Upcoming Training | Email Management
Filing Best Practices | Introduction to Records Management | File Plan Development
Scanning 101 | Disposing of Old Records

RecordsU – The Best Way to Learn about Records Management at DePaul

The Department of Records Management is pleased to offer RecordsU – a four course series that will introduce you to all the concepts you need to know to efficiently manage your department’s records and effectively comply with DePaul’s Records Management Policy.

After completing the four course series you will become an Official DePaul Records Coordinator. This designation will travel with you if you move to another department and is a great way to show managers and colleagues that you are the go-to person when it comes to organization and policy implementation. Not to mention that by becoming an Official DePaul Records Coordinator you will receive invitations to the annual Records Coordinator Appreciation Breakfast, be the first to know about Fun File Days, and be able to network with other colleagues who also tackle their departments’ records and information.

How do I become an Official DePaul Records Coordinator?

You must complete at least four courses across four records management topics: Introduction, Organization, Electronic Records, and Records Disposal.

Records Management Topic 1 – Introduction

Course – Introduction to Records Management

Workshop Description:

In addition to helping you do your job, files can be considered University records that need to be retained for legal, financial, administrative, and historical reasons. Through real-world examples and hands-on exercises this session explains university policies regarding what you need to keep and how long you need to keep it, how to use the University Records Retention Schedule, and how to implement records management procedures in the office.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• Know how to differentiate between official and unofficial records
• Understand how to use the Records Retention Schedule to determine how long to keep files
• Feel empowered to purge old documents

This course is required for anyone wishing to fully complete the RecordsU series. You may take it in person or online. For in-person sessions please check the Upcoming Training page.

Records Management Topic 2 – Organization

You may choose one of the following two courses, or, if you wish, you may take both. Only one is required.

Course A – Filing Best Practices

Workshop Description:

This workshop will guide participants through understanding the lifecycle of a record, the different ways to organize records, suggestions for labeling files, and how to separate active files from the ones that are no longer being used but must keep per the Records Retention Schedule. Topics include types of filing schemes, active versus inactive records, filing system controls and physical storage options.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• Know the different stages of the records lifecycle and how each plays a part in records management
• Understand different ways to organize and label files to assist with retrieval and disposal
• Have exposure to different file storage options
• Be able to separate and track files

Course B – File Plan Development

Workshop Description:

A file plan lists the records in your office, and describes how they are organized and maintained.A good file plan is one of the essential components of a recordkeeping system, and key to successful records management. It can help you:

• document your activities effectively
• identify records consistently
• retrieve records quickly
• disposition records no longer needed
• efficiently follow University policy

This workshop will walk attendees through the steps of identifying their records and what information should be included as part of the file plan. Attendees will leave with ideas about how to document and organize their paper records as well as their electronic documents.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• Know why having a file plan is a benefit to their department
• Understand the components that make up a file plan
• Be able to identify the records in their departments
• Have started the process of creating their own file plan

To view upcoming sessions for these courses, check the Upcoming Training page. Or click here to take Filing Best Practices online. Online options for File Plan Development will offered in the near future.

Records Management Topic 3 – Electronic Records

You may choose one of the following three courses, or, if you wish, you may take all three. Only one is required.

Course A – Scanning 101

Workshop Description:

For offices considering scanning documents as a part of everyday operations, many things should be contemplated before undertaking such a project. This workshop will cover topics such as but not limited to: document preparation, scanner and software selection, office personnel considerations, project management hints, retention and disposition, document schema and budgetary tips.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will:

• Analyze and consider all aspects of commencing a scanning project and determine the appropriate application of technology for individual situations.
• Administer appropriate document retention and disposition principles to electronic documents within the project.
• Understand the impacts of staples, post-it notes, simplex vs. duplex documents and document quality on scanners.
• Gain exposure to various types of scanners and software solutions based on appropriate application to the project.
• Consider and properly schedule human resources for preparation and executing the scanning project.
• Understand popular document naming conventions and schemas and their impact on scanning projects.
• Apply basic project management principles to elements such as timelines, budgets and political considerations.

Course B – Email Management

Workshop Description:

Just like paper files, electronic files such as email can become unwieldy and cumbersome without a system in place to file, store and locate them. And just like paper files, emails can be considered University records that need to be retained for legal, financial, administrative, and historical reasons. This workshop will help attendees get a handle on their email by going over best practices to help them decide what emails they should keep and what they should delete as well as illustrating some tools provided in Microsoft Outlook 2007 that will help them tackle their Inbox and make emails easier to find.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• Be able to differentiate among the different types of email
• Understand the importance of organizing and deleting email
• Gain exposure to the different tools provided in Microsoft Outlook that can be used to organize and manage email

Course C – Tackling Your Shared Drive

Workshop coming soon!

To view upcoming sessions for these courses, check the Upcoming Training page. Online options will be offered in the near future.

Records Management Topic 4 – Records Disposal

You may choose one of the following two courses, or, if you wish, you may take both. Only one is required.

Course A – I’m Done With It. Now What? Disposing of Old Records

Workshop Description:

The University Records Retention Schedule has several outcomes for official records. Some of them must be permanently retained, some must be shredded, some can just be disposed of, and still others need to be sent to the University Archives. But what do all of those things mean? And what are the best practices associated with each of them? This workshop will explain in detail how and why to use off-site storage, third-party shredding services, and the University Archives in order to make getting rid of those old records as efficient as possible.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• Understand the benefits to using third-party storage and shredding
• Know how to set up an account to facilitate shredding and storage
• Gain exposure to the mission and services of the University Archives
• Be able to efficiently and correctly retain or shred old records

To view upcoming sessions for this courses, check the Upcoming Training page. Online options will be offered in the near future.

Course B – Archiving 101

Workshop Description:

This course acts as an introduction to DePaul’s University Archives, highlighting the historical resources in its collections, as well as services for the DePaul community.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Understand the role of University Archives in DePaul’s Record Management Program
• Understand the range of materials held in University Archives
• Utilize online tools and reference and research services offered by University Archives
• Use existing tools to determine whether records created in their departments/offices should be transferred to University Archives
• Understand their own roles in documenting the activities of their departments, and preserving historically significant records.

Note: This workshop is offered by the University Archives. Please contact Andrea Bainbridge at abainbri@depaul.edu for registration information.

What if I just want to take one or two courses?

Not interested in pursuing the Official Records Coordinator designation? That’s fine! You can always take just the courses that you find interesting. The Department of Records Management will be tracking all workshop attendees and if you just so happen to complete the required workshops then hooray!