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Morning all :) I agree with Nicola on this - we have had instances where .pst files have become corrupted, where people have inadvertently overwritten the .pst file and so lost thousands of business records in the process - it's not an ideal solution to your email management problems and not one to be honest that I could recommend. Technology can support you, but as Eldin points out quite rightly, you need the governance and processes first, and the technology solution second. Beware vendors who come to you with a "records management (insert legislation here) compliant email archiving solution" - I have yet to see one. There is a difference between storage - what vendors view as the "email archive solution", and management of email records. The starting place with email as with anything else, picking up one of Nicola's points is whether email as a medium, is fit for purpose. If you look over the many thousands of emails, you can typically reduce about 40% of the emails by using collaboration tools, and workflows. And I'm not just talking technology here (though that also has a massive impact, your collaboration tool could easily be a whiteboard and, heaven forbid - a group of people in a room; physically or virtually :) It is not email per se that has become the problem, it is in the way we use it - shared work areas, secure document sharing and collaboration toolsets, and yes good old reliable get up and go and talk to the person on the floor above you can all help here - it's a cultural and process thing as much as it is a technology one. For those of you looking at EDRM/ECM solutions - choose carefully :) and look for the solution set that can actually manage the variety of content and record formats that you have, and not just by allowing you to drag and drop but allowing you to apply metadata, classification, disposal actions etc systematically and easily. Enjoy! Paula Paula J Smith, ARIM, MSc Solution Specialist INTERGEN: LEVEL 7, INTERGEN HOUSE, 126 LAMBTON QUAY. PO BOX 5428, WELLINGTON 6011, NEW ZEALAND. TEL +64 4 472 2021 FAX +64 4 472 2027 MOB +64 21 290 0830 WWW.INTERGEN.CO.NZ<http://www.intergen.co.nz/> To catch the latest... Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamIntergen<http://www.twitter.com/TeamIntergen> Read our blog: www.intergen.co.nz/blog<http://www.intergen.co.nz/blog> Find us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Intergen<http://www.linkedin.com/company/Intergen> 2012 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year - New Zealand ________________________________ This electronic message together with any attachments is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient: (i) do not copy, disclose or use the contents in any way (ii) please let us know by return e-mail immediately and then destroy the message. Intergen is not responsible for any changes made to this message and/or any attachments after sending by Intergen. From: The Information and Records Management Society mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Allen, Nicola Sent: Friday, 24 May 2013 1:55 a.m. To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: PSTs Our solution: · ensure the IT infrastructure is fit for purpose · create, implement & enforce best practice for email management · provide a system which allows users to easily store relevant records together (regardless of format) We are moving away from .psts (as fast as we possibly can I might add). We have found .psts to be unstable and, while it could be environmental, the format is no longer supported by Microsoft. This has led to a loss of valuable records in our case. In addition to improving our IT infrastructure I have implemented a raft of policies and procedures governing the management of records and information (relevant to all formats) and rolled out to all staff. I have found that many users don't understand the difference between 'format' and 'record'. With email, of course, there is still a presumed informality that surrounds it, which is obviously incorrect. I therefore work with administrators to set up filing systems which take into account the business that is done on email. In addition, we are implementing an EDRM into which emails are easily filed along with all other relevant records (regardless of format) and will lay the ground work for the creation of a digital repository for archiving purposes. Nicola Allen Records Manager The Rothschild Foundation Accounts Dept, Estate Yard Queen Street, Waddesdon Nr Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP18 0JW T: 01296 653 239 / 07889726420 W: www.waddesdon.org.uk<http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/> Light at Waddesdon Bruce Munro Cantus Arcticus<http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/collection/exhibitions/bruce-munro-cantus-arcticus> Until Sunday 27 October Waddesdon Manor Gardens, Shops, Restaurant and Woodland Playground open weekends until Sunday 24 March. The House reopens Wednesday 27 March. www.waddesdon.org.uk<http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/> P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email? From: The Information and Records Management Society mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eldin Rammell, Rammelll Consulting Sent: 23 May 2013 14:23 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: PSTs Alex, I tend to view "use of PSTs" and "processes for email management" as two separate, but related, issues. Whilst not ideal for many reasons, PSTs can be used as part of the email management solution. The key, however, is to introduce processes for managing emails on a day-to-day basis so that non-records are deleted in a timely manner and records are classified in the most appropriate way for retention purposes. This is the foundation of any email records management solution, whether it uses PSTs or some other technology. Once you have that foundation in place, it is then a little easier to identify a technology solution to manage the emails that have been appropriately classified for retention. Simply introducing a whizzy email management solution rarely addresses the fundamental issue. Incidentally, I have seen many good examples of email management processes based around use of PST files, although it starts to get somewhat challenging when long-term electronic archiving needs to be addressed! Eldin. Eldin Rammell Managing Director, RAMMELL Consulting Ltd<http://rammell-consulting.co.uk/> Office: +44 (0)844 8844926 Direct dial: +44 (0)1905 617 716 Mobile: +44 (0)7940 859721 From: The Information and Records Management Society mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hodge, Alex Sent: 23 May 2013 13:18 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: PSTs Hi all, We are currently using PSTs to manage emails and are looking at other options. I would be interested in hearing from those organisations who previously used PSTs and have now a more robust solution for email management which ensures that users do not keep emails forever. Kind regards, Alex Alex Hodge Corporate Records Manager Tel: 0151 443 3705 *Fax: 0151 443 3780 Knowsley Council *Computer Centre *Westmorland Road *Huyton *L36 9GL P Save a tree . . . please do not print this e-mail unless you really need to. 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