Digitization of the archive as a modern way of storing documents. How to digitize your documents The effect of introducing an electronic archive

Currently, document digitization is becoming a very popular service offered by archival companies. In the world of modern information technologies Almost no organization can do without electronic archive.

Electronic archive and digitization

Electronic archives of documentation significantly save employees’ time, because it is thanks to digital archives that documents will always be at hand for every interested company specialist. On the path to creating an electronic archive or database, digitizing documents is the first step.

Special equipment for digitization

It would seem that there is nothing complicated in the process of digitizing documents, but this is not entirely true. For digitizing most paper archival documents required special equipment– so-called industrial scanners. In addition, under the service “digitization of documents” offered archival organizations, not only the scanning process itself is understood.

Document processing

Processing documents during digitization and some additional actions. This is, first of all, the delineation of documents before the digitization process and their subsequent stitching. As well as reconciliation of digitized documents with originals.

The most important stages of document processing

• Scanning documents;
• Entering information into the storage system.

Details of document digitization

Speaking about the digitization of documents, the reconciliation of electronic copies and paper originals should be given special attention. In addition to the fact that this is an extremely labor-intensive process, in most cases it requires special skills. Many paper documents have some kind of damage, creases and bends, printed characters are erased, and handwritten letters are difficult to recognize by computer programs.

It is necessary to check documents

It is especially important to check originals and copies carefully. design documentation, in which it is used a large number of special signs and symbols (it should be noted that digitization of design documents is the most difficult process, because design documents mostly unformatted).

Can't do without manual work

After digitizing documents and conducting reconciliation, all inaccuracies and differences between paper originals and digital copies are eliminated manually. Thus, we can draw the following conclusion: given the complexity of the process, it is best to entrust the digitization of documents to professionals.

01/21/2016, Thu, 17:51, Moscow time, Text: Pavel Pritula 3068

Transfer to electronic view historical documents and the formation of databases based on archival inventories is one of the most complex types of digitization, requiring special equipment, technology and careful attention to the original documents.

As in all other sectors of government and commercial activity, the digitization of funds in state and municipal archives serves to solve several problems at once: putting things in order in stock records, simplifying the search for documents, reducing the burden on employees and time when processing user requests, preserving dilapidated originals, transferring to the provision of archival services in electronic form, including paid services.

Work on converting archival funds into electronic form began at the turn of the millennium. Since then, Russian archives have digitized hundreds of thousands of historical documents and inventories. But still, this is only a small part of the Archival Fund of the Russian Federation.

Two approaches

1. If we conventionally imagine the funds of an archival institution in the form of a pyramid, then the main volume of it will be the documents themselves, and only a small part at the top will be the scientific reference apparatus (inventories), which ensures navigation through the funds and the search for the required files and documents.

Many institutions use digitization to solve one-time, narrow tasks. By analogy with the implementation of a set software products for each small task, such digitization is called “patchwork”. For example, in connection with the anniversary of a significant personality for a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, an increase in the interest of researchers in archival documents is expected. The archive receives funding, scans these funds and converts the corresponding inventories into a database format.

For example, in connection with the anniversary of a significant personality for a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, an increase in the interest of researchers in archival documents is expected. The archive receives funding, scans these funds and converts the corresponding inventories into a database format.

This path is a non-systematic approach that allows you to report on the work performed in a short period of time, but does not in any way affect the overall efficiency of the archive, since the total volume of documents converted into electronic form is a fraction of a percent of the institutions’ funds. Many archives go this route solely due to lack of funding. But the majority still understand that long-term, planned work is needed.

2. Therefore, many seek long-term program budgets and follow a different strategy, much more promising in terms of the development of archival services and online services. This strategy is also supported by the Federal Archives Agency (Rosarkhiv).

Priority is given to converting everything into electronic form. scientific reference apparatus. This path allows us to move to full-fledged automated accounting of funds, including the creation of unified information systems for regional archives.

In addition, it becomes possible to simply and conveniently search for funds, which makes it easier internal activities and allows you to move to providing archival services in electronic form.

