Skip to content

Records, Archives & Document Management Training Course

Covers managing records across their lifecycle, from classification, registration and storage to retrieval, retention, preservation and authorized disposal.

AAO · Administrative Affairs & Office ManagementAll Levels#2679ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
Download BrochureView Upcoming Dates

Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Course Overview

The Records, Archives & Document Management Training Course provides a comprehensive understanding of the principles, systems, and professional practices required to manage organizational records and documents throughout their lifecycle. The program focuses on establishing effective procedures for document creation, classification, registration, storage, retrieval, retention, preservation, and authorized disposal. It highlights the strategic importance of reliable records management in supporting operational efficiency, institutional accountability, regulatory compliance, and the preservation of organizational knowledge. The course explores the relationship between records management, archival administration, and document control within modern organizations. Participants examine how structured classification systems, metadata standards, indexing methods, and retention schedules improve accessibility, consistency, and information traceability. Particular attention is given to developing standardized procedures that reduce duplication, prevent information loss, strengthen version control, and ensure that authorized personnel can retrieve accurate information when required. A key component of the program is the management of physical and electronic records in increasingly digital working environments. Participants explore electronic document management systems, digital repositories, records digitization, electronic filing structures, and document workflow automation. The course also addresses the practical challenges associated with paper-based archives, hybrid records environments, electronic correspondence, scanned documents, and the long-term preservation of digital information. Emphasis is placed on maintaining document authenticity, integrity, accessibility, and usability throughout the records lifecycle. The program further examines records governance, information security, access control, confidentiality, retention requirements, and defensible disposal practices. Participants learn how to establish responsibilities, implement records management policies, monitor compliance, and manage sensitive information appropriately. The course also addresses archival preservation, disaster preparedness, business continuity, and the protection of valuable institutional records against deterioration, accidental loss, unauthorized access, and technological obsolescence. Through practical exercises, classification workshops, document control simulations, case studies, and a final integrated project, participants develop the capabilities required to improve records management processes within their organizations. The program supports the establishment of consistent, secure, and efficient information management practices that strengthen administrative performance, facilitate audits and investigations, support informed decision-making, and preserve institutional memory.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the principles and professional practices of records, archives, and document management.
  • Distinguish between documents, records, archival materials, and information resources according to their purpose and lifecycle.
  • Develop structured document classification, registration, indexing, and retrieval procedures.
  • Apply metadata, naming conventions, and version control methods to improve document traceability.
  • Establish records retention schedules and procedures for authorized disposal.
  • Implement effective physical filing, storage, preservation, and archival arrangement practices.
  • Evaluate electronic document management systems and digital repository capabilities.
  • Apply digitization and electronic filing practices that support accuracy, accessibility, and information integrity.
  • Establish access controls and confidentiality procedures for sensitive records.
  • Identify risks affecting records security, preservation, business continuity, and regulatory compliance.
  • Develop records management policies, procedures, and performance monitoring mechanisms.
  • Prepare an improvement plan for strengthening organizational records and document management operations.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals responsible for managing organizational information, maintaining official records, administering archives, controlling documents, and supporting compliance and administrative operations. Records management officers and records coordinators. Archivists, archival technicians, and archive administrators. Document controllers and document control specialists. Administrative managers and office administration professionals. Information management and knowledge management specialists. Government employees responsible for official records and institutional archives. Compliance officers and internal audit professionals. Legal department personnel managing contracts, case files, and official correspondence. Human resources professionals responsible for employee records and personnel documentation. Project managers and project document control teams. Quality management professionals responsible for controlled documents and documented information. IT professionals supporting electronic document management systems and digital repositories. Professionals responsible for digitization projects and electronic records preservation. Department heads and managers overseeing administrative information processes. Professionals involved in policy development, records governance, and information security.

Learning Outcomes

  • Describe the core functions and lifecycle stages of records and archival management.
  • Differentiate between active records, inactive records, archival materials, and controlled documents.
  • Design classification structures and filing systems suited to organizational requirements.
  • Apply registration, indexing, metadata, and retrieval procedures consistently.
  • Implement document naming conventions and version control practices.
  • Prepare retention schedules and identify appropriate procedures for authorized records disposal.
  • Organize and preserve physical archives using suitable storage and handling methods.
  • Evaluate digital records management workflows and electronic repository requirements.
  • Apply document digitization practices while maintaining accuracy and traceability.
  • Implement access permissions, confidentiality safeguards, and records security controls.
  • Identify weaknesses in records management procedures and recommend corrective actions.
  • Develop a practical framework for improving records governance, operational efficiency, and institutional knowledge preservation.

