The Glossary of Important Terms
Today we covered the most important terms you come across as an Admin Pro. It goes without saying that you should know these terms inside and out before you can call yourself a "professional".
Here they are - in alphabetical order:
ACTIVE RECORD
Records that are in current use and that need to be retained
and maintained in office space and equipment close to users. Active records are
the most widely used portion of the administrative records.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
Recently created records, kept in departmental files or in a
records centre for frequent use. Administrative records support function s such
as the management of facilities, property, material, finance, personnel, and
information systems
ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT
Other name for department, ex. General Administration, Human
Resources, Financial Resources, Materials, IT, etc.
APPRAISAL
The practice of determining the value and disposition of
records based upon their: administrative, legal and fiscal use; long-term
evidential and informational value; and relationship to other records.
ARCHIVES
The body of semi-active or inactive records accumulated by a
person or organization and preserved because of their continuing value. It is
also used to describe the building or part of a building where archival
materials are located.
CLASSIFICATION
The process of identifying records or information in
accordance with a predetermined filing or security system. This includes
determination of the function or subject of a record and appropriate
classification for filing.
CLASSIFICATION PLAN
Document listing the filing codes to be assigned to both
incoming and outgoing documents of an organization.
CODING
Assigning alphabetic or numeric symbols (numbers, key-words,
or names) to a document to help identify and locate a file within a series of
case or subject files.
DISPOSAL (OF RECORDS)
The destruction of documents, conducted on a given date,
(once a year) under strict security.
DOCUMENT
See “Record”
FILE
The organized collection of papers and records dealing with
the same subject or aspect of a subject, kept in a folder, usually in
chronological order. A file is used to organize and manage records: It provides
evidence of a transaction, case, person, subject, etc.
FILING SYSTEM
The method of classifying records or files. The filing
system us defined by how the records or files are placed, how they move, and
how easy they are to retrieve.
FOLDER
The material, usually made of cardboard used to hold files.
Digitally, they even look like a folder.
HISTORICAL RECORDS
Records that have lost their administrative value but are
preserved for their historical value.
INACTIVE RECORDS
Documents that are no longer used for administrative or
legal purposes.
INDEXING
Type of analysis in which the content of a record is
expressed using key words.
INVENTORY
File inventory: the descriptive list of files or portions of
files belonging to an organization.
KEY WORDS
Terms characterizing a content of a record, used in indexing
files.
LIFE CYCLE OF A RECORD
The life span of a record from its creation to its final
disposition. The active period involves creation/reception, classification,
scheduling, preservation and use; the semi-active period involves the
continuing preservation, use and storage; and the inactive period signals the
end of primary values and the disposition of the records by destruction or
transfer to archives.
MAIN RECORD
Record serving as official proof of an organizations
activities: in general the original, preserved by the designated administrative
unit.
PRIVATE ARCHIVES
Records or papers belonging to a person or a private body,
such as a family, religious community, scientific institute, or company.
PUBLIC ARCHIVES
The body of public records collected by a public authority,
ex. Government.
RECORD
Any information medium created and preserved for purposes of
consultation, study, or evidence. The term record includes letters, brochures,
books, maps, films, cds, dvds, drawings, photos, vouchers, papers, and any
other thing on which information is recorded or stored.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
The creation, retention, and protection of records. The
creation, updating and disposal of files, including planning, control and
coordination of personnel, premises and equipment in order to: group and
separate records in a logical manner; establish a system for receiving and
transferring records; and establish standards for preserving records.
RETENTION SCHEDULE
The document outlining the period of time records have to be
kept active, semi-active, inactive as well as when they can be disposed of. The
retention schedule is contained in the classification plan of organism.
SECONDARY RECORD
A copy of the main record, used as a reference or working
paper; also used to disseminate information. It can be destroyed once is has
served its purpose.
SEMI-ACTIVE RECORDS
Documents in occasional use for administrative or legal
purposes.
VITAL RECORD
A record essential for the legal or financial survival of
the organization.
WEB SITE
An electronic systems composed of web pages use to provide
information about and access to the programs and services of an organization. A
web site may be provided on the internet or intranet (where information is
shared by employees), or via an extranet (where certain information is shared
with clients).
E-mail
Electronic mail
WIKI
A page or pages collected on the web that allows people who
access it on.
