Records Management - Examples of file referencing systems:

It is always good practice to adopt a referencing system. Whatever system is chosen, however the reference assigned to each file has to be unique and easily understood by all users, it also needs to reflect the filing scheme hierarchy. The decision is yours but it is the case that an alpha-numeric system is invariably the most accessible for users - the references being generally much easier to remember.

There are four main file referencing systems, the most most common being the alpha-numeric. The advantage of the system is that the letters can serve to indicate the function or activity that is covered by the files. For example, a series of files originating with Finance might employ a prefix of FIN; Human Resources, perhaps HR or HRS. Alternatively you might use the listing of the functions and activities contained in the filing schemes metadata file and employ alphabetical coding to them for use by the system. eg the function 'Teaching' could be 'A' , 'Research' 'B' etc. Again, whatever combination of letters is used, the key thing is that the referencing system has to be simple and easy to understand.

Example Referencing Systems:

Contents
1. An alphabetical referencing system
2. A numerical referencing system
3. An alpha-numeric referencing system - 1
4. An alpha-numeric referencing system - 2
5. A keyword referencing system

Example 1 - Alphabetical Referencing System
System Coding File description
A A A Metadata file  
 
         
 
APL     School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape  
 
  CIN     Construction Informatics  
    AA    
Admissions
    AB    
Applications
    AC    
Curriculum
    AD    
Offers
  ARC     Architecture  
    AA     Admissions
    AB     Applications
    AC     Curriculum
    AD     Offers
BUS     University of Newcastle upon Tyne Business School  
 
  EC     Economics  
    AA     Admissions
    AB     Applications
    AC     Curriculum
    AD     Offers
  BS     Business  
    AA     Admissions
    AB     Applications
    AC     Curriculum
    AD     Offers
  ACF     Accounting & Finance
 


Example 2 - Numerical Referencing System
System Coding File description
0 0 0 Metadata file  
 
         
 
1     Architecture, Planning and Landscape  
 
  1     Construction Informatics  
    1    
Admissions
    2    
Applications
    3    
Curriculum
    4    
Offers
  2     Architecture  
    1     Admissions
    2     Applications
    3     Curriculum
    4     Offers
2     Business School  
 
  1     Economics  
    1     Admissions
    2     Applications
    3     Curriculum
    4     Offers
  2     Business  
    1     Admissions 
    2     Applications 
    3     Curriculum 
    4     Offers 
  3     Accounting & Finance
 


Example 3 - Alpha-Numeric Referencing System - 1
System Coding File description
A A A Metadata file  
 
         
 
APL     Architecture, Planning and Landscape  
 
  1     Construction Informatics  
    1    
Admissions
    2    
Applications
    3    
Curriculum
    4    
Offers
  2     Architecture  
    1     Admissions
HR     Human Resources    
  1     Determining Allowances  
  2     Establishing conditions of employment  
    1    
Appointments
    2    
Senior appointments
    3    
Childcare
    4    
Flexible work arrangements
  3     Calculating leave
 
    1    
Accrual
    2    
Entitlements
    3    
Holidays
  4     Recruitment
 
  5     Determining Salaries
 
    1    
Deductions
    2    
Overtime
    3    
Remuneration
    4    
Superannuation


Example 4 - Alpha Numerical Referencing System - 2
System Coding File description
A A A Metadata file  
 
         
 
A     Teaching  
 
  1     Teaching Quality & Standards  
    1    
Policy
    2    
Processes & Procedures
    3    
Annual Monitoring
    4    
External Examiners
  2     Teaching Policy  
  3     Teaching Procedures Development  
B     Research    
  1     Research Quality & Standards  
    1     Policy
    2    
Processes & Procedures
    3    
Supervisors
    4    
Internal Review
    5    
External Review
  2     Research Policy Development
 
    1    
Joint Ethics Committee
    2    
Animals in research
  3  
Research Procedures Development
 
         
Academic Fraud
C     Student Administration    
  1     Strategy Development
 
  2     Planning
 
  3     Student Discipline  
    1     Procedures
    2    
Cases
  4     Student Academic Appeals  
    1     Procedures
    2    
Cases
  5     Student Complaints  
    1     Procedures
    2    
Cases

Example 5 - Keyword Referencing System
No Keyword See also Use for
1 Accounts Financial reports; vouchers; audit  
2 Accreditation Allocations  
3 Advertising Publicity  
4 Allocations Accreditation  
5 Appeals    
6 Associations Teachers’ Association  
7 Audit Financial reports  
8 Biology Sciences  
9 Budgets Estimates; financial reports  
10 Chemistry Sciences  
11 Circulars Notices; instructions  
12 Codes of conduct Procedures  
13 Committees Working parties Records relating to more than one committee
14 Conferences   Any records not relating to a named conference
15 Contracts    
16 Development Research; staff training  
17 Estimates Budgets; financial reports  
18 Financial planning Planning  
19 Financial reports Budgets; estimates; accounts; audit  
20 Grants Loans  
21 Institutions Universities Any records not relating to a named institution
22 Lectures Speeches  
23 Loans Grants  

Taken from the National Archives, RECORDS MANAGEMENT STANDARD; RMS 1.1, File Creation