About the Course

Organizations are generating and handling vast volumes of records and information, making traditional manual systems increasingly inefficient, costly, and prone to errors. To remain competitive, compliant, and operationally effective, institutions must adopt automated records and information systems that enhance accuracy, security, accessibility, and decision-making. Automation not only streamlines workflows and reduces risks but also ensures compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks, while supporting transparency, accountability, and business continuity. This course provides participants with the knowledge, tools, and practical skills needed to plan, implement, and manage modern automated records and information systems that align with international standards and organizational objectives.

Target Participants 

This course is designed for professionals responsible for managing records, information, and knowledge within their organizations. It is particularly suited for records managers, information officers, archivists, registrars, and librarians seeking to transition from manual to automated systems. ICT staff, system administrators, compliance and audit officers, as well as knowledge and data management specialists will also benefit from the training.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training the participants will be able to: 

• Understand core concepts, terminology and lifecycle models of records and information in both paper and electronic contexts.
• Identify organizational requirements and constraints for automating records and information systems.
• Plan and design an automated records/information system (architecture, workflows, metadata, security).
• Implement and configure components (capture, storage, indexing, retrieval, workflows) of such systems.
• Administer, monitor, audit, and evaluate performance, compliance, and user adoption.
• Develop policies, governance frameworks, disaster recovery, and retention strategies.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies, standards, and best practices.

Course Outline

Foundations of Records & Information Management

• Key concepts, definitions, and terminology
• Role and value of records/information in organizations
• Legal, regulatory, and compliance context
• Records lifecycle (creation, use, disposition, archiving)

Transitioning from Manual to Automated Systems

• Drivers and challenges of automation
• Assessing existing (manual/hybrid) systems
• Gap analysis and readiness assessment
• Stakeholder engagement and change management
• Technical and organizational constraints

Requirements Gathering & Planning

• Conducting needs assessments and user requirements
• Records inventory, classification, and appraisal
• Metadata schema and indexing strategies
• Retention schedules and disposition planning
• Technical specifications, budgeting, and resource planning

System Architecture & Design

• Architectural models (centralized, distributed, cloud-based)
• Workflow and business process modeling
• Integration with existing enterprise systems
• Access control, permissions, versioning
• Scalability, interoperability, and performance

Capture, Ingestion & Document Conversion

• Record capture methods (scanning, OCR, import, manual entry)
• Metadata tagging and indexing during ingestion
• Migration strategies and bulk import techniques
• Handling various formats (text, images, audio, video)
• Quality control and validation processes

Storage, Retrieval & Indexing

• Storage options (on-premises, cloud, archival media)
• Indexing models and search techniques
• Retrieval strategies and faceted search
• Version control and reference linking
• Backup, replication, and archival strategies

Workflow Automation & Process Integration

• Workflow engines and rules configuration
• Document routing, approvals, and notifications`
• Business process reengineering for efficiency
• Monitoring workflows and process performance

Security, Access, Audit & Compliance

• Authentication, authorization, and role-based access
• Encryption (at rest and in transit)
• Digital signatures and certificates
• Audit trails, history logs, and versioning
• Compliance with data protection and privacy laws

Policies, Governance & Frameworks

• Principles of records and information governance
• Policy formulation for retention, access, and disposal
• SOPs and accountability structures
• Governance of upgrades and change management
• Training and communication for governance adoption

Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity & Preservation

• Identifying risks and vulnerabilities
• Backup strategies and redundancy mechanisms
• Disaster recovery planning and drills
• Digital preservation and format migration
• Business continuity strategies

Auditing & Evaluation

• Key metrics and KPIs for system performance
• Internal and external audits
• Compliance monitoring and reporting
• System usability and user feedback assessment
• Continuous improvement strategies

Emerging Trends, Standards & Best Practices

• ISO 15489, OAIS, and MoReq standards
• Cloud-native and microservices-based records systems
• Blockchain and distributed ledgers in records management
• AI/ML for classification and automation
• Case studies and industry benchmarks

Training Approach

This course is delivered by our seasoned trainers who have vast experience as expert professionals in the respective fields of practice. The course is taught through a mix of practical activities, theory, group works and case studies. Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.

Certification

Upon successful completion of this Training on Automation of Records and Information Systems, participants will be issued with a certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide training needs. A training needs assessment will be done on the training participants to collect data on the existing skills, knowledge gaps, training expectations and tailor made needs.