What is Records Management Implementation Plan?

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Written By Haisam Abdel Malak
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A records management implementation plan is a document that outlines how records will be managed, stored, and disposed of in an organization. These plans are used to help organizations understand what they need to do in order to successfully implement a records management program.

A records management implementation plan provides a framework for how an organization should proceed in order to create and maintain effective records, document control, and other related systems necessary for managing their information assets.

A records management implementation plan should provide:- A name and date of the organization- Goals- Background information on the organization- Laws or policies that affect the management of records- Policies and procedures for managing, storing, and disposing of records.

The purpose of a records management implementation plan is to help an organization develop a strategy for implementing effective records management. The main goal of this plan is to provide guidance and direction for how best to implement records management within an organization.

For organizations with less risk and less confidential information, then they can have their plans as guidelines or checklists that people can use to help them navigate when they need it.

What to Include in a Records Program Implementation Plan

The implementation process of a records management plan should be well thought-out and planned before you start implementing it. When this process is done correctly, the implementation should not take more than six months or one year at most for an average size business.

Records management is a key part of any organization’s compliance efforts. The implementation process is to create a plan for the implementation of records management that includes structure and policies for capturing, storing, retrieving, and disposing of records.

The steps involved in creating the perfect records management implementation plan are:

1- Developing the records management strategy

It is important to have a strategy in place when it comes to records management. , because without a plan, you may end up with a messy filing system that makes it harder to find what you are looking for.

Records management generally includes the following responsibilities:

  • creating an organization culture that values records management
  • designing an organized filing system
  • developing policies and procedures to support information storage and retrieval

2- Identifying the key stakeholders

In order to implement the perfect records management plan, you need to identify key stakeholders within your organization to help you create a plan. The key stakeholders for your records management plan can be:

The Head of Records Management or someone with equivalent oversight

The Chief Information Officer or their designee who is the IT manager for the organization

An HR representative who is involved in human resource management and understands the impact of records management on an organization’s strategy.

A Data Protection Officer or their designee who understands HIPAA compliance requirements and how to implement them in an organization.

3- Creating an inventory of all your current records

The inventory that your company has is the most important asset of any business. You need to create an inventory of all your current records to be able to manage records lifecycle. This is especially important in a changing environment where information changes at a rapid pace.

This will help them create a prioritized list for what needs to be saved and what needs to be discarded or destroyed.

4- Create a location for records storage

The most important thing to remember when designing a new record storage facility is the location. A poorly chosen spot can put employees, customers, and the company itself at risk. It’s important to consider factors such as the humidity, temperature, and available light during the design process.

5- Create a Records Management Team (RMT)

A records management team is an essential part of any successful records management plan. These people are responsible for managing and maintaining the information in your organization’s archives, while developing policies, procedures, and standards that support your organization’s needs

6- Define legal requirements

The legal records management implementation plan should include:

  • A list of all the types of legal documents that need to be created or maintained.
  • The retention schedule for the documents and how often they should be updated and destroyed.
  • How the organization is going to store the records and where they are stored, including who has access to the records
  • The frequency at which employees should be notified of their responsibilities and rights in regard to records retention.
  • How long employees can have documents before they have been destroyed or retain the right to destroy them.
  • A list of all the places where employee’s personal property is stored, including who has access to it.

7- Setup an archive system for older documents

Paper files and outdated storage systems can be a nightmare for businesses. In order to keep your customer’s data safe, you need an archive system in place. This will allow you to track and store old documents so that they are easily accessible when needed, as well as provide a digital record of your business’s history.

8- Develop a records retention schedule

The records retention schedule is a document that is created to outline when records should be retained, which records should be retained, and where they should be stored. It also provides an expiration date on the documents.

It is an important document for keeping track of information. It protects the business by ensuring that all records are kept in one place and that they are kept for a set amount of time.

These documents make it easier to find information because they provide a framework for locating and accessing the necessary records. The schedule may also be used to determine how long particular files might last.

9- Implementing your records management implementation strategy

With the digital age, it is important for organizations to have a strategy in place to manage their records properly. This strategy starts with implementing a comprehensive Records Management Implementation Plan that includes identifying risks, reviewing policies and procedures, conducting discovery and analysis of records, implementing the necessary changes, and training employees.

10- Follow up and evaluate your success

We have all the information we need to evaluate the success of our records management program. We know what tasks have been accomplished and what has been completed. We can also measure how well our employees are adhering to the program and how well their work is being received.

11- Implement best practices

Records management best practices are essential for organizations to maintain their legal and regulatory compliance and over challenges associated with RM. They also help organizations to manage their records lifecycle more efficiently by organizing them, labeling them, storing them, and disposing of them.

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