Documents are scanned in the current mode when requests from users are received. To do this, the archive only needs to have at least one professional scanner. But for the digitization of large volumes of files, inventories, as well as especially valuable documents, experts from organizations specializing in scanning and retroconversion are still involved.

Specifics of digitizing archival documents

Now let’s take a closer look at some of the features of scanning and indexing archival documents and inventories. Unlike, for example, books in circulation, in archives almost every document is unique. A huge responsibility falls on the scanning operator, who must see the special condition of the document (dilapidation, damage, text disappearing into the spine, special stitching, etc.) and promptly set up the equipment, or transfer the document for restoration.

One of the frequently scanned types of archival funds is land surveying. This is a standard archival document with a thick spine. However, among its sheets there are attachments of up to A0 format. You can’t embroider things; you can’t use the broaching technique. The contractor must have another class of equipment - large-format planetary-type scanners (example).

Experience, which is attracted to work in an institution, is of very high importance. As many years of practice have shown, frequent reconfiguration of equipment and the need to monitor the quality of originals and resulting electronic images in real time are beyond the capabilities of newcomers to digitization. If such a company wins the competition, there are high risks of significantly increasing the project timeline or receiving a low-quality resource (therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly check the prepared electronic images when submitting the work).

Equipment

The specific features of the documents place symmetrically high demands on the equipment. For archival documents, you can use exclusively non-contact scanning technology - planetary scanners.

Moreover, the scanner must have the highest characteristics of resolution, color rendering and contrast, since the presence of low-contrast, fading texts and images is high. What equipment is popular in the planetary scanner market can be found in our 2014 review.

The first such scanner was developed by ELAR as part of the digitization project of fund 350 “Revision tales and confessional statements” of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts. In order to scan old originals up to 50 cm in height and weighing up to 50 kg, the scanner is equipped with a motorized cradle. The safe level of pressure against the glass is controlled by several sensors.

The special structure, thickness, and weight of archival documents sometimes lead to the need to develop special equipment. Thus, in most state archives, among the sought-after genealogical funds, there are files more than 30 cm thick and weighing up to 60 kg: for example, population census materials (census books), church parish birth documents, etc. For a long time, despite their demand, these funds were not scanned due to lack of equipment. Suitable scanners appeared on the market only at the end of 2013, but today they have already gained popularity.

Indexing

In order to keep records and be able to search for documents, they need to be indexed - fill out cards in the AIS. Most archival documents and inventories were made manually or using a typewriter, that is, they are not amenable to high-quality software recognition. Manual retroconversion required.

Reappear Additional requirements to the performer. Firstly, he must have sufficient staff to complete the work on time. Up to 700 indexing operators participated in the largest projects to date for the digitization of archival collections. It is unprofitable to keep such a permanent staff, so large and experienced companies often hire local population. For the first time, this technology was used when digitizing metric books for the “Generations” project Perm region" Several hundred people were temporarily employed through the Employment Center. Moreover, they worked from home, through a special application.

A classic example is that an old document shows the date May 37th. The trained and sensible operator, naturally, did not enter incorrect data, but clarified the date on the adjacent sheets of the registry book.

The main question is how to achieve 100% quality? After all, you cannot make mistakes in your name, dates, numbers. A rigid system and technology come to the rescue. For example, the double entry method, when information enters the Database only after the same entry by 2 operators.

But there still remains the problem of dead languages ​​and writing. When retroconverting such documents, the experience of indexing team leaders, who often have to solve complex non-standard problems, comes to the fore.

Inventory

And now about the main thing. As already noted at the beginning of the article, a promising strategy for digitizing archival funds is to convert the complete ECA into electronic form. This is the most difficult work. Methodological recommendations Rosarkhiv has established rules for maintaining databases of archival inventories. Therefore, inventories need to be indexed by a wide range of fields.

The complexity of digitizing archival inventories is taken into account, among other things, in 44-FZ “On contract system" According to Part 2 of Art. 56 of the law, “the provision of services related to the need for access of contractors and performers to the accounting databases of museums, archives, and libraries” is the basis for holding a competition with limited participation (participation is limited to the results of prequalification selection). That is, only after the applicant confirms his competencies and experience in performing similar projects.

