Organizations produce and gather data as they operate. Contained in a database, data is typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring this information. Knowing how this can be managed effectively is vital to any organization.
A draft is not considered a record if it is “a provisional, interim, or stopgap rendition of information” created for a government employee’s personal work processes (such as field notes taken in preparation for completing a subsequent report). 3 This type of draft is not circulated, stored in a shared document management system,. A) The database structure cannot be changed during the data modeling stage. B) Changing a relationship from 1:N to N:M is simply a matter of changing the notations. C) User review of the data model is avoided as it is not helpful in data modeling. D) A database is a model of.
Organizations employ Database Management Systems (or DBMS) to help them effectively manage their data and derive relevant information out of it. A DBMS is a technology tool that directly supports data management. It is a package designed to define, manipulate, and manage data in a database.
Some general functions of a DBMS:
Designed to allow the definition, creation, querying, update, and administration of databases
Define rules to validate the data and relieve users of framing programs for data maintenance
Convert an existing database, or archive a large and growing one
Run business applications, which perform the tasks of managing business processes, interacting with end-users and other applications, to capture and analyze data
Some well-known DBMSs are Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Oracle, SAP, and others.
Components of DBMS
DBMS have several components, each performing very significant tasks in the database management system environment. Below is a list of components within the database and its environment.
Software This is the set of programs used to control and manage the overall database. This includes the DBMS software itself, the Operating System, the network software being used to share the data among users, and the application programs used to access data in the DBMS.
Hardware Consists of a set of physical electronic devices such as computers, I/O devices, storage devices, etc., this provides the interface between computers and the real world systems.
Data DBMS exists to collect, store, process and access data, the most important component. The database contains both the actual or operational data and the metadata.
Procedures These are the instructions and rules that assist on how to use the DBMS, and in designing and running the database, using documented procedures, to guide the users that operate and manage it.
Database Access Language This is used to access the data to and from the database, to enter new data, update existing data, or retrieve required data from databases. The user writes a set of appropriate commands in a database access language, submits these to the DBMS, which then processes the data and generates and displays a set of results into a user readable form.
Query Processor This transforms the user queries into a series of low level instructions. This reads the online user’s query and translates it into an efficient series of operations in a form capable of being sent to the run time data manager for execution.
Run Time Database Manager Sometimes referred to as the database control system, this is the central software component of the DBMS that interfaces with user-submitted application programs and queries, and handles database access at run time. Its function is to convert operations in user’s queries. It provides control to maintain the consistency, integrity and security of the data.
Data Manager Also called the cache manger, this is responsible for handling of data in the database, providing a recovery to the system that allows it to recover the data after a failure.
Database Engine The core service for storing, processing, and securing data, this provides controlled access and rapid transaction processing to address the requirements of the most demanding data consuming applications. It is often used to create relational databases for online transaction processing or online analytical processing data.
Data Dictionary This is a reserved space within a database used to store information about the database itself. A data dictionary is a set of read-only table and views, containing the different information about the data used in the enterprise to ensure that database representation of the data follow one standard as defined in the dictionary. Acoustica 7 1 15 cm.
Report Writer Also referred to as the report generator, it is a program that extracts information from one or more files and presents the information in a specified format. Most report writers allow the user to select records that meet certain conditions and to display selected fields in rows and columns, or also format the data into different charts.
Great Performance through Effective DBMS
A company’s performance is greatly affected by how it manages its data. And one of the most basic tasks of data management is the effective management of its database. Understanding the different components of the DBMS and how it works and relates to each other is the first step to employing an effective DBMS.
– Data Czar @ DEO
Managing records on a project is an essential activity that makes it possible to handle and use project documentation in the way that ensure smooth capturing of documents and papers by seniors, team members, and other stakeholders. Being a part of overall document management, records management allows a project manager to direct and control document flows throughout the project lifecycle, while ensuring that every single document or record serves the operational needs and helps teams capture and retrieve necessary information. It creates a framework for running project activities and procedures and paves the way for analysis, lessons learned, historical reviews, etc.
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Personally, I can’t image a project having no means of managing records and documentation. I regard project records management as a consistent and continuous process that includes a range of steps and procedures to create, use and store various types and kinds of project records, files, documents, papers, sheets etc. Let’s learn more about it. In this article I talk about the definition, importance and key steps of the process for managing project records.
