RECORDS AND CORRESPONDENCE MANAGEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74-00005R000200120003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Content Type: REGULATION

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AMS SECRETARIAL TRAINING COURSE
Session 3--Records Management
Records and Communications Branch, ASD
RECORDS AND CORRESPONDENCE MANAGEMENT
I CREATING RECORDS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Question: What can you do to help get incoming mail replied to quickly?
Answer: Secretaries and clerks can not be sure their Supervisor will
answer a letter quickly. They can take action to facilitate
the mechanics of replying. They can:
1 Work out with the head of the office, a definite plan out-
lining responsibilities for opening various classes of mail,
and for routing it quickly to the desk of the person who is
to prepare the reply. This is a clerical responsibility.
2 In relatively heavy correspondence areas, use already pre-
pared guide and form letters approved by the Supervisor.
A clerk can fill in the information requested on the form
or guide letter rather than the Supervisor having to prepare
an individual answer to each routine letter. (See GSA
handbooks, "Guide Letters" and "Form Letters.")
Question: How can you eliminate creating and filing useless material?
1 Not preparing or filing extra copies of letters, etc. For
each typing job, the typist should know how many:
a Courtesy copies are needed,
b Information copies are required for other offices, and
c File copies are required by originating office. (If
more than one, or possibly two,--check to see why needed.)
2 Controlling periodicals and other reproduced materials
received by the office by:
a Listing all such materials received, if at all voluminous,
b Checking to see if the office can be removed from the
list if publication is not needed,
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c Determining which publications can be circulated among
the staff and then disposed of, and
d Setting retention periods for those which must be filed.
3 Using routing slips to circulate material among office
personnel. (See sample, AD-514)
4 Eliminating preparation and filing of transmittal letters
when transmitting self-explanatory material.
5 Using Form AMS-51, Transmittal Record, when a record of
transmittal is required.
6 Using the "endorsement method" where possible, particularly
on Washington-field correspondence.
7 Filing routine requests for information, reports, or trans-
mittal letters you prepare, separately from the more valuable
case-history type records.
II SETTING UP AND MAINTAINING RECORDS
Question: Should all record material in the office be kept physically to-
gether in one central location under a single organized file?
Answer: Usually not,--even in small offices. In small offices it is
appropriate to locate all materials centrally, but because there
are different types of material in the office, you may have to
set up separate files for the different types of material. For
example, reproduced reference materials, stocks of publications
and forms, and usually the administrative housekeeping records
will be kept separately from the basic program type records in
differently organized files.
Question: If there are several people in an office, should each person be
allowed to maintain and file his own material?
Answer: Uniformity of procedure is desirable. If several people in an
office keep file material it is difficult to have this uniformity
of procedures and to maintain uniformity in the filing system.
While not necessarily a full-time job, the responsibility for the
bulk of the filing should be given to one person.
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Question: How do you know whether your office has a good filing system?
Answer: If your office is under one of our national uniform filing
systems, or has had a system installed by a Records Officer, it
will have met the requirements for a proper system and filing
procedure.
1 Putting records under a written system of arrangement and
under proper procedures so that like material is consistently
brought together and placed in the same category in the files
without too much manpower.
2 Physically housing the records properly so that the folders
and guides within the file drawers will visibly show the
system under which the records are arranged.
Question: What type of filing system meets most of the requirements for a
good system?
Answer: A subjective-type file system, with a written list of subjects
covering the subject matter of the functions of the office and
with written procedures available to govern the filing under the
system, will best meet these requirements. While it may be
faster to file letters by the name of the person to whom a letter
is addressed, it is difficult to bring all material on a trans-
action together under this system, and after material gets a little
old it is difficult to remember to which of the various officials
you directed a letter.
Question: If we set up a subjective type file, can't we set up folders for
the file as we need them rather than try to develop a written
listing of subjects in advance?
Answer: No. There are several reasons why this does not work.
1 Unless there is a written list of subjects available which
in effect serves as an outline of the folders in the file,
we can not always remember whether a folder for a subject
has been previously set up. We would have to check the file
constantly to see what has been set up. If this is not done
we may set up a separate folder with a differing subject title
for material for which we may have already set up a folder.
This will split the files on transactions.
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2 Unless you have prepared a listing of subjects previously, it
is difficult to bring the various subdivisions of related
material together under a major subject heading. For example,
when you prepare a listing of subjects covering the functions
of your office you will undoubtedly find numerous separate
entries which are closely related. In order to bring all like
material together in a subject file on the basis of its subject
matter content, you should select certain major or primary
subject titles, and under these group all related minor subject
titles.