Inventories, like documents, can be shabby and written in one of the dead languages. Inventory can have a very complex structure and contain. The format of inventories differs for ordinary and scientific and technical documentation, as well as non-stock accounting items. The generated database must be entered into the “Archival Fund” software package, etc.

Without a deep understanding of the processes of archival activities, knowledge of the regulatory and methodological framework, it will not be possible to carry out a high-quality translation of the reference data into electronic form. Therefore, it is necessary to trust digitization only to trusted companies that have proven in practice their ability to handle archival funds. You can estimate your budget by ordering.

Website, electronic reading room:
ZAO "Alt-soft" - implementation and technical support of the software and information complex (PIK) for the organization of electronic reading rooms in the state archives of the Pskov region.
In 2012, work to finalize the PIK was not carried out due to lack of funding.
In 2013, the work was continued, which resulted, among other things, in the creation of an Internet portal for the archives of the Pskov region.
Financing included in state program Pskov region “Development of the Information Society” (until 2020), section - “Implementation of activities to support the PIK “Electronic Reading Room of the Regional Archives”, 1.5 million rubles are allocated annually.

From correspondence with the director of GAPO: This program, indeed, should annually replenish the archive limits by 1,500,000 rubles. In fact, we have 500,000.
The archive (more precisely, the region) pays 250,000 for the annual maintenance and improvement of the Information Resources website.

There is no way to post anything on the site yet (August 2018) (in any kind of access).

Errors in inventories are also not corrected.

At the same time, they are deciding how to technically provide remote access.

But this is all still vague. There is no money for anything.

Discussion of the work of the RGIA website, which was also made by Alt-soft.

Digitization of archival files:
Branch insurance fund and audiovisual documents of the state government institution of the Pskov region “State Archive of the Pskov Region”.

The State Archive of the Insurance Fund and Audiovisual Documents of the Pskov Region was created on February 1, 2003 by order of the Administration of the Pskov Region. For the newly created archive, the main tasks were identified: creating and ensuring the safety of a unified insurance fund of documentation for unique and especially valuable documents that are national, defense, scientific, cultural and historical heritage, as well as a full-fledged acquisition of the Archival fund Russian Federation audiovisual and electronic documents, which significantly complement documentary sources on paper media valuable information, providing visual and audio reproduction of past events and their participants, which is extremely important for covering history.
The structure of the archive is represented by two departments: the department of microfilming and digitization of documents and the department of ensuring the safety, accounting, acquisition and use of documents. Link.

The department of microfilming and digitization of documents, which consists of three employees, is engaged in the translation of inventories and files of the state archives of the Pskov region into electronic form. Digitization will help ensure quick, convenient user access to documents that meets modern information society standards and prepare for the creation of an insurance fund designed to guarantee the preservation of the rich heritage of the Archival Fund of Russia.

The main type of work carried out by department specialists is document scanning. Link.

The archive is looking for money for a server for digitized documents (issue price is 600 thousand rubles), since the available free space is coming to an end.

Summary of Document Digitization Resources:

People: three employees.

Financing:
In 2017, Rosarkhiv does not allocate money from the Federal Target Program “Culture of Russia”.
In 2012, they allocated 1,500,000 rubles; they will not give any more.
There is no big money in the regional program; digitization is proceeding as planned using purchased equipment.

Technique:
book scanner,
another book scanner that allows you to scan documents up to 35 cm thick,
two workstations.

Scope of work performed:
Over the course of two years (2010-2011), we made digital images of inventories in in full- 12734 inventories, 180904 sheets.

Since 2012, the State Archive of the Insurance Fund and Audiovisual Documents has begun the planned digitization of archival documents from the period before October 1917, stored in State Archives Pskov region. GAPO has prepared a long-term plan for creating digital copies of documents, reviewed and agreed upon by the Expert Review and Methodological Commission of the State Archival Department of the region. For inclusion in the Plan, three main criteria were used: the most used cases, the category of especially valuable cases, taking into account the subsequent creation of insurance copies, documents on the history of the city of Velikiye Luki and Velikiye Luki district in order to satisfy the interests of users of the city of Velikiye Luki, where the local history movement is very developed .