Course Outline

Day 1

Fundamentals of Records, Archives, and Document Management

  • Concepts, terminology, and principles of records and information management.
  • Differences between documents, official records, archival materials, and reference information.
  • The records lifecycle: creation, capture, classification, use, storage, retention, and disposition.
  • The role of records management in administrative efficiency and organizational accountability.
  • Records governance, ownership, responsibilities, and organizational policies.
  • Introduction to archival administration and the preservation of institutional memory.
  • Types of organizational records, including administrative, financial, legal, personnel, and technical records.
  • Establishing records inventories and identifying information assets.
  • Common records management challenges, including duplication, misfiling, and unauthorized retention.
  • Developing standardized records management procedures across departments.
  • Practical Exercise: Review a sample organizational records inventory, identify inconsistencies and gaps, classify records by function and operational importance, and propose an initial framework for organizing and controlling the records.
Day 2

Classification, Filing Systems, Indexing, and Document Control

  • Developing functional and subject-based records classification schemes.
  • Establishing file plans, folder structures, and document identification conventions.
  • Document registration, numbering, indexing, and reference code management.
  • Applying metadata to improve searchability, traceability, and retrieval.
  • Designing physical filing systems for active and semi-active records.
  • Managing incoming and outgoing correspondence and official documentation.
  • Document version control, revision tracking, and approval workflows.
  • Managing document distribution, access permissions, and controlled copies.
  • Preventing duplicate records, unauthorized modifications, and inconsistent document versions.
  • Establishing document tracking registers and audit trails.
  • Standardizing naming conventions across departments and information systems.
  • Practical Exercise: Design a classification and indexing structure for a simulated organization containing administrative correspondence, contracts, financial documents, personnel files, and technical records. Develop naming conventions, metadata fields, registration procedures, and document tracking controls.
Day 3

Electronic Records Management, Digitization, and Digital Preservation

  • Principles and capabilities of electronic document management systems.
  • Digital repositories, electronic filing structures, and records storage architectures.
  • Planning document digitization projects and prioritizing records for conversion.
  • Scanning standards, image quality, file formats, and quality assurance procedures.
  • Capturing metadata and linking digital files to their corresponding records.
  • Electronic workflows for review, approval, distribution, and archiving.
  • Managing electronic correspondence, attachments, and collaborative documents.
  • Maintaining authenticity, integrity, accessibility, and traceability of electronic records.
  • Search functionality, indexing methods, and electronic retrieval procedures.
  • Digital preservation challenges, including format obsolescence and technological change.
  • Backup, recovery, and continuity considerations for electronic records.
  • Evaluating system usability, integration requirements, and access management capabilities.
  • Practical Exercise: Develop a digitization and electronic records management workflow for a department transitioning from paper-based filing to a digital repository. Define scanning priorities, metadata requirements, naming conventions, quality controls, access permissions, and preservation arrangements.
Day 4

Records Retention, Archival Preservation, Security, and Compliance

  • Developing records retention schedules based on operational, legal, regulatory, and historical requirements.
  • Identifying records eligible for transfer to archives or authorized disposal.
  • Applying defensible disposal procedures and maintaining disposal documentation.
  • Archival appraisal, arrangement, description, and preservation principles.
  • Physical storage conditions, environmental monitoring, and safe handling of archival materials.
  • Protecting records against deterioration, damage, unauthorized removal, and accidental loss.
  • Information classification, confidentiality, and role-based access controls.
  • Managing sensitive, confidential, and restricted organizational records.
  • Records management audits, compliance reviews, and corrective action procedures.
  • Disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery of critical records.
  • Integrating records management with business continuity and information security.
  • Assigning accountability for records protection, retention, and authorized access.
  • Practical Exercise: Evaluate a simulated records management environment containing overdue retention periods, confidential files with inappropriate access, deteriorating archival materials, and incomplete disposal records. Develop corrective actions covering security, retention, preservation, documentation, and compliance monitoring.
Day 5

