Looking for a Temporary Solution to Manage Your Public Records Requests?
When your request volume starts to increase, how can you make sure no requests fall through the cracks? Many state and local governments start with a simple spreadsheet to track public records requests like the one available for download here.
At GovQA, we’ve transitioned organizations off of hundreds of spreadsheets like these – some better than others. We’ve compiled the elements that worked best for our customers (before their volume and complexity required our more robust solution).
We hope this quick fix template is helpful, and when the volume or complexity of your requests outgrow this template, give us a call to learn more about our automated platform.
Download the Free Spreadsheet Here
Download this free, quick fix public records request tracking spreadsheet to help you log and track requests.
After downloading, submit any feedback or recommendations to peers@govqa.com.
Using the Free Public Records Spreadsheet: Best Practices
The processing columns of the Public Records template are where you’ll do most of your tracking. Manually update the status of each request as it changes. When a request is completed, use color-coding and the strikethrough tool to simplify your view.
- Make it a habit to open this spreadsheet template and update each request daily or more frequently as needed.
- Change the date colors to red when Public Records requests are nearing or past due.
- Use the processing columns to enter the current responsible party and notes as well as materials and time fees (where applicable).
- When public records requests are complete, use the strikethrough tool to show at a glance that these are done.
- Move completed requests to the “Logged Requests” worksheet for easier reporting if desired.
Upgrading to Automated Public Records Request Workflows
Manually tracking complex, voluminous public records requests is stressful. When spreadsheets just aren’t working for you anymore, GovQA offers a better way to stay compliant and avoid litigation. Here’s how GovQA can help:
A public portal simplifies intake with deflection technologies to allow citizens, journalists, and other government agencies to self-serve. If they find what they need on the portal, you avoid creation of an official public records request. When this happens, request volume goes down! If the request is submitted anyway, GovQA’s automated workflows make processing easy.
An admin portal simplifies request clarification with templates, which allows linking of duplicates to be processed together, automatically routes requests internally, and makes time and materials estimates a breeze.
GovQA automates delegation of information gathering tasks from backend systems (with no file size limitations). Reminders and notifications keep everyone on time, plus, you can securely transfer files between anyone inside our outside your organization while generating an audit trail every step of the way.
Powerful in-tool redaction provides an unbroken audit trail and makes it easy to perform text searches and pattern matching with annotations to hide sensitive data and a full exemption log.
Configurable templates ensure consistent responses and help securely release files back to the public portal with no file size limitations. You can also get alerts when responses are received and viewed.
Dashboards and a robust reporting suite ensure you have all the data you need when you need it.
See GovQA In Action
Interested in how GovQA can help you reduce request volume? Contact GovQA for more information about our Deflection technology today!
Looking for a simpler way to reduce duplicate request volume? Click the train tracks to learn more about our patent-pending deflection technology or click here.