In 2012-2013, 1,595 cases with a volume of 157,459 sheets were digitized.
It turns out that on average 216 pages were scanned per day.
If you make allowances for holidays and weekends, round up - let it be 300 pages.
From the comment on the link below:
In one working day, on one planetary scanner (and in the vast majority of archives there is only one), you can make a maximum of 280-300 sheets (this is if small things that are conveniently laid out on the scanner are not metrics/revisions/confessions and not drawings). This is only scanning, without processing the received frames.

From correspondence with the director of the archive on the forum:

Now (August 2018) the fund transferred from the registry office is being scanned.

In the future, the plan is to digitize genealogical material.

The database of scanned cases currently contains 1680 items.

More are scanned, they are processed and added to the database when ready.

There are metrics (I’m not sure exactly) and there are confessional ones (I’m sure) - these are those that were scanned immediately after restoration. There are several audits for Sebezhsky district.

In terms of digitization prospects, an agreement is currently being worked out with educational institutions, which will determine the procedure for digitizing those cases that are most in demand in terms of scientific work.

Large-scale digitization of metrics is not expected (according to at least Bye).

Long-term plan for creating digital copies of documents:
GAPO has prepared a long-term plan for creating digital copies of documents, reviewed and agreed upon by the Expert Review and Methodological Commission of the State Archival Department of the region.

I would like to know this plan.
Plan form, example.
Organization of work on digitization of archival documents, methodological recommendations.

In order to organize and control the work on digitization of funds in each archive, a Perspective Digitization Plan must be created, which includes the names of funds intended for creating electronic copies within the entire collection of the archive (Appendix No. 2).

Monitoring and editing of the Perspective Plan must be carried out annually, based on the results of the implementation of the annual digitization plan, enshrined in the List of funds subject to digitization.

As of 2016, a plan for the digitization of funds is available in 36 archives. Data

Archival processing of documents is the systematization and organization of documentation that is generated during the activities of the organization. There is a list of certain categories of documents that are subject to archival storage in strictly in the prescribed manner. Founding, administrative documents, financial statements, personnel, specialized and other documentation of government, commercial legal entities various fields of activity, temporary and long-term storage are subject to archiving. Archival processing of documents should be carried out in mandatory in accordance with the current legislation of the country. IN otherwise, the institution faces penalties.

Documents from the archive may be required to compile reports, statistics, fulfill citizen requests and provide information government agencies, for the preparation of information events, financial analysis etc. In addition, the presence of an archive allows you to keep documentation in order and have quick access to the required document or to the point, even after several years.

What organizational documents can be archived?

Reisswolf specialists work with documents different types- from personnel to accounting. The storage period and conditions of liquidation depend on the nature of the securities. In most cases, terms range from 1 year to 75 years.

Archiving documents in the organization of office work is carried out in three main directions:

• standard nomenclature of cases (developed by committees, ministries, various bodies and institutions);
• approximate nomenclature of cases (an approximate composition of cases is established, and the requirements are advisory in nature);
• individual nomenclature (compiled by company employees and management of structural divisions).

Mandatory archiving accounting documents and personnel papers are subject to personal files of enterprise employees, constituent documentation, administrative papers, accounting records (declarations, reports, etc.), specialized documentation (local internal acts).

The timing of archiving accounting documents depends on their purpose. For example, tax data accounting policy, incoming and outgoing cash orders, invoices, inventory accounting cards, write-off acts are stored for 5 years. Invoices for shipment of products must be archived for 4 years.

Archiving personnel documents is carried out according to a special scheme, and the terms strictly comply with the legislation of the Russian Federation:

• every employment contract must be stored for 75 years;
• personal files of employees - 75 years;
• documents confirming the provision of bonuses to employees - 5 years.

Properly organized archiving of documents in the organization of office work is extremely important for any legal entity, because the speed of work of personnel and the ability of enterprise management to adapt to changing market requirements directly depends on this.

