Introduction to record-keeping

Created: September 19, 2013 at 9:57 AM | Updated: March 8, 2022 | By Community Resource Kit

Keeping good records helps you manage your organisation effectively and efficiently, and helps you make sound decisions. Deciding how to keep and maintain records, and who has access to them, is important if an organisation is to function well.

What is a record?  A record is any information that's written or entered on paper, computer or other media. It includes information that you either must by law keep, or want to keep for a period.

Keeping accurate and up-to-date records:

  • allows you to control your finances better i.e. up-to-date records help to determine if your group is making enough money to cover its expenses
  • provides evidence of whether your organisation is being run well, which may help to judge how well you are performing generally
  • makes it easier for potential funders to know whether to fund your group or project
  • makes filing tax returns (and GST returns) easier and quicker
  • keeps your organisation within the law by maintaining accurate records
  • means accounting and any audits will take less time. 

Record-keeping resources in the Community Resource Kit 

  • Organising your records

    • What is a record?
    • Start at the start
    • Classifications of records
    • Records to keep
      • Checklist of records to keep
    • Records you must keep by law
    • Historical records/archives
    • Keeping records on computer
  • Organising your filing system

    • Good filing systems
    • Filing equipment
    • Filing location
    • Checklist for establishing a filing system
    • Checklist for maintaining your systems
  • Keeping information safe and private

    • Information safety
    • Avoiding gradual destruction
    • Protecting against disaster
      • Disaster protection checklist
    • Information privacy
    • Privacy Act 2020
    • Information privacy principles
    • Technology and digital guidance
      • App development
      • Data safety toolkit
      • Using the cloud
      • Privacy statement development
      • Guidance on the use of portable storage devices
      • Use of data and analytics
    • Information privacy checklist

 

Next page: Organising your records

Contents of the Community Resource Kit