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Recording GovernmentGuidelines for Records ManagementOn This Page
The following guidelines have been created by State Records of South Australia to assist government agencies in meeting their responsibilities for Adequate Records Management within the State Records Act, 1997. Due to a document processing issue during September/November 2011 some guidelines appeared with version number errors. This has now been rectified. Please note that except for any changes announced via What's New during this period no significant changes to the guidelines have been made. Related Information:
Introduction to the State Records Act 1997This guideline is aimed at South Australian Government employees. It provides an overview of the State Records Act, 1997 and its implications for agencies. The State Records Act took effect from 31 October 1997 and amends the Libraries Act, 1982, the Freedom of Information Act, 1991 and the Local Government Act, 1999. Guideline to provide State and Local Government in South Australia with an overview of the State Records Act and its implications for agencies.
Recordkeeping requirements and S. A. legislationThis guideline provides an overview of selected South Australian legislation and highlights recordkeeping implications. The guideline provides a starting point for agencies wishing to examine legislation that is relevant to the functions and activities of their agency. Guideline providing an overview of a selection of South Australian legislation and in particular highlights any recordkeeping implications.
Adequate records management - Implementation planThis guideline provides a generic plan for agencies implementing an adequate records management program. Agency records management practices need to progressively achieve the identified outcomes. Guideline to provide State and Local Government in South Australia with a generic plan for implementing an adequate records management program.
Adequate records management - Improvement matrixAgency assessment of their records management systems, tools, practices and resources is an important aspect of achieving 'adequate' records management. State Records has developed the Records Management Assessment Survey to assist agencies in assessing the status of their strategic and operational records management programs. For more information about the survey, that both State and Local government agencies are required to complete, please select the Online Assessment of Records Management Practices link below. State Records is in the process of amending the Records Management Audit Guideline and the Adequate Records Management - Improvement Matrix and Evidence Toolkit Guideline. In the interim, agencies can refer to the Assessment and Audit Record Management Practices information sheet, available from the link below, for details about the assessment and auditing process and for assistance when completing the survey. Revised documents will be available in 2010. Related Information:
Records management resourcing benchmarksState Records has developed the Records Management Resourcing Benchmarks and Classification Equity Guideline to assist agencies to determine the following:
Guideline providing agencies and authorities with guidance in the appointment of suitably skilled, and numbers of, resources to mitigate common recordkeeping risks across South Australian Government.
EDRMS procurement and pre-implementation guidelineState Records has produced this guideline to assist all agencies and authorities to adequately prepare for the implementation of a new Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). State Records has identified a number of tasks agencies and authorities will need to undertake in order to select the most appropriate EDRMS to meet their specific business requirements and to successfully implement their solution in the workplace. The completion of these tasks is expected to identify and, in some instances, address fundamental project management risks that otherwise could jeopardise the viability, stability and/or quality of an agency's EDRMS implementation. The complexity and size of these documents will be dependant on the scope and level of risk associated with an agency's EDRMS project. The guideline also includes the following elements:
State Records has appointed an EDRMS Project Coordinator to liaise with agency representatives and to provide advice on the EDRMS procurement process. This Guideline describes a process that agencies can use to ensure that purchase and implementation of an EDRMS complies with South Australian Government Standards. Related Information:
Management of email as official recordsThe purpose of this guideline is to provide policy, guidelines, and technical considerations for the management of e-mail as official records. This document applies to all State and Local Government agencies within South Australia, as defined by the State Records Act, 1997. Guideline for State and Local government agencies to assist with the management of emails as official records.
Temporary value records with an ASPThis guideline has been developed by State Records to support the Management and Storage of Temporary Value Records with an Approved Service Provider (ASP) Standard and provides practical information regarding the management and storage of temporary value records with an ASP. Details of this guideline and the standard can be found at the link below. Related Information:
Managing records during administrative changeElections or decisions of the South Australian Government can result in 'administrative changes' to South Australian agencies. An 'administrative change' refers to a change in the responsibilities for the administration of government functions. These changes can occur as a result of:
This guideline focuses on the management of official records during the above examples of administrative change. Guideline to assist South Australian government agencies to manage their records during administrative change.