Main stages of documentation archiving

The process of archiving accounting documents, personal files and other documentation to be stored in the archive consists of the following steps:

1. Examination of the value of documents.
   At this stage, the practical, historical and scientific value and, accordingly, the selection of documentation to be stored in the archive are determined, and the storage period is also determined.
2. Documentation systematization stage.
   According to the direction of activity, all documents are formed into files of permanent, temporary and long-term storage.
3. Registration of systematized cases.
   This process is carried out in accordance with the law and includes:
   • numbering of sheets;
   • preparation of a certification sheet;
   • compilation internal inventory;
   • cover design;
   • preparation historical information.
4. Drawing up inventories and prefaces to completed cases.
   At this stage, a systematic list is created, including the names of cases.
5. Formation of an electronic archive.
6. Drawing up an act of transfer of documentation and further transfer of cases for storage in the archive.

The process of archiving documents in the organization of office work also involves the disposal of files that are not subject to storage. Destruction is carried out after drawing up the relevant act and approval by the organization. The development of the nomenclature is provided for by the requirements for the preparation of archival documentation. The procedure for archiving documents in an office management organization can be carried out separately or in the process of archival processing.

Services of the company "Reisswolf"

Archival processing of documents is a labor-intensive process and requires possession of a certain knowledge base. In most cases, it is impractical to have a staff member servicing the archive. In addition, in order to keep things in proper form, it is necessary to have a special room that meets certain sanitary standards. Today, many companies prefer the option of outsourcing. The service of archiving accounting documents will save not only time on the lengthy process of document processing, but also financial resources. Archival processing of documents in Moscow, further storage of files and other services related to documentation archiving are provided by the Reisswolf company. Qualified specialists process documentation in accordance with the requirements of current legislation. Archiving documents in record keeping organizations is a lot of work. And its main difficulty is strict compliance with all rules, norms and regulations. The cost of archiving documents depends on the volume, complexity (condition and completeness of documentation) and urgency of the work.

Prices for archival services

Archiving documents
Name	Unit measurements	Price
Express assessment of the organization’s archival fund, formation of recommendations for improving and improving activities	fund	for free
Archival processing of documents	case/folder	1,425 RUR
Drawing up an inventory of cases for management documents permanent and long-term storage	case/folder	51 RUR
Compilation of historical information about the organization. Fund up to 10 years	reference	7,400 ₽
Numbering of sheets in the file, design of the certification sheet. Case spine thickness up to 4 centimeters and up to 250 sheets	folder/case	210 ₽
Composite archival binding (documents in A4, A5 format). Case spine thickness up to 4 centimeters and up to 250 sheets	case/folder	167 RUR
Work in the customer's office or archive	employee/worker	4,500 ₽

Who will need this service?

Archiving of documentation should be performed by all organizations, regardless of their field of activity. Government and commercial institutions may need services for archiving documents in an organization:

• does not have an archivist on staff;
• those who want to save money work time, financial investments for archive maintenance, as well as free space in the office;
• complying with archival legislation on recording, compilation and preservation of documents;
• those wishing to improve the efficiency of the company.

In the absence of premises for storage and processing, Reisswolf will provide archiving services for documents for legal entities, as well as their temporary storage on its territory.

Why is it better to entrust archival processing to professionals?

Documentation must be properly archived before being archived. If the norms and requirements of archival legislation are not met when registering cases, there is a risk of receiving documents for re-processing, which accordingly entails additional time and financial costs. In addition, enterprises are responsible for the security of files and ensuring limited access to them. In case of violation of the rules for archiving accounting documents, penalties will be imposed on the institution. Disposal of documents should also be carried out after appropriate examination and only after the expiration of the file storage period. Strict adherence to storage periods and execution of a destruction certificate are part of the procedure. Archiving of personnel documents and other types of documentation must be performed competently and in strict compliance archival rules. An unprofessional approach to business often entails fines and a damaged reputation of the organization.

Why is it profitable to cooperate with Reisswolf?

The company provides professional document archiving services. We offer our clients favorable terms of cooperation:

• professional processing of archival documents at the market average price and in strict accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;
• secure temporary storage of files, if necessary;
• maintaining confidentiality;
• short deadlines for completing work.

To order services for archiving personnel documents or receive detailed advice from Reisswolf specialists, use the feedback form.