Office Records Management and Filing
Records management controls records through creation, receipt, distribution, storage, retrieval, retention and disposal. The exam tests classification, filing methods, centralised versus departmental filing, indexing and electronic records.
Classification and filing
- Alphabetic: direct and simple; slow when names are similar.
- Numeric: indirect, needs an index; allows expansion and confidentiality.
- Chronological: date order; suits correspondence.
- Geographical: by region; suits branches and sales territories.
- Subject: by topic; suits projects and cases.
- Centralised filing: one registry, standard methods, better control; may delay departments.
- Departmental filing: quick local access; risks duplication and inconsistent retention.
Indexing and retention
- Indexes may be card, ledger or computer-based; use cross-references.
- Retention schedules cover statutory, fiscal and operational needs.
- Shred confidential records at disposal.
- E-filing needs folders, naming conventions, access rights, backups, version control and metadata.
Worked example
An insurer receives claims and must retrieve them by policy number and date. Reasoning: policy numbers are unique and expand, so numeric filing with a policy-number index gives direct retrieval; chronological subfolders batch daily claims. A subject file would scatter one policy across many folders.
Traps that cost marks
- Claiming alphabetic filing is always best.
- Treating filing as storage only; retrieval speed is the test.
- Keeping every record forever.
- Assuming electronic files need no backup or access control.