Every record has a job to do, and errors compromise their ability to fulfill their purpose. For example, some records provide mission-critical information. In these cases, inaccuracies and errors will reduce their ability to meet objectives and mandates. In other cases, record-keeping is about increasing transparency and public confidence. Here, errors will erode trust and goodwill.
Yet accuracy can be a thorny issue. Most government agencies tear through so many records – and most rely on at least partially manual records management processes – that errors are all but certain to creep in. How can organizations keep their digital records error-free?
1: Handle records with care and thoughtfulness
In some ways, this practice is a no-brainer in records management; but often, it’s the most overlooked element of accuracy. Almost anyone who works with government records – including records managers themselves – are overworked and under-resourced. Taking shortcuts and putting your faith in third-party tools designed to catch errors is sometimes the only thing you have the time, energy, or resources to do.
But if you want to maximize your accuracy, it’s fundamental to handle every document thoughtfully. This is especially true with any record that starts in analog form before being converted to digital, because an ounce of prevention at this stage will be worth the proverbial pound of cure.
2: Make sure you perform adequate quality assurance tests
Randomly select files at regular intervals and verify for data entry values against the original document or other data source. We recommend testing 5% of records created during a given period. Additionally, any and all records that have been scanned or otherwise visually preserved should be viewed for image quality.
Nothing less than 99% accuracy rates should be accepted. If accuracy falls below this threshold, errors should be fixed, and the quality assurance tests should be expanded to 10% of the files. If further files continue to fail accuracy checks, the quality assurance test percentage should continue to double.
3: Replace manual labor with automation where possible
Unfortunately, people are probably the most common vector for introducing errors into records. Manual processes that require data entry or data transfer by hand are the most vulnerable to inaccuracies. Digits get transposed. The wrong word gets input. The worker mis-reads something.
The best way to curtail these kinds of errors is by replacing human labor with machine labor. We’ve written about the power of automation before, mostly in light of its ability to save time in records management tasks. Automation can also be invaluable in improving accuracy rates, because machines don’t make mistakes like transposing numbers.
4: Maintain an audit trail.
Audit trails are usually associated with legal or compliance issues more than accuracy per se but maintaining information about the record – when and where it was created, who has accessed it, what changes have been made – can be very helpful in finding and, if necessary, correcting errors. That’s because an audit trail can help you figure out why and how errors snuck into a record in the first place.
Maintaining an audit trail can do double duty in improving accuracy. First, it can potentially help those using the record to track down the correct information they need. Second, it can enable the organization to identify vulnerabilities in the records management process. Who was responsible for introducing the error? Is there a pattern of behavior that needs to be addressed? Is it a procedural issue? Does the records management process need to be revisited?
Ultimately, although errors are the bane of records managers everywhere, they can be tamed with the right tactics and tools.
About PSL
PSL is a global outsource provider whose mission is to provide solutions that facilitate the movement of business-critical information between and among government agencies, business enterprises, and their partners. For more information, please visit or email info@penielsolutions.com.