Definition
Managing project records is an important responsibility of a project manager who must ensure that every document or file is properly designed, formatted, communicated, secured, stored, and archived. The manager should also keep the records up-to-date and relevant. If to look at records management at the highest level, you may see that it is similar to a process rather than a responsibility. So I regard it as a process which has certain inputs, consumes some resources, and generate definite outcomes. Here’s the definition of project records management:
Project Records Management is a process of creating, directing and controlling document flows within a project, through using an administrative system, to provide effective development, versioning, filing, storing and retrieving of records, while ensuring that every record designed is utilized administratively and legally. The process creates a framework for managing the project activities and delivering necessary information to teams.
As a process, project records management is characterized by the following items:
Inputs: any essential information to be recorded and saved for the project
Resources: equipment, systems, software, communication tools, HR etc.
Guidelines: document management policies, document standards, filing procedures, etc.
Outputs: document flows, files, catalogues, record sheets, etc.
When you start managing your project, first you must be sure that there’s a framework for documenting and filing events occurring within the project (the inputs). By using systems and software (the resource), your teams can record activities and events and create documents. They follow prescribed procedures for event recording and documenting (the guidelines). Finally running the process allows you to develop necessary documentation, files and records (the outputs). In this regard, project records management seems to be cyclical – when records are created, treated, filed and documented.
The process of managing project files and records is important because of the following aspects:
Supporting ease and efficiency of the project activities
Allowing teams can find required information you when they need
Protecting the project data from unauthorized access and use
Saving time and effort
Reducing costs, including space costs
Keeping files up-to-date and versioned
Three Steps
Below I describe the process as a three step sequence. I personally use these steps to manage records and files within my projects. Hope the information will be helpful for you as well.
Step #1. Create Project Files
When you create a project file, you must be sure you do it in accordance with the standards and requirements of file management within your organization. For example, in my organization we have a file management policy stating how to create a project file, what system and tools to use, what file formats and extensions are preferable, who has authorizes for file creation, how to update filed records, and so on.
There’re five common requirements to project file creation:
Prompt. A file is to be created as early and quickly as possible.
Simple. File content should have a structure that is as simple as possible.
Separate. Every file is a single and separate record; two or more files can’t be combined; if there’s a need to combine the content of several files, a new file should be created.
Up-to-date. When a project file is updated, a versioning number as well as the date revised should be added to the file header.
Confidential. A file should be maintained with complete confidentiality; only authorized personnel can access the file and its content.
In any project and programme these 5 requirements should be treated with great care because otherwise the project/programme is likely to fail with creating reliable, comprehensive, complete and relevant project files.
Step #2. File Project Documents
Once you have created a file according to your file management policy and requirements, now you can proceed with filing project documents. It means you must put all your documents and white-papers into respective files. Below I list the key documents and data you should add to your project files:
Official mail and email correspondence, including letters, attachments, pictures
Papers if project meetings
Project request, proposal, brief.
Stakeholder contact details
Change and variance requests
Project diary
Issue logs/risk logs/decisions made
Status reports and summaries
Procurement papers
Team guidelines, instructions, notes, etc.
Handover/closure documents
You should be sure that every piece of this data is put into a file. There should be version control to ensure that the project files are updated and changed properly. The following details are required: revision number, revision date, author, editor, link to an electronic copy (if any).
Step #3. Archive and Destroy Project Records
Once all of your project documents and relevant data have been filed, your next step is to manage the records and move them to archive . Archiving project records means making documents no more available within the given environment while ensuring that the records are retrievable for further projects and lessons learned.
When you project is over, you may need to destruct the records, instead of archiving them. Anyway, you must refer to the archiving and destructing procedures of your organization when treating your project records.
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In my organization we prefer archiving documentation rather than destroying. We try not to practice record destroying because we believe that any piece of documented and filed information may be required in the future. Your company may have another opinion regarding this.
However, we can’t keep all of our files forever because this seems to be highly expensive. We try to give a file the longest life possible and wait until the life is over; then we just destruct the file. Below I give you our record retention requirements which, I hope, will be useful for you:
Contract documents and advice records: we store this type of project records for at least 5 years after the contracts are fulfilled.
General project records: these are kept in accordance with the function that they support.
Research data records: from 5 to 7 years, depending upon the nature of the research.
Legal issues and case records: a minimum of 7 years.
Finance records are kept 5 years long.
Other types of project records are archived for the period of 5-7 years.
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Best practice of document archiving says that an organization should try to retain a project file for the longest possible period of time. We follow this standard. And you?