While paper-based records systems, using legacy manual processes, , are adequate and well understood.

Now awareness should be spread on knowledge or understanding of how electronic records and archives should be captured and managed to preserve their integrity and reliability over time. Issues such as preservation and migration are to be considered at the design stage rather than only after systems had been in operation for some time. The usual disconnect between manual and electronic recordkeeping is to be recogin zed , addressed and removed.. The relationship between the two types of records as the products of inter-conne cted business processes has to be taken into account when planning the CPSMS events flow and implementation at the filed level. There should be a conscious attempt to reduce generation of large quantities of paper records . Digital records, as a replacement for paper needs to be integrated with them. Lo wer level clerks are comfortable with paper based files. Information generated by the electronic systems is under the purview of higher officials / IT persons. There should be interaction between the managers or custodians of the two forms of information - manual and electronic and this should have a bearing on the policy / proceures of records mangement / retention. The electronic records are to be managed as legally verifiable sources of evide nce. This is in accordance with best practices in this area. 1. To start with capture / movement and storage of paper documents can be simpl ified by introducing 'scanning' , 'email' / 'workflow' based applications and d igital storage and retrieval. 2. Example : Journey of an office note in the manual / legacy parlance a.Clerk prepares note (attaches some documents) --------------------> officer reads the note - writes comments on the note b. Returns the note to clerk ---> clerk makes corrections and resubmits to officer ----> c. Officer approves and fwds to higer for final approval OR d. Officer rejects and note with attachments goes back to clerk. e. If C, then final note is approved / rejected - Note flows back to cle rk / next department / section for further processing. f. If d, note flows back to clerk.