Records Governance, Performance Improvement, and Final Workshop

  • Integrating records management, archival administration, document control, and digital information governance.
  • Developing records management policies, procedures, and operational responsibilities.
  • Establishing standardized workflows for document creation, approval, distribution, storage, and retrieval.
  • Defining service standards for records access, retrieval time, and document processing.
  • Selecting performance indicators for records accuracy, retrieval efficiency, compliance, and storage utilization.
  • Conducting records management assessments and identifying process improvement opportunities.
  • Strengthening coordination between administrative, legal, compliance, archival, and IT functions.
  • Developing staff awareness and training programs for consistent records handling.
  • Evaluating technology requirements and opportunities for workflow automation.
  • Preparing implementation roadmaps for records management improvement initiatives.
  • Establishing monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement mechanisms.
  • Final Workshop: Participants work in teams to design an integrated records and document management framework for a simulated organization facing challenges involving fragmented filing systems, paper-based archives, inconsistent document versions, overdue retention periods, and limited electronic access controls. Each team develops a records inventory, classification scheme, document control procedures, retention schedule, digitization workflow, access control framework, archival preservation measures, and performance indicators. The teams present their proposals and explain how the recommended controls will improve information retrieval, protect institutional records, strengthen compliance, and support operational continuity. The workshop evaluates the practicality of the proposed framework, clarity of responsibilities, effectiveness of information controls, and suitability of the implementation roadmap.

Upcoming Dates

Selected date

Baku · 4 – 8 Oct 2027 · Classroom

Need more details?Chat with us on WhatsApp

CityDatesPrice per ParticipantEarly Bird
Kuala LumpurScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€4,400—
LisbonScheduled
9 – 13 Nov 2026€5,400—
ErbilScheduled
15 – 19 Nov 2026€3,100—
LondonScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€5,600—
MadinahScheduled
23 – 27 Nov 2026€4,200€3,780until 2 Nov
MadridScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€5,400€4,860until 9 Nov
MakkahScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€4,200€3,780until 9 Nov
ManamaScheduled
7 – 11 Dec 2026€4,700€4,230until 16 Nov
IstanbulScheduled
7 – 11 Dec 2026€4,700€4,230until 16 Nov
MarbellaScheduled
14 – 18 Dec 2026€5,400€4,860until 23 Nov
MilanScheduled
21 – 25 Dec 2026€6,000€5,400until 30 Nov
MunichScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec
KigaliScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,100€4,590until 7 Dec
MuscatScheduled
4 – 8 Jan 2027€5,300€4,770until 14 Dec
OnlineScheduled
10 – 14 Jan 2027€1,700€1,530until 21 Dec
ParisScheduled
11 – 15 Jan 2027€5,700€5,130until 21 Dec
RiyadhScheduled
18 – 22 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 28 Dec
RomeScheduled
25 – 29 Jan 2027€5,800€5,220until 4 Jan
TrabzonScheduled
25 – 29 Jan 2027€4,700€4,230until 4 Jan
Sharm El-SheikhScheduled
1 – 5 Feb 2027€4,300€3,870until 11 Jan
SingaporeScheduled
8 – 12 Feb 2027€6,700€6,030until 18 Jan
ViennaScheduled
15 – 19 Feb 2027€5,700€5,130until 25 Jan
AbujaScheduled
15 – 19 Feb 2027€5,100€4,590until 25 Jan
AmmanScheduled
21 – 25 Feb 2027€3,100€2,790until 1 Feb
AmsterdamScheduled
1 – 5 Mar 2027€5,400€4,860until 8 Feb
BarcelonaScheduled
1 – 5 Mar 2027€5,400€4,860until 8 Feb
CairoScheduled
8 – 12 Mar 2027€3,300€2,970until 15 Feb
AccraScheduled
8 – 12 Mar 2027€5,100€4,590until 15 Feb
CasablancaScheduled
15 – 19 Mar 2027€4,300€3,870until 22 Feb
DammamScheduled
22 – 26 Mar 2027€4,200€3,780until 1 Mar
BakuScheduled
4 – 8 Oct 2027€4,800€4,320until 13 Sept

Available in: Istanbul · Dubai · London · Riyadh · Doha · Amsterdam

Related Courses

Ready to Elevate Your Team's Capabilities?

Speak with our advisors about upcoming programmes or a bespoke corporate training plan.