Every organization creates records in the normal course of doing business. A record is any documented information that is required by law or is used to conduct business, regardless of who created or received it.
Records can be in any medium, including books, papers, maps, computer files, and photographs.
Some organizations have policies and procedures regarding the creation and use of records. It is important for all employees to understand how, where, and how long different types of records should be stored. Think about what happens in your department when the volume of accumulated records exceeds the storage capacity. However, whether the decision is to retain an excessive amount of records, destroy them, or merely store them in a convenient or available place, there are often negative effects when such a quick decision is made. The price you pay for not having well-documented storage procedures in place could be much higher than the cost of additional filing cabinets.