University Secretary

All records (e.g. paper files, electronic documents, emails) need to be organised systematically, so that you and other members of staff can find information easily and quickly. You should identify the main areas of work carried out by your department, and then develop a paper filing structure and directory tree into which all the documents can be logically placed.

It will be much easier to manage your information, if you keep related material together, particularly because records that serve the same purpose tend to be required for the same length of time. It will also be simpler to locate and manage information, if you use the same structure for both your paper and electronic records (including emails).

Finally, if you maintain personal files/folders, try to make sure that they only contain 'work-in-progress', reference or confidential material. As far as possible keep information that other members of staff may need within a centralised filing system or (within a shared folder) on the L drive, so that your department can operate efficiently when you are absent.

For more guidance, see managing paper records and managing electronic records