The article provides explanations for such concepts as incoming and outgoing documentation, document management and its structure, document flow, its mode and cyclic nature, internal and external documentation. The methods of extracting the necessary information and its storage in current affairs and archives during paperwork are given.
Types of document streams
In our age of information, it is impossible to imagine the work of any structure of production, consumption, regulation or distribution without documentation. Working with documentation in today's paper and electronic information boom is becoming increasingly complex. The information carriers are changing, the people who process it are changing, the legal field for using information is changing. The concept and structure of document flow are also subject to change.
Document as a unit of document flow
A document is information recorded in the form of any material object. A document can be a photo, video, audio recording, not to mention paper and files. But a document becomes a document only if it has a number of necessary requirements. These requirements are called requisites and represent mandatory features established by law or regulations for certain types of documents. For registration of organizational and administrative documents, for example, there is GOST R 7.0.97-2016. One of the most important details is the date of the document (sometimes even time).
What is document flow
Document flow is the movement of documents between information creation points, information processing points, information storage points and direct users of information. Document flows are very different in type of documents and their content, mode and cyclicality, methods of movement, etc.
Document flows in the organization (meaning enterprises, too) are divided into incoming and outgoing. Each type of flow must be separated from each other in order to avoid errors and confusion in working with documents.
The incoming document flow consists of documents arriving at the organization by mail, e-mail, delivered on purpose (by couriers). Documents at the entrance must be sorted, unnecessary - deleted in the trash. The necessary or possibly necessary documents should be recorded in magazines (paper or electronic) indicating the date of receipt, name of the document and its details (date of the document, name of the sender, etc.), the organizational unit to which the document was sent.
Outgoing document flow consists of documents created and executed or processed in the organization. All outgoing documents must be assigned a serial number, they are checked for the necessary details and their correctness, they should be recorded in the magazines with the date (usually the date of signing the document), the outgoing number and code of the unit that prepared the document.
If it is impossible to process the document flow immediately (its sharp increase), it is necessary to increase the staff of document processing employees in order to avoid errors and delays that cost the organization often very expensive.
Types of document flows can be very different, it all depends on the type of activity of the organization and methods of its work.
For large organizations and enterprises, a well-organized document flow is just as important as the flow of materials or products. For large document flows, even documentation processes are developed and applied.
The concept of external and internal document flows
In addition to the incoming and outgoing information in the organization, one can distinguish internal, i.e. information created and used only within the organization itself. This information may have a certain degree of secrecy and may not be publicly available even within the same unit. The exchange of letters between units of the same organization is usually not accepted. For documentary communication, so-called service notes (reports, explanatory notes, certificates) are used, signed by the heads of departments. In addition to memos, orders, instructions, references, technical documentation and other documentation function in the organization.
For these reasons, the internal document flow should be clearly regulated so that secret information does not reach public places, even in the form of fragments or parts. Therefore, internal information is not intended to go beyond the organization, and sometimes beyond the boundaries of one unit. In this case, such information is transferred from the unit to the unit only with the permission of the head of the unit and is necessarily recorded during transfer (even to the organization’s archive) in special journals indicating the recipient and confirming his authority to receive (access to work with documents).
Document Flow Settings
Document flow is a complex system that is characterized by the following parameters:
- content (or what functions it performs);
- structure;
- mode and cycle;
- direction;
- volume;
- another.
Content, or Functionality
This parameter of the document flow is a list of the composition of the documents used by the organization, and the composition of the information contained in these documents. This value is constant for a small number of organizations whose occupation is very specific and constant in time (usually it is the courts, archives, registers and other non-productive organizations). For most organizations, especially production, document flow is a variable quantity that varies depending on various changes: type of activity, partners, technologies, materials, legislative acts and other requirements of changing production and temporary changes.
Document Flow Structure
The concept and structure of the workflow can be described by those signs, with the help of which the classification of documents and their indexing is given, the entire orientation system is formed in the help desk of the organization’s documents. Typically, this structure corresponds to the type and purpose of the document flow.
Mode and Cycle
These parameters determine the changes in the load of the receipt of information over time. This, for example, a sharp increase in the volume of work with the personal files of university applicants during the admission campaign or with students' documents during the sessions and graduation.
Such changes are associated with the internal rhythms of the organization and are usually quite predictable and planned.
Changes in the direction of document flows
These changes are related to the content of the information processing unit. These are differences in the methods of registering documents, methods of monitoring the timing of the execution of documents, ways to familiarize themselves with them, and especially the approval and approval of various documents. Changes in the direction of document flows will also be affected by internal changes in the structure and direction of organizations.
Document Flow
The volume of document flow is the number of documents (both originals and copies), which can be expressed as the number of documents themselves, and the number of sheets, characters, the number of performers and persons with whom the document is agreed. For example, the number of partner organizations with which you need to agree on a contract, or with whom you need to sign it.
The volume of the organization’s workflow includes the total number of documents in all flows.
Improving work with document flows in the organization
To improve this work, it is necessary to study the entire process of paperwork, establish clear recommendations that make the process technologically competent: remove duplication when working with documents, exclude the approval of the document by units that are not related to it. The larger the workflow, the more loaded the administrative apparatus of the organization, or at least most of it.
One of the main points in improving the work of personnel with documents is the level of their professional training at all stages of document flow, the optimal workload of staff, clear regulation of work with the document in each unit.
Regulation and standardization for large document flows make it possible to use mechanization and automation of office work, reduce the number of employees working with documents to the optimal number.
Unfortunately, information about the volume of document flows is usually underestimated, which is associated with imperfect accounting methods.
The main requirements of the present for document flow
- Regularity. Any congestion or malfunction in the movement of the flow of information in human activity leads to disruptions in the operation of the entire system as a whole. The increase in the volume of documents must be taken into account and planned in advance.
- Controllability. The flow of information can and should be controlled. The clerical system should not only be stable, but also flexible when working; personnel should be universally trained in all office operations.
- Constant increase in the efficiency of workflow due to rationalization, mechanization and automation of labor.
- Regular compilation and updating of routing and technological maps of documents movement with dates, performers, etc.
- Standardization of documents, methods of processing, proper archiving, designation of storage locations for each document accelerate the search for documents and work with them.