A record is a record regardless of format or medium to retain their value as records, they must meet the following characteristics:
• Authenticity (Can it be proven?)
• Reliability (Can it be trusted?)
• Integrity (Is it complete and unaltered?)
• Usability (Can it be found and interpreted?)
Evidence of a transaction, preserved for the evidential information it contains.
• Compliance with statutory, regulatory and standards requirements
• Reduction of information-related risk
• Effective management of information assets throughout their life-cycle, from creation or capture to disposition
• Accessibility to information according to pre-determined security constraints
• Efficient use of staff time
• Space savings
• Increased accountability
• Cost reduction
• Improved working environment
Which records should be kept?
• Provide evidence & information about the organisation’s policies & actions
• Provide evidence & information about the interaction with the community
• Document the rights & obligations of individuals and organisations
• Contribute to the memory of the organisation for scientific, cultural or historical purposes
• Contain evidence & information about activities of interest to internal & external stakeholders
A business record is: Evidence of business-related activities, events, and transactions with on-going business, legal, compliance, operational, or Historical value
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
The Management of records information created, received, and maintained as evidence and information by an organisation or person, in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of business records management field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition or records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records a records system information is a system which captures, manages and provides access to records through time
RECORDS KEPT BY LAW
Refer Meniko – Ebook for list of documents required by law to be kept.