Records Management Systems help you manage recorded information required for the continuance or recovery of your business by controlling the creation, distribution, usage, retention, and final disposition of all types of records.

Many organizations maintain separate records management, document management and workflow management systems.

We, at Infologics believe that these separate systems need to be handled in an integrated manner. Our line of ERS software is designed specifically with this in mind; to help you achieve "Total Information Assets Management".

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

Records Management systems control the recorded information that is required in the continuance or recovery of an enterprise's business. Such control is exercised over the creation, distribution, usage, retention, and final disposition of all types of records within an organization, according to rules and constraints stated in laws and industry policies.

For example, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines the end of the life cycle of a document. The records management task is performed by classifying each document, uniformly, as to its subject, type, retention period, etc., and then storing the document’s meta data in a database. Document meta data consists of the document’s identification, storage location, media, media supported software (file extension), and other information.

The requirements of the records management system are more disciplined than any other component of the information assets management solution. One particular component is the detail tracking mechanism that must be in place to know where each document is and how many copies exist so that they all may be destroyed according to a legally required retention schedule.

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Document Management Systems help you keep track of stored document that have been scanned into the computer, or created by word-processing or CAD applications. This "library service" manages documents use and controls revisions.

Many organizations maintain separate records management, document management and workflow management systems.

We, at Infologics believe that these separate systems need to be handled in an integrated manner. Our line of ERS software is designed specifically with this in mind; to help you achieve "Total Information Assets Management".

Document Management systems were originally targeted at the publishing applications within a business, such as writing and publishing manuals, preparing legal briefs, and documenting product research. However, all companies now recognize the need to manage graphics, images, and other data types used in document creation. In the digital world, information can be stored very flexibly, in many different formats, and with intelligent interconnections. In simple cases, the recorded information for a document is encoded in a single computer file. Complex electronic documents may require several data files, or many software packages may be involved. A single document’s files may contain text, charts, voice and video clips, process steps, fonts, and more.

RETENTION SCHEDULES

There are some 1800 citations in the United States Code of Federal Regulations and various state codes that describe the legal retention of documents. The laws of other countries are similarly complex. These descriptions are only referred to by subject. As a result, the management of information assets must meet rigorous conditions to effectively comply with legal requirements.

Retention schedules are usually associated only with the Records Management function. Furthermore, they are usually used only to identify when archived records can be destroyed.

The real challenge is to expand the role of retention schedules so they can be used to help classify and administer active records through their entire life-cycle.

Our patented Uniform Subject Classification system (USCS^TM), has been developed to do that, and more.

Many organizations maintain separate records management, document management, document imaging and workflow management systems.

We, at Infologics believe that these separate systems need to be handled in an integrated manner. Our line of ERS software is designed specifically with this in mind; to help you achieve "Total Information Assets Management".

Retention Schedules must be rigorously followed. If the documents in question have to do with pending litigation, the court will test to determine if a true schedule exists and if records are destroyed in accord with the schedule. If not, the enterprise can be charged with destroying negative records related to the case. The source of protection, and limiting exposure, lies within a disciplined record management program and enforcement of records retention policies covering all media.

The following table show an example of a "Master Retention Schedule " with its corresponding regulatory references.

Classification of records and documents is one of the key features of a well designed records and document management system. This is crucial if the system is going to help you to identify which records are to be kept and for how long.

The classification system should be linked to the Code of Federal Regulations so that every record and document can have a legal citation to support the classification choice. Furthermore, the classification system should identify the inherent value of the document; i.e. is the document merely Informational or is it Official.

Without such a well designed and structured "Retention Schedule/ Classification" system most organizations would have little choice but to keep everything forever. This is clearly both wasteful and unmanageable. Consider the following statistics:

• Only 15% of all documents that are filed are ever retrieved.
• All but 3% of retrievals are accomplished within the first 18 months.
• Only 1% of stored records are retrieved after 3 years.

WORKFLOW SYSTEMS

 Workflow Management systems manage and coordinate the flow of work among participants, together with the appropriate data resources. The coordination involves passing tasks from participant to participant in correct sequence, ensuring that all fulfill required contributions.

Many organizations maintain separate records management, document management and workflow management systems.

We, at Infologics believe that these separate systems need to be handled in an integrated manner. Our line of ERS software is designed specifically with this in mind; to help you achieve "Total Information Assets Management".

 Workflow Management Systems manage the flow of work among participants, according to a procedure consisting of a number of tasks. It coordinates user and system participants, together with the appropriate data resources, which may be accessible directly by the system or off-line, to achieve defined objectives by set deadlines. The coordination involves passing tasks from participant to participant in correct sequence, ensuring that all fulfill these required contributions, taking default actions when necessary.

Workflow-based applications are typically not created by revamping existing applications. They are the result of business reengineering, to achieve performance improvements in cost, quality, service, and speed.