Importance of record management

1. Preservation of record:

It helps in management and control of important records. It helps to protect necessary records with care and disposes useless records.

2. Evaluating progress:

It helps in evaluating progress of organization. It helps in preservation of history of organization. The past records shows direction to organization. It helps in finding out the weakness and strength of organization. Record management gives the account of progress and direction in which organization is going on.

3. Facilitate comparison:

Record management helps to evaluate business progress and performance. It helps in comparison between one period of time and another or between same times of business

4. Helpful in decision making:

Records are the memory of business. It is useful for future decisions making process. The study of past records shows direction for future. It supplies information to organization whenever it is needed. Therefore, it helps in taking decisions.

5. Efficiency in operation:

Record management helps to provide required information with speed and accuracy. It helps to make office work efficiently and effectively. It helps to increase efficiency of the office.

6. Evidence:

Records acts as an evidence in the time of dispute. It is important for the settlement of dispute. It can be shown as proof in court.

Concept of record management:

Record management is the area of office management which deals with the maintenance of records of organization. It is very important for management for control of records. It is an art of handling and maintaining office records from the time of creation to disposal. The records are systematically maintained to preserve for future use. Record management refers to the activities designed to control the life cycle of a record.

 Stages of record management:

1. Creation of records

It is the first stage of record management. It is the most important stage. In this stage records are either created inside the organization or are received from outside the organization in form of letters or notices.

2. Storage of records

It is the second step of record management. Once records are created they must be retained or protected. This stage is also known as retention of records. It is the preservation of records for future reference. The records are recorded in such a way so that it can be easily located in the required time.

3. Use of records

It is the third stage of record management. In this step the stored records in the past are used for planning, organized, deciding, and preparation of accounts and so on.

4. Disposal of records

It is the fourth and last stage of record management. Records cannot be stored forever. Outdated records must be destroyed or disposed.