Standards and Best Practices of a Records Management System

by Bryan Finlayson

Complying with standards is a must when establishing a records management program. This rule is especially true for municipalities and school districts.

Public institutions must adhere to state and federal guidelines for records retention and disposition, which form the standard practices to manage records by. Without standards, there is no benchmark against which to measure performance. Records get lost, and the public suffers as a result.

ARTEMIS is NJ's  online system for records retention.



In New Jersey, records management is governed by Records Management Services (RMS), a division within the Treasury Department. The goal of RMS is to create benchmarks, lend credibility to the management of public documents, provide training and support, promote cost savings, and simplify the procedures for records management. The state uses an online system, ARTEMIS, to administer records retention and disposition within municipal, county, and state agencies.

Following the guidelines of RMS is not always easy. Retention schedules are complex legal documents and there are many small details affecting document retention that can be lost on the untrained eye.

One problematic area is student records. While student records are “active”, i.e. the student is still in school, the records fall under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Department of Education (see Administrative Code 32 for more information). However, once that student graduates, jurisdiction for their records is transferred to RMS. What’s more, the student’s files must be separated after graduation into separate folders, one for “mandated” documents and the other for “permitted” documents.

Details such as these are not readily apparent on the RMS retention schedule for student records and require some digging to discover. That’s why a program to ensure that state standards are followed with accuracy is so important to the integrity of public organizations.

There are several key ingredients to an effective program. First, the program should emphasize accountability by appointing a senior executive to oversee the program and ensure continued monitoring for compliance and improvement. Second, the records management processes should be transparent to help everyone involved adhere to and understand the fundamentals of good records management. Third, the program should ensure that documents are protected, readily available, and in compliance with retention and disposition policies.

FileBank helps your organization establish a records management program that adheres to the best industry policies and practices. We begin with a preliminary evaluation of your recordkeeping program to establish your needs. As a full-service document management firm, FileBank provides solutions for all spectrums of records management program, from simple box storage in our secure archive center to a web-based platform for managing your documents via the cloud.

Not only is FileBank useful in establishing organization-wide best practices, but we make our services affordable and accessible. That’s why FileBank is the choice of municipalities and school districts for their records management needs.

Contact a representative today to learn more about FileBank’s impressive suite of records management solutions. And remember, “At FileBank, what’s inside is safe!”