“There never are enough resources,” says one federal records management specialist of the drive to convert to electronic records management.
Federal agencies are under the gun: they are facing an ambitious (and unfunded) mandate to make an almost complete transition to electronic records management by the end of 2022, with limited resources for the effort and after a year of working under pandemic conditions. For many, this mandate presents a challenge that seems like it’s more than they can handle. What can records management officials do when their digitization ambitions exceed available resources?
1: Put first things first
Make sure you don’t end up having to do unnecessary cleanup on the backend. This means making sure all the foundational processes and procedures are in place. Address any governance issues and ensure records schedules are current, comprehensive, and well-articulated. Failure to address foundational items will undermine future work and just cause more work down the road.
2: Choose your tools carefully
The Electronic Records Management (ERM) system you use needs to offer every piece of functionality your records management plan requires. Ideally, the ERM should also offer enough customizability and automation that it can reduce the overall administrative burden of operating these systems. For more information about choosing an ERM, read our guide on how to evaluate ERMs.
3: Leverage work that’s already been done
For example, minimize the amount of due diligence and labor that goes into picking an EMR by picking from a curated selection. GSA Schedule 36, for example, is ideal for getting qualified records help.
4: Increase capacity
Think through the constraints on your organization’s ability to meet its obligations, including time, budget, and manpower. If time is limited (with an immoveable deadline), can you increase budget or manpower? Outsourcing or getting outside expert guidance may help. If budget is tight, can you reassess team priorities?
5: Have patience
It’s possible NARA may ease their stated mandates in light of the pandemic. Earlier this year, NARA’s Chief Records Officer Laurence Brewer said, “We understand that there have to be some conversations about the 2022 targets, and I expect those conversations will happen — they’re already happening within NARA.” He intimated that the Biden Administration may opt to push back the 2022 deadline, but such a decision needed to be made in conjunction with input from federal agencies and with the Office of Management and Budget.
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