe Land Records file room for a leading energy company was swamped with boxes and boxes of new records. What they wanted was a more efficient way to incorporate the high volume of new files generated from their constant acquisition of assets. They called in TAB to help, and we recommended the adoption of a new, comprehensive Records Management program that would use a consistent methodology across the enterprise. The process began with a conversion of all files, standardized on a newly designed label, each entered into Accutrac® software, all necessary steps to facilitate the switch to a new RM methodology... 3. Imaging Grows UpIf you think digital imaging is just a great way to convert paper for efficient storage, you could be overlooking one of the most powerful RM tools available. As records managers continue to look for better ways to handle information, the focus has shifted from the physical challenges of deploying imaging technologies to providing effective user-friendly imaging solutions. More and more people are realizing that the broad capabilities of imaging can help you get the most out of your RM program... 4. Financial Case Study: Outsourcing the Production of Color-Coded Files at a Major Financial InstitutionA large in-house records center for a major financial institution wanted to find the most efficient way of producing upwards of 5000 color coded files and labels they required for loan documents generated daily in their Wholesale Mortgage business. They outsourced the work to TAB’s Rapid Response Color Coding file production service on a pilot-project basis. They ended up saving an estimated $250,000 to $350,000 a year, and were able to assign their existing RM personnel and resources to more important RM assignments, making them more efficient all around... 5. Now is the Time for Records Management SoftwareIf software isn’t a part of your records and information management program, it could be time to consider it. From straightforward file tracking applications to enterprise-scale solutions that integrate with document management systems, records management software offers benefits to records programs at many levels. In our feature article this month we take a look at these benefits, some of the challenges that records managers face when implementing records management software– and what they can do to overcome them... 6. Functional Classification: A Better Records Management ModelA records classification is the cornerstone of any successful Records Management program, providing the basis for compliance, risk management, retention periods, security safeguards and other related issues. TAB’s methodology for organizing business records is based on functional classification. Functional classification is not the only way to organize records, but in TAB’s view, it is the only Records Management model which fully supports corporate compliance and best manages risk. By focusing on the business context in which records are created or received, this versatile approach better reflects the role of records in general and the more detailed requirements facing today’s businesses... TAB White Paper - Information in Motion: Planning and Executing a Corporate File MoveCorporate moves are becoming increasingly common in today’s business environment. While the reasons for moves may vary from growth to cost management to a merger or acquisition, all moves share one common fact: your records have to come with you. Moving your records isn’t just a question of firing them into a bin and loading them onto the truck; after all, files are not furniture. As the information support and legal evidence for your business activities, it is critical that these records remain accessible and secure at every stage of the move. Given the diverse nature and size of most records collections, this presents huge challenges. At TAB, we know meeting those challenges requires the strategic application of records management principles and tools to the planning, preparation and execution of the move. We’ve worked with numerous companies to move their files, most notably Imperial Oil, the largest corporate move to date in Canada! We’ve put years of knowledge into this TAB White Paper, and it will show you how to conduct an efficient, secure move with a minimum of risk. Topics covered include:
You can download it here. Professional Services: TAB SMART (Streamline. Manage. Access. Retain. Toss.)Reduce your storage costs. Improve access to your information. Minimize your exposure to risk. Storage costs of unnecessary and inactive records represent a significant portion of a records management budget. Our TAB SMART (Streamline. Manage. Access. Retain. Toss.) program helps your organization reduce the amount of material it retains, and leads to lower costs for both on and off-site storage. We’ll take your employees through a process of reviewing their records and determining which ones are not essential. By eliminating non-essential documents, both paper and electronic, we will help you decrease storage costs and increase employee productivity. Streamlining the information available to employees improves retrieval time and access to your records. The TAB SMART program includes:
For more information on the TAB SMART program, call 1-800-417-8010 or complete our online response form. Historical Emails Come Back to Haunt Morgan Stanley
IT Managers Need Records Management HelpOne of the benefits most frequently reported by organizations that implement a good RM program is day-to-day efficiency. With information easier to find, personnel spend less time looking for what they need and more time concentrating on their core responsibilities. But according to a recent Accenture survey, nearly half (47 per cent) of IT managers, more than any other department, say they spend nearly 30 per cent of their working week trying to track down relevant information for their jobs. As a recent ITWeek article points out, the problem lies in the way managers gather and store information. Sounds like a job for RM! Learning the Importance of Good Records Management the Hard WayThe recent uproar which ensued after it was discovered that personnel at Kentucky’s Administrative Office of the Courts had destroyed misdemeanor court records drove home the point that good RM practices must be in place for an organization to minimize risk and exposure. As an article by a retired City of Louisville archivist points out, following the rules of RM may not be glamorous, but organizations ignore them at their own peril.
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To kick off 2007, we’ve put together our 6 most viewed articles and case studies from last year. These are excellent information resources, so if you missed something, or just want to know what other subscribers were reading, this is a great chance to add to your RM knowledge base!
Email woes continue to trouble the top tier investment firm as the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) recently claimed that the bank inappropriately deleted millions of e-mails, which Morgan Stanley claims were lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Although the details are in dispute,