Managing Records: Using Records
Introduction
Purchase of records management software that will assist with organizing and tracking records could be a worthwhile investment for a local government. Records management software may be developed and marketed by private companies, or may be developed by a local government utilizing a commercially available database management software package and then distributed to other local governments either for free or for a small fee.
Governments interested in purchasing records management software often do not have a clear idea of the capabilities of such software, nor do they know where to begin their search. To assist you in identifying records management software that will meet your needs, the State Archives has developed guidelines that provide a listing of useful records management software characteristics and capacities, and listings of governments that use a variety of records management software products. The State Archives cannot review, evaluate, endorse nor recommend particular software products.
Specific software requirements will vary by size and type of government. Before purchasing a particular product, you should
- review the guidelines and identify your records management software needs,
- review several software packages to determine which meet your requirements and match the capabilities of your staff. (Software vendors can provide informational materials about their products as well as conduct on-site demonstrations. Many vendors also showcase their products at meetings such as the Town Clerks Association, the Association of Towns, and the County Clerks Association.) and,
- after narrowing your choices, contact other users of the products to obtain an objective review of how the software performs in a real-world situation. Do not limit your contacts only to those references provided by the vendors. No vendor would seek a reference from someone dissatisfied with the product.
Resources
Records Management Software Guidelines
Assists governments in selecting appropriate records management software by examining the functional requirements and performance and operating criteria of records management software.
Developing Your Own Records Management Software
Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of developing your own records management software and provides a sample records management database using Microsoft Access.
Records Management Software User Listings
The user listings below are limited by our awareness of which governments are using which products. Currently the listings include a variety of local governments including towns, villages and school districts. If you are using records management software and would be willing to talk to other local government officials about your experience, please contact the Archives at nmorelan@mail.nysed.gov so you can be added to the appropriate list.
Listings Organized by Vendor/Software
Records Management Software Vendor List
Aids state agencies, local governments, and other entities searching for records management software vendor services. The list includes vendors who have done records management software vendor work for local governments in New York State under a Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) grant or have requested to be added to this list. The Archives assumes no responsibility for the professionalism of any of the vendors listed, nor does it endorse, recommend, or require use of any particular vendor on the list.
