Managing Records and Document Control in Organizations

Introduction and Purpose

This report aims to establish a process for managing records within the organization and for marketing its products and services. It was requested by Administration and Business Support Management in response to numerous complaints raised by staff regarding the difficulties they face when trying to access information from the current information system. Staff have explained that it is difficult to find information that is correct and up-to-date. There are also numerous brochures in circulation, and staff are uncertain which versions are current. This leads to incorrect information being shared with potential students and clients.

The sales teams have been using old document versions without being aware of the problem, since no version control is being applied as stipulated by organizational policy. This makes it difficult for employees to know when documents are updated and which version should be in use. It has been noted that many brochures stored on the system are outdated, which means the organization may be sharing information that is no longer current — a situation that is misleading to clients and students alike. There is a need to implement a more robust system for managing records in line with the policies set out by the organization. This will ensure that documents are always current and that employees can check version numbers to confirm they are using the correct document at any given time.

The following observations have been made regarding the current policies as specified in Appendix A:

Review of Current Policies and Procedures

The current issue facing marketing materials is that employees access documents from two separate locations, both of which appear to contain different versions of the same documents — a mix of updated and outdated files. This is frustrating and confusing for employees who are unsure which location holds the most current versions. Based on organizational policy regarding document identification, it is clear that version control is not being observed, and this has created the core problem facing the marketing team.

The organization has multiple brochure versions stored in the system, and most of them are outdated. This makes the situation worse because the marketing team is working with brochures that do not contain correct or current information. The use of outdated documents is causing operational problems: incorrect information is being released, and the pricing shown in brochures differs from what is currently being charged. This discrepancy is creating friction between students and administrators who are operating from different information. These issues are serious and could significantly affect the institution if not corrected promptly.

There is currently no appointed person responsible for ensuring that records and documents are properly updated and version-controlled. This has resulted in multiple copies of the same document type existing simultaneously, which is confusing — particularly for employees who do not know which version they should be using. According to the organization's records management policies, a designated individual should be charged with responsibility for recordkeeping.

The documents listed in Appendix D do not contain correct information, and version numbers have not been indicated as required by the organization's document management policy. The documents have also not been properly formatted. Notably, the total fees payable by a student appear in the middle of the document rather than at the end, which is confusing for the recipient.

Issues to Be Addressed

The organization must also ensure it observes privacy legislation requirements when dealing with and handling clients' and employees' personal records. Privacy principles require that all sensitive information be accessible only to authorized employees. Confidentiality must be maintained for all information recorded on the information system.

The organization would need the following types of information systems to resolve the issues it is currently facing:

The organization is growing and increasing its number of employees. This means that the current document management problems will become significantly worse if they are not addressed immediately. A larger workforce means more employees operating with outdated or incorrect information, which will ultimately erode trust in the institution among clients and students. To ensure that records are managed correctly and documents kept current, the organization should adopt a management approach that enforces the policies already specified. Failing to observe and enforce these policies will only aggravate the current situation.

The recommended improvements are as follows: