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Frequently Asked Questions
General Records Management FAQs
What is a record?
What is Records Management?
Why have a Records Management Service?
Who is responsible for Records Management?
What are the benefits of Records Management?
Practical Records Management Advice FAQs
How should I manage my emails?
How long should I keep my records?
What can I do if I run out of space?
Where can I get more advice?
What is a record?
Records can be in any format (paper or electronic) and provide evidence of policy, actions and decisions. This may be an email approving expenditure, the minutes of a meeting documenting decisions, an invoice requiring action or a letter of complaint. Much of the Records Management advice and guidance provided here will be applicable to all information and documents.
What is Records Management?
Records Management incorporates the activities associated with records throughout their life from creation, use and storage to destruction or archiving. Managing these activities helps to ensure that the correct information is available when and where necessary and that it is kept securely, for as long as necessary, but no longer. Records Management should be a natural part of everyone's role to ensure efficient and effective processes.
Why have a Records Management Service (RMS)?
Staff independently manage records across the University and there is much good practice and effective processes in place. Records and information are one of the most important resources the University has and it is vital to ensure consistent practices across the University. The RMS provides a central source of advice and guidance to support the implementation of good Records Management practices. This benefits the University in many ways, including:
- Ensures consistent advice and policy
- Supports the University's is compliance with statutory obligations and related standards
- Minimises litigation risks – Failure to retain certain records and destroy others can make the University liable to litigation;
- Provides advice, guidance and training
- Identifies and shares good practice
- Ensures records management is considered in changes in policy and processes
Who is responsible for Records Management?
All University staff who use records in their work have some records management responsibility, this is not an additional workload rather good record keeping should be built into all roles across the University. The RMS is here to provide advice, guidance and support. Records Management is about good and efficient practices, small changes can quickly result in benefits (see below).
What are the benefits of Records Management?
- Ensures the retention of evidence of the University’s business, and cultural activities
- Preserves the corporate memory for the University and prevents loss of information
- Increases productivity and reduced time spent searching for needed documents
- Facilitates efficient and effective use of physical and server space
- Makes the information needed for decision making and operations readily available
- Supports continuity in the event of a disaster
- Protects records from inappropriate and unauthorized access
- Meets statutory and regulatory requirements including archival, audit, and oversight activities
- Provides protection and support in litigation
How should I manage my emails?
Emails created for the purpose of University business should be considered as a formal means of communication and potentially important records. They should be managed (filed, retained, destroyed) according to their content. Detailed guidance on managing emails is available on the RMS guidance page.
How long should I keep my records?
The recommended time period for keeping records will depend on the information within those records. For example the recommended retention periods for student transcript details is permanent, whilst invoices are required for seven years.
To help identify the correct retention periods a range of Retention Schedules are being developed. These take into account best practice and legislative requirements ensuring that records are retained for as long as they are needed but no longer. This helps to ensure legal obligations are met whilst enabling efficient use of space and minimising the overall costs associated with maintaining records.
It is strongly recommended that Retention Schedules are followed wherever possible. In most cases Records Retention Schedules set out the minimum retention period required for legal and operational requirements. In instances where the information includes personal information the information is regulated by the Data Protection Act which states that it should not be kept longer than is necessary.
Retention schedules are available on the RMS guidance page, if the records you are interested in are not yet covered below please contact recordsmanagement@exeter.ac.uk
What can I do if I run out of space?
Firstly, you should review your records in line with a Retention Schedule to ensure that you are only keeping those records that need to be retained. There may be certain categories of information that can readily be destroyed for example: circulars from external organisations, papers for meetings/committees to which you are not the secretary, draft documents which have been circulated for comments, copies of policies for which you are not the owner, anything which was For Information / Short term reference, meeting arrangements, personal messages.
If you already have hard copy records stored in the Modern Records Centre you can request a list of those and if you are able to dispose of any of the records held you will be able to replace them. Unfortunately there is limited capacity and the MRC is currently unable to take records from new depositors. Please contact S.M.Cross@exeter.ac.uk for information on the MRC.
If you are looking at off-site storage the Records Manager will be able to help advise on what you should consider. Several companies offer off-site storage for paper records, this tends to only be suitable for departments wanting to store large amounts of information that will rarely be referred to. Rose Removals and Crown Records Management both provide local offsite storage.
Where can I get more advice?
A range of guidance is available on the RMS guidance page, alternatively you can contact Caroline Dominey, recordsmanagement@exeter.ac.uk.
