Setting up an in-house Archive
Carrying Out a Records Survey and Information Audit
Telephone exchange operator, 1980. Image courtesy of BT Heritage.
When starting from scratch the first step is to undertake a records survey. This is literally taking stock of what archives exist, so you get a feel for the quantity and quality of your archive collection. This should include an information audit of your electronic records and records systems as they are likely to form part of your business archive collection. You can outsource the survey work to an archive or records management consultant or can undertake this work in-house:
How to survey – physical records
Make a rough list of what record types you have, the quantity, and if possible approximate date range. Archives are not just paper records. They can be photographs, films, microfilms, printed material, maps and plans. Use common sense on how much detail you go into at this stage, bearing in mind that the cataloguing process will give more detailed information of records content. The size and age of your company may well determine how much material has survived. The survey list could be broken down by location (at site level - office storeroom, warehouse, basement etc), or it may be more appropriate to look at all departments or functions in the company and list the archives held by each one. Click here to see examples of location and survey lists prepared by the Business Archives Council of Scotland’s Surveying Officer.
How to survey – electronic records
An information audit uses the same techniques as the audit of physical records and can be done simultaneously although you will need the guidance and support of users to understand the records systems (e.g. file structure, database content) and need to build in more time to survey. A typical inventory will list the following elements for each record collection:
- the business function that the records represent
- the groups who create, use and manage the records
- retention, scheduling and disposal decisions
- classification/filing, access modes and protective markings
- physical software, hardware and media characteristics