TRIM Tip: The best way to use templates

on April 11, 2012

Commonly users will open a record, make changes and then ‘Save As…’ a new document. This runs the risk of saving over the original document. It’s worth reminding your users to double click the record to open it in Read-Only mode. That way they can save anytime without affecting the existing document. Additionally, it might be easier to delete all the specific text (like names and numbers for example) and save the record as a template (.dot file for MSWord).

TRIM Tip: Creating automated parts for Folders

on March 15, 2012

An advantage of electronic document management such as TRIM provides, is not having to create a new folder part when the physical thickness of a folder is too great to handle. However when it comes to closing of these records processing very large volumes of electronic documents within a folder can burden the system. Conveniently you can set your Record Type to automatically create a new ‘part’ when the number of documents exceeds a set limit; for example when a folder contains 500 documents. This also ensures that folder records consistently become inactive and are triggered for closing. These ‘Automated Part Rules’ are set in the Record Type Properties -> Numbering tab.

Selling the sizzle instead of the sausage of an EDRMS to your Executives

on March 15, 2012

Advertisers know that the best way to sell a product is to persuade customers to imagine themselves enjoying that experience. Advertisements for sausages don’t list the meat content (and certainly not the fat content). Instead they conjure up the sound of sausages sizzling in the pan, the comfort of traditional cooking as everyone comes into the warm kitchen, out of the rain, safely home from school or work…. Selling an EDRMS implementation and changes to recordkeeping habits needs to sell the benefits and comforts of an EDRMS and good recordkeeping practices and not the EDRMS and recordkeeping practices themselves. Successful EDRMS implementations where the roll out is to more than 1000 people are not cheap. This is particularly so if all the external and internal costs of creating and executing viable change management, communication and training strategies are taken into account. To be successful the […]

TRIM Tip: Creating order in Actions

on February 14, 2012

Actions order alphabetically. This means the Actions that belong together as a natural process with optional steps can become jumbled up and confusing to use. You can simply add order for ease of use by prefixing group actions with a character (_,*, #, etc). Alternatively if the action group is specific to a department use the department code or process name as the prefix.

TRIM Tip: Action Tracking

on December 16, 2011

Frequently when using Actions to delegate work it’s best to set the responsible location to a Team or Business Unit rather than an individual. The Action can then be reassigned to the individual who will manage it. To find Team based Actions set up a saved search. The team leader is responsible for running the search daily, checking Actions and allocating to an individual. If the team leader is absent the second in charge can still access and act upon their team responsibilities. A practical use of TRIM to create effective workflows…

HP TRIM Tip – Favourites Tab

on October 14, 2011

Make sure your TRIM users are making full use of the Favourites tab on the Shortcuts Bar. For instance, adding frequently used Classifications to Favourite Classifications makes titling records easy. Start the record creation from the Favourite Classifications, right click on the required Classification and select New -> New Record and the Classification will automatically be applied to the New Record form. Also, in cases where users are having trouble determining what Classification to use refer them to the Scope Notes, which can be viewed easily by hovering the mouse over a specific Classification.

TRIM Tip: A different Alternatively Within tip

on September 24, 2011

Traditionally when creating an Alternatively Within relationship between records we have either used the Right Click menu or the Related Records tab on the Properties window. Another way this can be done is by using Browse Via Classifications to find the document and the folder you would like it to be alternatively contained within. Right Click and Hold the mouse button whilst dragging the document to the container. When the container is highlighted release the mouse button. A menu will appear with 3 options, Relate, Put in Container and Put in Alternative Container.

TRIM Tip- Preserve Revision

on May 12, 2011

Preserve Revision is a function in TRIM that has traditionally been used to ensure a particular revision is locked into place so it cannot be removed or replaced with another revision. However, as we become more sophisticated in our use of TRIM (and committed to a paperless office) the use of the function can be extended to replace the traditional signature of approval on paper copies of a document. In this instance Preserve Revisions could be used as a method of approval or electronic signature for a document or correspondence that has several people responsible for the drafting, reviewing then approving process. As each person has finished their stage in the process, and is happy with their work, they can Preserve that particular Revision as a way of approving the work done and confirming that it is ready to move to the next stage of […]

TRIM Tip – Related Records and Alternatively Within

on April 13, 2011

There’s frequently confusion on the difference between the record relationship types, with the two most popular being Related Records and Alternatively Within/Contains. Both can be used when the content of one record is derived from or refers to that of another record. They both enable you to locate that additional information with ease. The Related Records feature creates a simple link between such records. It’s easy to navigate to the related record without performing a search, via the Shortcut Menu or the Record Properties. The Alternatively Within/Contains relationship allows you to set an alternative file path for a record. Records are classified appropriately during original registration, and then when Alternatively related will appear as an icon in a second File or Folder. This reduces risk of overlooking vital information when it is important that all the records are referenced in a decision process as all […]

TRIM Tip: The Activity Log

on February 15, 2011

The Activity Log creates a record of TRIM activities the logged in user has performed during their current session of TRIM. When open, the Activity Log appears as an additional pane in the TRIM window. It is easy to revisit an activity by locating it in the Activity Log window and opening it by double clicking. When you close TRIM, your session will be completed and the Activity Log is cleared. To open and activate the Activity Log, from the menu bar select Window – Activity Log. The TRIM Activity Log is displayed by default at the bottom of the TRIM window. If at any time you wish to stop the logging process, right-click in the Activity Log window and select Stop Logging from the menu.