Public access determinations guidelineThis guideline is for agencies making public access determinations for official records about to be transferred to State Records, or already in our custody. The guideline was amended in May 2007 and advises when records should be open, when they should be closed and what period of restriction should be applied. Section 26 of the State Records Act, 1997 empowers an agency to make access determinations in consultation with State Records. Those determinations may do one of three things:
For State Records to administer public access under section 26 of the Act, agencies need to make public access determinations, irrespective of an individual's right of access to the records under the Freedom of Information Act, 1991. Where agencies do not advise State Records of a restriction or make a public access determination for official records, public access to such records will be open. Determinations that agencies may have made prior to May 2007, in accordance with the previous version of this guideline, only need to be reviewed if the agency considers that it would be prudent to do so. Guideline to assist agencies in the development of public access determinations for official records in the custody of State Records or about to be transferred. Related Information:
Appraisal of official recordsThis guideline outlines the policy of State Records for the appraisal of official records and the fundamental objectives used to identify records of ongoing value. Appraisal is the process of evaluating the business activities of an agency to determine which records need to be created and captured and how long the records need to be kept, to meet business needs, the requirements of organisational accountability and community expectations. This includes determining which records should be kept as part of our community's collective memory and cultural heritage. The basis of the functional appraisal approach is the exploration of the functions and activities of an organisation. Based on the functional analysis, the appraiser recommends retention periods for official records generated as evidence of the agency's functions and activities. The outcome of appraisal is that an agency and State Records are both able to identify records that fall into one of four categories:
Once appraisal is completed disposal schedules can be developed. Guideline to outline the appraisal policy for official records in South Australia and the fundamental appraisal objectives used to identify records of ongoing value to the State. Related Information:
Native Title and the separation of familiesThis guideline considers the disposal of records in relation to Native Title and separation of families issues. Records which shed light on these two issues should not be disposed of, even if they are contained within a series or records that otherwise have only temporary value. Native Title and the separation of families must be considered in relation to the disposal of any official record. Guideline outlining the impact of Native Title and Separation of Families on the disposal of official records.
Identifying records relevant to Native TitleThis guideline is to be used as a guide for identifying records that may be relevant to Native Title claims. It is by no means an exhaustive list but is illustrative of classes and types of records that may be relevant. Actual relevance is a matter to be determined by officers of the Crown Solicitor's Office. Guideline to assist agencies and authorities to identify records that may be relevant to native title claims. Related Information:
Re-sentencing of records guidelinesThis guideline provides agency staff with advice and a step-by-step guide and checklist, which list the actions to be taken when re-sentencing records. Guideline to provide agency staff with advice and a step-by-step guide and checklist of the action to be taken when resentencing records.
Contracting and official records guidelineThis guideline has been developed to support the Contracting and Official Records Standard. The guideline outlines nine principles and associated obligations agencies, bound by the State Records Act, 1997, must consider to ensure that the records of agencies are adequately managed throughout the contracting process. The guideline is aimed at procurement staff, contract managers, records managers, Freedom of Information administrators, legal practitioners, senior management and other stakeholders involved in the contracting process. Outlines nine principles and associated obligations agencies must consider to ensure that the records of agencies are adequately managed throughout the contracting process. Related Information:
Digitisation of official recordsMany agencies in South Australia are currently digitising official records by using scanning or imaging technologies. Typically the records created and captured by imaging are managed within an Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) or a line of business system. This guideline deals with the digitisation of paper source documents and the subsequent management and disposal of these and their digitised counterparts. It does not currently relate to other forms of conversion or migration of official records 'born' electronically. It aims to minimise the risks to government, state and local, in terms of records of either temporary or permanent value being lost or destroyed without limiting the application of digitisation technologies for efficient office administration or other purposes. The guideline and the complementary General Disposal Schedule No 21 (GDS 21) do not authorise the destruction of any source documents that have been deemed to be of permanent value in accordance with an approved and current disposal schedule. Guideline dealing with the digitisation of paper source records and the subsequent management and disposal of these and their digitised counterparts. Related Information:
Developing a thesaurusA thesaurus is an alphabetical listing of terms derived from a classification scheme and arranged in a hierarchical manner that shows relationships between the terms. It prescribes what terms can and cannot be used when classifying records. A thesaurus helps to ensure that an Agency uses a uniform set of terms to classify records. This cuts down confusion when searching for records and saves time and money. This guideline has been developed to assist agencies in complying with Outcome 5 of the Adequate Records Management Meeting the Standard - 'Records can be found'. This guideline has been developed by State Records to provide agency staff with an outline of the steps and issues inherent in developing a functional thesaurus. Guideline to provide State and Local government agency staff with an outline of the steps and issues inherent in developing a functional thesaurus. Related Information:
Records management audit policy and toolkitThe Records Management Adequacy Audit is a management control designed to examine and evaluate the degree to which outcomes detailed in Adequate Records Management: Meeting the Standard 2002 (Adequacy Standard) are being met across South Australian Government agencies and authorities. The purpose of the auditing program is to establish records management audit standards in government in South Australia and to provide a guide for its conduct across agencies and authorities. Specifically, it will determine the degree to which agencies and authorities comply with the ten outcomes comprising Adequate Records Management. State Records has developed this guideline for the audit program. It is comprised of four parts:
Guideline to determine the degree to which agencies and authorities comply with the ten outcomes comprising Adequate Records Management. Related Information:
Records management disaster planningState Records has issued this Guideline in accordance with section 7(g) of the State Records Act, 1997. Disaster planning is an important component of an adequate records management program. Planning for disasters is a benchmark for Outcome 7 in Adequate Records Management: Meeting the Standard (2002) and is also identified as part of a high quality recordkeeping system in the national Australian Standard AS ISO 15489 - 2002: Records Management. The purpose of the Guideline is to assist South Australian Government agencies in developing and maintaining a Disaster Plan for records and recordkeeping systems. Agencies are encouraged to use this guideline in conjunction with the Records Management Disaster Planning Toolkit. Guide to assist agencies in defining and planning for disasters and their impact on business records. Related Information:
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Introduction to the State Records Act, 1997 (128 KB PDF File)
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