Creating a file plan
This topic briefly steps you through the mechanics of creating a file plan in IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records, and includes links to other topics that provide detailed information. The tasks are listed in the general order in which you should perform them (that is, you must perform some tasks, such as adding actions and events, before you perform other tasks, such as defining disposition schedules).
- Review your security requirements for records management and make any needed adjustments. Adjusting the default security settings after the system is in use is complex. In general, assign security settings to groups rather than individual users; this will make your system inherently more maintainable. See Security for more information.
- Optionally add a naming pattern,
which defines the naming pattern rules that you want to enforce on different entities,
such as record categories and folders created under a file plan. You should define these
naming pattern rules then associate the naming pattern with the file plan
before you begin adding the entities for which you want the rules enforced.
- Optionally change the configuration of the
volume name suffix, which is an incremental number that acts as a suffix in the
volume name. (By default, the value of the suffix is "00000".) You should configure this
before you begin adding record folders, since a volume is automatically created as a result
of adding any type of record folder except for a box. See Configure
the volume name suffix.
- Optionally create new or customize
existing disposition workflows and transfer them to the Process Engine server. Any
workflows that will be associated with actions need to be available before you create
the associated actions. See Create
and modify workflows.
- Add actions, which are the disposition actions (such
as destroy or move to storage room) performed on entities. You must add actions before
defining disposition schedules. If you are going to mark any record containers or record
folders as vital containers (that is, the records they contain are vital records that must
be periodically reviewed), be sure to add one or more actions of type Vital Review. Although
it is not mandatory, you can mark a container entity as Vital at the time you create it,
which requires you to specify the Vital Review action and the recurring event. See Add
an action.
- Add events, which are the occurrences of specified conditions
(such as end of fiscal quarter) based on which the system triggers certain actions on
entities. You must add events before defining disposition schedules that use these events.
If you are going to mark any record containers or record folders as vital containers, be
sure to add one or more recurring events. See Events.
- Optionally add any predefined dates, which
are dates (typically one-time events) based on which the system triggers certain actions
on entities. You must add predefined dates before defining disposition schedules that use
these dates. See Add a predefined date.
- Define disposition schedules. Although it
is not mandatory, you can associate a disposition schedule with an entity at the time you
create that entity. Also, if your IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records solution includes using record types, you must define
a disposition schedule before you can create its associated record type. See Define
a disposition schedule.
- Optionally add record types, which provide a way
to associate a record with a disposition schedule that is different from the one currently
associated with the record's parent record category or record folder. See Add
or modify a record type.
- Optionally perform any class and property customization, such as subclassing
IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records classes, adding properties to classes, and customizing
the way properties display in the user interface. See Create
subclasses, Add properties to classes, and Customize
the display of properties.
- If your IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records solution includes managing physical records, then add
locations. When you add a physical entity, such as a physical record folder, you
must provide its location. See Add a location.
- Add your file plan. See Add
a file plan.
- Create your file plan hierarchy, which includes adding
record categories and adding record folders.
See Add a record category and Add
a record folder.
After you create your file plan, you should revisit existing IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records configuration settings plus
perform some additional configuration tasks. See Configuring
IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records for a summary.
For information on migrating a file plan from one object store to another (for example,
to move a file plan from a development or test environment into a production
environment), see File Plan Import Export Tool.