(Group will participate in solving problems on correlating subjective filing
titles and the proper preparation of drawer, guide, and folder labels.)
III RECORDS DISPOSITION
Question: What do you do when your file cabinets become full, and you are
unable to get another cabinet?
Answer: Records disposition is the best solution. This can be achieved
either by destroying records which have outlived their usefulness,
or by sending records not immediately needed for your operations
to the ANTS Records Depository.
Question: Do you have authority to destroy any file material that you want to?
Answer: Partly. You may destroy non-record material in your office with
the approval of your supervisor. However, any official record
material in your custody may be destroyed only with the approval
of the Archives and Congress. Such approval can only be obtained
through the Records Management Section, Administrative Services
Division. Normally, after such approval is obtained, your Division
will issue an instruction outlining the approved retention-disposal
standards for the various classes of records. If you are not sure
of the approved retention period for any official record material
in your office, contact your Division Administrative Officer.
Official record material includes all paper3 created or received
in pursuance of Federal law or in connection with the handling of
public business, and kept to show the organization, functions;
policies, decisions, procedures, operation:, or other Government
activities.
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Non-record material includes (1) extra copies of correspondence
used for reference, such as reader files, chronological files, etc.;
(2) duplicate copies of any documents kept in the same file;
(3) extra copies of reproduced material of which a "record" copy
has been kept; (4) stocks of blank forms, publications, and
reproduced documents kept for supply purposes; and (5) other repro-
duced reference material such as trade magazines, journals, news-
papers, or other periodicals.
Question: What is the AMS Records Depository, and how do you go about sending
records there?
Answer: The AMS Records Depository consists of file transfer drawers,
shelving, and other records storage equipment located in the attic
25X1A6a of the South Building. (There is also a small storage space in
the attic of the for use by offices in that building.)
The first step in getting records to the Depository is to prepare
and submit Form AMS-33, Request for Storage of Records in AMS
Records Depository, according to the instructions for use on the
reverse side of the form. See Exhibit 1 for an example of a
properly completed form. You may obtain supplies of Form AMS-33
through your Division Administrative Officer.
The Records Management Section will inspect the records and, if
acceptable for storage, assign a job number (upper right corner
of the form), and also assign the storage space. As soon as
working conditions permit, empty transfer drawers will be delivered
to the room shown in item (2) of the form, or other transfer
arrangements will be made. You are responsible for transferring
your records to the drawers, arranging them in the proper order,
and labeling the drawers. You are also responsible for listing
the records on the AMS-33 (cr on a separate attached list) in
sufficient detail that you can easily find them when needed.
When the drawers are filled, notify the Records Management Section
by calling extension 6040. After the drawers have been taken to
the Depository, you will receive a copy of the completed Form
AMS-33, showing the job number and the location of the records in
the Depository.
Question: If a record is needed after it has been moved to the Depository,
who gets it?
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The Division or office which had the records taken to the Depository
is responsible for servicing all requests for such records.
Instructions on the use of the Depository are included on the
reverse side of Form AMS-33.
Question: Will the Records Management Section automatically destroy the
records in line with the disposal date shown in item (8) of
Form AMS-33?
Answer: The Records Management Section will not remove or destroy any
records in the AMS Records Depository without the written con-
currence of the office or Division concerned.
Question: Is there any depository for AMS records other than the one we
have been discussing?
Answer: Yes, the General Services Administration operates a Records Center
for the Department of Agriculture and other Government agencies
at Franconia, Virginia. One-day reference service is provided.
Special instructions for sending records to the GSA Records Center
will be given by the Records Management Section upon request.
Question: Will the Records Management Section automatically send records
to the GSA Records Center from the AMS Records Depository in line
with the transfer date shown in item (7) of Form AMS-33?
Answer: Not without the written concurrence of the Division or office
concerned.
Question: Is there a report made of the volume of records on hand in your
office?
Answer: Once each year, as of June 30, your Administrative officer will
want to know the volume of records destroyed in your office during
the fiscal year just ended. You should keep a running record of
this so that you will not have to guess. Be sure you do not include
stocks of forms or publications, printed books or material not in-
cluded in filing equipment. Your Administrative Officer may also
want other information, such as estimate of the volume of records
accumulated during the fiscal year, or volume on hand at the end
of the year.
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