digitisation standard
digitisation standard
To meet this standard and legally destroy the hard copy, you must:
- Ensure it is appropriate to digitise
- Meet the scanning specifications
For more information about managing young people’s information, refer to the following links:
- Minimum Processing Standards, Scanning and recording and
- Storage, retention and destruction of client information
why should I digitise?
It is good practice to digitise for:
- Improved access – digital records are available to multiple users and locations;
- As part of a business process to reduce paper – this saves time and storage costs.
It is often not worth digitising low value records with a short retention period.
what are youth service’s legislative obligations?
Many records, including signed contracts, may be retained in electronic form only.
A scanned document can legally be considered the authoritative version. This lets you safely destroy the hard copy if certain criteria are met.
when can I digitise?
All Youth Service documents may be digitised unless they cannot fulfil their function in electronic form; are unique or of intrinsic cultural value; or are audio-visual material.
Some records may not be appropriate to digitise and if you are unsure, you can contact the Youth Service Support Unit youthservice@msd.govt.nz.
Digitising a record must be done after all editing or annotation of the hard copy is finished.
Digitisation is most effective at the start of a business process which can be completed from electronic copy. It is also an effective way of making high value legacy collections accessible.
msd specifications for scanning and storing information into art
When scanning and uploading information into ART, you need to ensure that the information is scanned or photographed in a way that is displayed in full colour and that the information is clear on the document or image.
The following requirements align with the Ministry of Social Developments specifications for scanning and storing information into ART.
Image quality specifications:
- The smallest text is readable – if not, increase the scanner resolution (DPI);
- Documents with any colour images are scanned in colour; and
- The file output is Adobe PDF format or TIFF image format.
Document storage specifications:
- The date of the document is in the filename;
- The document is stored in ART; and
- The document can be easily found by both browsing and searching.
Quality assurance specifications:
- View or check every file, or 1 in 20 if running a bulk scan, e.g. 100 files;
- Ensure no pages are missing; and
Ensure no edges are obscured.