Document Rjn8RQ3jXxXVDM2GkrpX4p9EV

INTER-ORGANIZATION CORRESPONDENCE ) UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION to K. K. Fisher, Chairman Records Retention Policy Committee date August 18, i960 from H. F. van Gorder subject Status Report Records Management The Records Retention Committee - Central Operations is actively engaged in records management programs in all departments of Central Operations. Progress made since the release of the complete Records Management Policy and Procedure Manual on April 1, 1959/ >y your Committee, has "been very satisfactory. However, a great deal of work remains to be done in many areas. Advantages gained from more efficient records systems, official retention schedules, proper use of microfilming, utilization of Annandale Archives, destruction of records and protection of vital documents are gradually being accrued. Following is the status in Central Operations as of this date:* 1. Records of Central Operations Accounting in the General Offices, Works and Coal Districts are -controlled by official retention schedules. It is planned to review, update and revise these instructions for conformance with the Policy and Procedure Manual. Schedules for other Accounting divisions also require investigation and development into formalized instructions. Reorganiza tion of the filing systems in Cost and Statistics and Real Estate Divisions is currently being accomplished by Procedure Division analysts. The Archives is being utilized to a great extent for both normal retention purposes and protection of current records necessary for reconstruction of a balance sheet in case of fire, flood or other disaster. 2. Commercial Department records are well controlled by published retention instructions. The schedules are currently in process of review, revision and expansion. Staff service is provided all Commercial units by the Commercial Methods and Procedures Division. The Archives is being utilized for storage and for protection of important records. 3- Engineering and Research, records retention schedules are currently in process of development. Contact has been made vith all branches of Engineering and Research except the newly organized General Office Engineering group temporarily located at South Chicago. Several schedules were completed which require restudy due to recent organizational changes. Considerable progress has been made in destruction of filed material which is of no further value and transfer of records to the department considered the source of the information. Three schedules are in process of approval at this time. The Archives is being utilized far storage where possible. 4. International and Raw Materials files, recentralized in January following two-floor operation for nine months and subsequently expanded due to the new International staff, are working well. A current over-all culling of records and reorganization program is showing good results. Records of a statement nature are being reviewed and retentions established for those received during the last year. October 1 has been set as a target date for completion of such retention periods. 5 - Law Department records are covered by an official retention schedule which is currently being reviewed for conformance with the functional schedule contained in the Records Management Policy and Procedure Manual. Studies involving records retention in other areas are also in process at this time. 6. Personnel Services retention schedules have been coupleted and submitted for review and approval. These schedules indicate a good basis for controlling records retention in this department. Staff service is provided all Personnel Services units by the department representative. Material is periodically reviewed and much progress has been made and is continuing to be made in the destruction of material which is of no further value. The Archives are being utilized to a great extent fear retention purposes. T Retention schedules for the Production Department Divisions in the General Offices sire in good shape, with isolated instances where some revisions are required. Questionnaires were sent to all UCO-Steel and UCO-Coal plants requesting information regarding their .records retention programs. The results of this inquiry indicate that some plants are in need of a new program, other plants have very good up-to-date systems. Homestead District Works has concluded a program -3 - ) .7 Continued of updating schedules developed in 1950 and greater utilization of Annandale Archives. The Production Department representative has proposed that the Accounting Department conduct a study of all Accounting and Operating records at one plant to revise and update all of the original 1950 Works schedules, and to determine the feasibility of centralized files in whole or in part. This would necessitate Works'' visitations, review of present practices, recommendations, and development of adequate records procedures. Purchasing Division records are well controlled. Although retention periods have not been recorded on the uniform schedule form, every record is retained for an established period of time. Subject files are purged every six months. Annandale Archives is being utilized to a great extent. A very comprehensive review of staff files is planned in conjunction with space layout changes. This will not be completed until approximately one year after the space changes have been made. Many duplications of records filing should be eliminated. The vise of shelf filing has been thoroughly investigated and proposed. By reducing the in-building retention of regular purchase orders, space requirements were reduced about two months ago. Shelf filing should further reduce this by approximately forty percent (40$). advise if you require any further information on this subject. Chairman Records Retention Committee - Central Operations JJSrmab Copies to: Members - Records Retention Committee Central Operations