Territory Records Office
Records Advice
No 64
Managing Electronic Folders and Documents on
Shared Drives
This Records Advice has been prepared to provide ACT Government employees with
a guide to managing electronic folders and documents on shared drives and should be
read in conjunction with Records Advice No.28. Functional directories on shared
drives and other advices listed at the end of this advice.
About the Directory Structure
Shared drives should be managed using the functional directory structure. The
functional directory structure has been created to allow staff to classify and manage
their electronic working documents and reference copies according to current
recordkeeping standards and best practice guidelines.
Directory folder structures on computer and network shared drives are NOT
recordkeeping systems, they are not always accessible by all staff and do not have an
automatic classification, security and disposal regime built in. See Records Advice
No.4 - What is a recordkeeping system?
The functional directory should be managed using the same rules as the business
classification scheme (BCS) and thesaurus, i.e. three (3) levels of classification and a
fourth level for free text titling of folders and storing of documents. The first two (2)
levels of classification are compulsory and must be used when classifying your
electronic copies.
An example of the folder structure:
R:\\FUNCTION\ACTIVITY\Subject\Title\document.doc
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R: = the drive
FUNCTION = first classification level
ACTIVITY = second classification level
Subject = third classification level (this is where your items will be stored, if
no subject is available a Title folder can be created at this level)
Title = fourth level (this is where your items will be stored)
Document = name of the actual document
Note: Nothing is to be stored at the FUNCTION and ACTIVITY folder level as
they are a file path only.
Territory Records Office Macarthur House  12 Wattle Street Lyneham ACT 2602
GPO Box 158 Canberra ACT 2601 • Telephone +61 2 6207 0194 • Facsimile +61 2 6207 6255
Version 1.0
Last update 25/05/2011
Using the Directory Structure
To use the directory structure users will need to be familiar with functional
classification. If a user is unsure of what function and activity to use they will need to
use the Business Classification Scheme (BCS) or Whole of Government Thesaurus,
located on the TRO Intranet site to find an appropriate function and activity for their
electronic documents.
Microsoft® Windows© Directory Structure Limitation
When creating and using directory structures in Microsoft® Windows© users must
take account of the limitations in folder names. Microsoft® Windows© limits the
maximum number of characters to 255 inclusive of all folder and document names,
e.g. all the characters (including spaces) for the address
R:\\FUNCTION\ACTIVITY\Subject\Title\document.doc must be less than 255
characters. If you exceed 255 characters the documents may not open properly and
you will need to contact InTACT for assistance.
Personal Documents
Personal documents should be managed on the staff members “H drive”. Using the
“H drives” will ensure all personal documents created by a staff member will be in an
easily identifiable location making the cleanup of drive space easier should they leave
the organisation.
Electronic Folder and Document Naming Protocols
Dates:
Calendar Year ranges:
Financial year:
Personal names
Organisation names
Abbreviations and acronyms
20070904
2007–2008
2007_2008
SMITH Joseph Frederick
The main name, e.g. Corporate Express. No Pty Ltd
etc.
Meaningful acronyms and abbreviations are to be
used. Contact the TRO for advice.
All electronic records must be captured in an official recordkeeping system; they then
may be deleted from the directory structure or kept and used as convenience copies
for future reference.
Disposal of Folders and Contents
Folders and their contents must be disposed of using the same rules for disposal as
physical records. Records born digital must be disposed of using an approved
Records Disposal Schedule. Converted records (e.g. scanned, migrated, imaged, etc.)
must be disposed of using the Records Disposal Schedule - Source Records. Copies
of records can be disposed of as a normal administrative practice. See Records
Advice 02 – Normal Administrative Practice (NAP)
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Documents stored in a folder should:
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not be stored longer than two years where possible;
be destroyed (deleted) when they have been captured into a recordkeeping
system if not required as convenience copies;
be destroyed (deleted) when the associated file (hard copy or electronic virtual
file in an EDRMS) is destroyed.
Security Classification of Folders and Documents
Documents requiring national security classifications above Confidential usually
should not be stored in shared drives. See Records Advice No.65 - Managing
Security for Electronic Folders and Documents on Shared Drives.
Additional References
1. What is a record?
2. Normal Administrative Practice (NAP)
3. eMail as a record
4. What is a recordkeeping system?
5. Electronically created records
21. Security classification Cabinet documents
22. Security classification of non-Cabinet documents
25. Metadata
26. ACT Government application of metadata
27. Subject level control of ACT Government records
28. Functional directories on shared drives
31. Disposal actions: Preparation of records
32. Utilising a records disposal schedule
36. Destruction of ACT Government records
50. Retention and storage of digital photographs and images
Standard for Records Management Number 3: Records
Description and Control
Standard for Records Management Number 6: Digital Records
Standard for Records Management Number 7: Physical Storage
of Records
Standard for Records Management Number 9: Records
Digitisation and Conversion
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