Paper records more actively managed
- 1 October 2009
A study has found that paper records are more likely to be actively managed than electronic counterparts.
According to a survey carried out by the AIMM, an industry body focusing on electronic content management, some 26% of organisations admitted that no records management disciplines are applied to the majority of their electronic records.
The survey found that for most organisations the volume of paper records is increasing rather than decreasing. But the same report found the 70% of respondents also reporting that the volume of electronic records is increasing rapidly.
The AIIM research report ‘Electronic Records Management – still playing catch-up with paper’ found that the volume of paper records is still increasing in over half of organisations surveyed, and only 21% is it showing signs of going down.
Electronic records are twice as likely to be unmanaged compared to paper records, according to researchers AIIM, with 26% of organisations admitting that no records management disciplines are applied to the majority of their electronic records.
In addition, IT staff rather than records management staff are expected to carry out records management processes on electronic documents and emails.
Over half of the respondents now scan newly received paper items and file them electronically. On the other hand, as well as directly filing incoming paper documents, 40% admit that they print newly generated electronic documents and emails for the purpose of filing them as paper records.
John Mancini, President of AIIM, comments, “I’m concerned that management of electronic records is still not being taken as seriously as that of paper records. We found that over a third of organisations, if challenged, would not be confident that their electronic records had not been changed, deleted or inappropriately accessed.
AIMM, which has been in operation 60 years, is funded by industry firms including Autonomy, EMC Corporation, FCS, HP, Mimosa Systems and StoredIQ.
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