OST184 Records Management Chapter 9 Geographic Records Management

Geographic Records Management

A method of storing and retrieving records in alphabetic order by location of an individual, an organization, or a project.

 In this age of e-commerce and dot.com

companies, communication and commerce can involve a word-wide audience.

 Government agencies, businesses, and organizations interact with markets in countries throughout the world.

Geographic Records Management

Geographic Records Management Advantages

  Provides reference to information specific to certain geographic areas for making decisions about those locations.

An analysis of records can be used constructively to note: a) b) c) d) Areas with most complaints.

Aggressive selling effort or the lack of.

Areas that need special attention to personnel, production, shipping costs, etc.

Territories need to be combined, separated, or subdivided.

Geographic Records Management Disadvantages

 Complexity of the guide and folder arrangements that may be required in some large systems.

 The need for an alphabetic index of all correspondents’ names and addresses.

Geographic Records Management

Two Basic Arrangements Dictionary Arrangement

records in alphabetic order from A – Z. Used when filing single geographic units such as streets, all cities, all states, or all countries.

– arrangement of a) b) Lettered Guide Plan Location Name Guide Plan

Encyclopedic Arrangement

– arrangement of major geographic divisions plus one or more geographic subdivisions also arranged in alphabetic order.

a) b) Lettered Guide Plan Location Name Guide Plan

Dictionary Storage Arrangement Lettered

Guide Plan

Primary guides labeled with alphabetic letters

Dictionary Storage Arrangement

Location

Name Guide Plan

Primary guides labeled with location names.

Encyclopedic Storage Arrangement

Lettered

Guide Plan Guides

 Primary guides state names  Secondary guides divide each state into sections  Special guides high volume of records

NOTE: See next slide for folder information

Encyclopedic Storage Arrangement

Lettered

Guide Plan Folders

Three types of folders: General alphabetic state Example: NY A 1 Special city folders Example: NY ALBANY A-M Individual folders Example: NY AKRON VOSS INSURANCE Arranged alphabetically by city and then by correspondents’ names.

Encyclopedic Storage Arrangement

Location

Name Guide Plan Guides

 Primary guides state name  Secondary guide city name  Special lettered guides A-M and N-Z

Encyclopedic Storage Arrangement

Location

Name Guide Plan Folders

General Folders   General STATE folder - located at the end of the “state” section (Example: NEW YORK) General CITY folder – located at the end of the “city” section (Example: NY BINGHAMTON) Individual Folders Created when a specific number of correspondence has accumulated.

(Example: NY BINGHAMTON FRONTIER CORP

Geographic Records Storage Indexes: Alphabetic and Master

Alphabetic Index

Lists all correspondents in geographic storage. All correspondents are listed in the index, including correspondents whose records are stored in general city and state folders.

Geographic Records Storage Indexes: Alphabetic and Master

Master Index

States were sorted first, then the city names, and finally the correspondents’ names.

A printed copy of the index is kept in the front of the file drawer or another readily available location.

Geographic Records Management Coding

  Code the document for geographic storage by marking the correspondent’s location (address) first.

After coding the documents, consult the alphabetic index to see if the correspondent is currently in the system. If not, add the new correspondent’s name and address to the index.

Code by circling the filing segments .

Geographic Records Management Cross-referencing

Cross referencing may be needed for: – Names of organizations having more than one address – Organizations located at one address and doing business under other names at other locations. Insert cross-references in both the alphabetic index and the storage file.

Geographic Records Management Cross-referencing

In the file, three types of cross references can be used: 1.

Cross-reference sheets that are stored in folders to refer the filer to specific records 2.

Cross-reference guides that are placed in storage as permanent cross-references 3.

SEE ALSO cross-reference notations sheets or on folder tabs.

on

#1 Cross Reference Sheet

A sheet placed in an alternate location in the file that directs the filer to a specific record stored in a different location other than where the filer is searching.

Filed in CA

#2 Cross Reference Guide

A special guide that serves as a permanent marker in storage indicating that all records pertaining to a correspondent are stored elsewhere.

The cross reference guide is stored according to the location on the top line of its caption in alphabetic order with other geographically labeled guides and folders.

All records for Lockwood, Inc ., are stored under the home office location in Ann Arbor , MI – not the branch office location in St. Clair Shores, MI. The words Ann Arbor must be written on each record when it is coded.

#3 SEE ALSO cross-reference

    A notation on a folder tab or cross-reference sheet that directs the filer to multiple locations for related information.

If a company has two addresses and records are stored under both addresses, two SEE ALSO cross-reference sheets would be used.

Kept as first items in their respective folders so that they will not be overlooked.

Instead of being written on separate cross-reference sheets, this SEE ALSO information may be keyed on the tabs of the two folders.