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Also known as records management, registry management is responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including the processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records.
As we are all becoming increasingly aware of, the proper keeping of logs and registries has gained a lot of weight in organizations worldwide, for internal assessing purposes and external auditing ones as well. But, of course, together with the storing and preserving of logs and registries, registry management is also crucial for ensuring both data security and good archive housekeeping.
What Is Registry Management – Definition and Purpose
According to the International Organization for Standardization,
Registry management is an organizational function devoted to the management of information in an organization throughout its life cycle, from the time of creation or receipt to its eventual disposition. This includes identifying, classifying, storing, securing, retrieving, tracking and destroying or permanently preserving records.
In this case, a record is any piece of content that documents a business transaction – contracts, memos, paper files, electronic files, reports, emails, videos, instant message logs, or database records. While paper records may be stored in physical boxes, digital records can be stored on storage media in-house or in the cloud.
The purpose of registry management is to help organizations keep the necessary documentation accessible for both business operations and compliance audits. While spreadsheets are still used to track where records are stored, larger organizations may find registry management software suites to be more useful. Such software suites are capable of helping an organization to manage both records and ordinary content.
Registry Management Lifecycle
The first phase of a registry’s lifecycle is creation. It involves the receipt of a record and classification of it as a record in an organization’s records management system. It is mandatory to make sure that records are created correctly, with the right information and the proper format.
As people use and modify registries, you must maintain and protect them from a number of things, including unauthorized access and potential damage. If you need to access records on a regular basis, you must have easy access to them. Each organization has different policies when it comes to how long they must keep a registry. Active registries mean they are in current use and generally within close physical proximity to the people using them. Inactive registries are the ones that are no longer used for current business, but that you still must maintain and protect them until they reach the end of their retention period.
When a registry’s lifecycle comes to an end, the registry management team must decide whether to destroy or preserve it. In registry management, systems decide what happens to each registry and when. The period that you must maintain a registry varies based on several factors, including company policy and government rules and regulations. Some registries are needed to be kept forever and, as a result, an archival process needs to be put in place at some point.
All things considered, it’s important to maintain security and privacy throughout the registry management lifecycle.
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Advantages of Using Registry Management
Registry management provides a framework to gain control over piles of paperwork and locate documents and ensures that needed information is easily accessible and readily available.
According to a Global Trade Association for Information Management Companies (PRISM) study,
An organization’s active files grow at an annual rate of approximately 25 percent, and paperwork is a huge overhead expense. At any given time, between three and five percent of an organization’s files are lost or misplaced. And well, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
#1. It Controls the Creation and Growth of Records
Although we mostly rely on electronic files, the amount of paper used in offices has not significantly reduced. With a registry management system, organizations can control the generation of records and only retain the ones that are active or actually needed.
#2. Using Registry Management Ensures Regulatory Compliance
Registry management can also be very helpful if a company ends up in court. It can show compliance with standards and statutory requirements, provide proof of transactions, and offer protection against illegal access.
#3. Using Registry Management Preserves Business Continuity
In the unfortunate event of an emergency, registry management can preserve continuity. It’s extremely important to identify potential scenarios and to set up a disaster plan. Backing up computer hard drives to a portable drive won’t be enough in case of a flood or fire.
#4. It Facilitates Retrieval and Disposal of Records
The consequences of spending too much time searching for misfiled records can be quite severe; you may not only lose in terms of billable hours but also lose valuable customers. This is why it is important to invest in a well-designed filing system that can facilitate retrieving records and disposing of records past their end-of-life date.
#5. It Assimilates New Registry Management Technologies
If an organization has a physical registry management system in place, investing in registry management software can be helpful, as the new technology will only make the system stronger.
#6. Using Registry Management Reduces Litigation Risks
Registry management can reduce the risk associated with litigation and potential fees. A proper and thoughtfully applied registry management system can minimize document disposal charges.
#7. Enabling Registry Management Protects Important Information
Every organization, big or small, needs a systematic program for protecting its records from damage or theft. Registry management can preserve the integrity and confidentiality of important records, blocking unauthorized users from altering sensitive and important documents.
#8. It Cuts Costs and Saves Time & Efforts
Dealing with records means spending a lot of time and money in terms of storage space, searching, filing, and staffing to maintain an organized system. Registry management can help you save substantial expenses by reducing operating costs and improving employees’ efficiency.
#9. Using Registry Management Preserves Company Knowledge
A company’s records are an integral part of its future planning and decision-making. Since every file is a potential background data for future management decisions and planning. Registry management (along with data encryption software for back-ups) helps document the activities of the company, which managers can use in the future.
#10. Proper Registry Management Keeps Employees Motivated
Poorly managed documents, an unorganized filing system, and damage to important files create a poor working environment. This often results in a low motivation level for employees, which makes it one of the most important reasons to implement a good registry management system.
Wrapping It Up…
Proper registry organization can help provide reliable service to clients and partners alike, while concomitantly increasing staff efficiency and productivity. In addition, registry management is a great way to tell an organization’s history, a job that often falls under the responsibility of an archivist, rather than under that of a registry manager.
In short, establishing a registry management strategy should be a top priority for any organization that values efficiency, security, and compliance with statutory requirements.
And remember: the best registry management solution is the one you don’t have to think about.
Cezarina is the Head of Marketing Communications and PR within Heimdal® and a cybersecurity enthusiast who loves bringing her background in content marketing, UX, and data analysis together into one job. She has a fondness for all things SEO and is always open to receiving suggestions, comments, or questions.
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