Practical Guidance, Templates, and Training
As more topics and issues are addressed in the RIMS office, more resources will be added to this page. If you can't find a resource that answers your questions, please feel free to contact the RIMS team.
Quick Links
Topics Forms/Tools Training Videos Records 101 How-To Videos
Topics
What is Records Management?
Learn general information about the concepts of records and information management (RIM) as well as information specific to RIM at the University. Browse FAQs and a Records Management Glossary here as well.
Records Management Overview for New Employees
An introduction and overview of records management concepts and responsibilities for employees of all three campuses, the System office, and the Extension offices.
Scanning Records
Access guidance on when to scan records, what equipment/standards to use, and how to document the process. The Scanning Guidance/Should I Scan flowchart and Scanning vs. Storage Pricing Comparisons Guide may also be useful.
Email Management
Discover practical tips to reduce your email volume, increase responsiveness, and automate your workflow.
Working Remotely With Records
Keep these records management and security tips in mind while setting up your remote work environment.
Virtual Artifacts Guide
This plan provides a set of retention recommendations for the general digital objects/artifacts created during the normal course of business.
Materials and Data Disposal Guide
Discover all aspects of the records/material/data disposal process: obtaining State permission to dispose, physical destruction/deletion, transferring materials to the Archives. View the full guide at the above link, or select a specific section from the below list!
Records Disposal Approval Request Form
Use this form to request State disposal approval for University records. Consult the short Disposal Form How-To Video and Disposal Form User Guide to learn how to use it.
Records Storage and Moving
Discover the two primary storage options for inactive records that are not yet eligible for disposal, as well as guidance on how to store records and plan for moves across campus. View the Guide to Organizing Physical Records for Storage for information on preparing records for long-term storage.
Information Technology (IT) Data Management Plan
This Information Technology (IT) Data Management Plan provides a set of retention recommendations for IT service management objects and has been developed in consultation with a broad set of subject matter experts. This document will specifically help any IT staff who work in technology offices across the University of Illinois System.
Forms and Tools
Disposal Process Flowchart
Review the comprehensive process for records destruction or transfer to University Archives.Volume Estimation Guide
Identify standard measurements for common storage formats and estimate their volume.Documenting a Record Scanning Process
Use this template for reporting basic information about any standard scanning procedure used by your office as part of a business process. Contact us to submit a completed template or with any questions about filling them out.RIMS Inventory Template
Use this template when requesting the storage or disposal of records, to provide information about the types and quantities of your office's records. Contact us to submit a completed template or with any questions about filling them out. You can also refer to our guide to inventorying records.Guide to a Basic RADMan Plan
This guide assists with creating a basic Records and Administrative Data Management Plan.Is It a Record? Flowchart
Find out if your materials are University/State records or non-records.Storage Solutions Summary Chart
A quick reference guide for understanding document and records storage options and responsibilities.File-Naming Standards
Assists in establishing file-naming standards for your unit's electronic documents.Folder Structure
Assists in establishing folder structure standards for your unit's files.Records and Administrative Data Management Plan Template
Use this template to document general information about your department and its basic business functions as well as the types of records and systems that are created and used to support the work of the department.
Training
Below are self-paced training modules on the basics of records management. The RIMS team is happy to train your unit on various aspects of records management. If you would like us to lead a training session for your unit during a staff meeting or other agreeable time, please contact the RIMS team.
Introduction to RIMS and Records Management
RIMS designed the following video as a basic introduction to records management concepts and responsibilities for new employees. We encourage units across the University System to add this video to new employee training courses. Please contact us for more information or to discuss this process!
Introduction to Records Management at the University of Illinois
Learn about your records management responsibilities as an employee and how the RIMS office can assist you.
Training Modules: Records Management 101
Welcome to Records Management 101 for University of Illinois employees! The Records and Information Management Services (RIMS) office has created four modules to help introduce you to the basic concepts of records management and your responsibilities as a University of Illinois employee.
Closed captioning is available or you can download a full transcript of any of the modules below. If you have any questions or need assistance, you can contact the Records and Information Management Services office.
Module 1: What is a record?
Module One focuses on defining what qualifies as a record for University employees and some other basic concepts like the lifecycle of a record and some common examples of records.
Module 2: Retention
Module Two introduces record retention periods and unit-specific records plans. If you have not already watched Module One of this course, you might want to go back to it for some of the basic concepts of records management.
Module 3: Records Filing Systems & Storage
Module Three focuses on how to build filing systems, common naming conventions, and storage options available to University of Illinois units and departments.
Module 4: Disposal or Transfer of Records
Module Four covers how to transfer records to the University Archives and how to dispose of records that have met their retention. This module also addresses special requirements for disposing of records with sensitive information.
Records Management How-To:
These training resources are designed to be short walkthroughs of Records and Information Management Services common processes and problems. Whether it is your first time learning, or just a reminder, RIMS has you covered with this video series.
Records and Information Management How-To: Reading a Retention Schedule
This How-To video instructs users on the parts of a Records Retention Schedule as they are displayed on the RIMS website.
Records and Information Management How-To: Filling Out the Disposal Request Form
This How-To video instructs users in filling out the Records Disposal Request Form.
Records and Information Management How-To: Records Storage
This How-To video covers the three categories of storage that can help your office organize your records.
Records and Information Management How-To: Records and Administrative Data Management Plan
This How-To video covers the basic parts of a Records and Administrative Data Management Plan.
Managing Email for University Employees
Email Management: Building a Workflow
Learn about building a workflow that helps you better manage your email and time. Are you struggling with email overload? Try some of these strategies today!
Dealing With The Monstrous Menace of Email!
A short presentation to give guidance to University employees on how to better manage their University email accounts.
Legacy Videos
Records and Information Management How-To: Requesting Permission to Dispose of Records via Inventory Template
This How-To video covers the process for requesting disposal of records via an Inventory Template. This workflow has been mostly superseded by the Records Disposal Request Form, but is still in use for some uncommon record types. To learn about using the Form, please view our How-To Video on Filling Out the Disposal Request Form. Feel free to contact us to learn when to use the form vs. the method from this video.