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Records Inventory The records inventory is a very important step in records management. As part of this inventory, it is important to determine the location of the records and the type of records. Locate the records The records may not only be in various offices (file cabinets and computers), but in warehouses, basements, or homes. In order to locate missing records, it may be helpful to place a notice in the newsletter, on a bulletin board, and announce it during the service and in meetings. You may want to contact former clerks of session--or if deceased, their families. Describe and identify the types of records When all the records are located, the inventory can begin. Use an inventory sheet to describe all the records in all locations (see sample). To help identify your records and determine how long they should be kept, it is important that you always include the following information in the inventory: TYPE OF RECORD INCLUSIVE DATES OF THE RECORDS SIZE (volume - e.g. 5 inches; 1 foot) COPY/ORIGINAL (you may have many duplicates) LOCATION FORMAT (e.g. computer, cassette tape, paper copy. It is possible that you may have the same information on different formats.) Records Inventory Sheet (sample) Types of Records Commonly Found Minutes (session, deacon, trustee, Christian Ed. Committee, etc. note each committee) Registers (marriage, baptism, death) Annual reports Reports (committee, topical, etc.) Bylaws/charters Incorporation records Annual budgets Annual audits Financial ledgers of final entry Subject correspondence Manuals/handbooks Newspapers/newsletters Brochures/promotional materials Photographs Property records (deeds, blueprints, etc.) Wills, bequests Legal/judicial cases Contracts Loan agreements Personnel records/employee records FICA / W-2 records Accounts payable invoices Accounts receivable records/ledgers Bank deposit slips Canceled checks Bank statements Cash receipt records Data for updating mailing lists Mailing lists Expense reports Periodic financial statements General/routine correspondence (acknowledgments, requests, travel arrangements) Invitations Petty cash records Receipts of purchases Meeting notices Travel plan arrangements Resource files

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