by Erica Rice [Edited 7/16/20: This post was updated to include new information about applying retention policies in Teams.] The great Dr. Patricia C. Franks once wrote, “Records and information managers who understand the way work is conducted in their organizations have a better chance of identifying and providing intellectual and/or physical control over the…
Post for state agencies coming soon. Local governments are afforded a lot of leeway when adopting TSLAC’s Local Government Schedules. It may seem daunting at first to familiarize yourself with, and meet the mandatory minimums, of 100 or even 1000 record series, but it doesn’t have to be. Customization is still king Before September 1,…
Updated: November 13, 2020 If you work for a local government and have interacted with us, there’s a good chance you’ve heard us talk about whether or not you’re “in compliance.” We can make it sound more fun and call it the paperwork polka, the due diligence dance, or the Texas 3-step! But regardless of…
by Erica Rice [Updated 7/6/2020]: On July 2, 2020, the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued guidance requiring that all Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant documentation be retained for 5 years. Visit the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website for more information about CARES funds. The analysts here at TSLAC…
These days, the word “telecommunication” or, as it’s more commonly referred, “telecommuting” is something everyone is hearing. But what is telecommuting anyway, and how does it apply to records management? Telecommunication means communication over a distance by telephone, cable, or broadcasting. For most people, this means working from home on a desktop or laptop computer.…
By law, any information that an elected official, a government employee, or a state employee handles that correlates with the definitions explained in State Agency Bulletin 4 and in Local Government Bulletin D is a record. In other words, the format that an organization uses to distribute or to collect information does not change the…
Key Terms: Skip to: Case Sampling Main Takeaway Policy Tip Take a moment to think about the business activities of your state or local government. What examples come to mind for times when there might be more than one custodian for the same record? In such a case, what policies and procedures does your government…
All these questions loom large in the pursuit of creating, growing, and maintaining a records management program. The common denominator is people. Short of those individuals who either report to you or who you work with directly, you are surrounded by potential “problem children”— those unwilling to release their records for archiving or disposal— and…