Leading the Way in Records Management
When Las Cruces, New Mexico, City Clerk Shirley Clark was looking for a records management software system, her goal was to find a system that would be “reliable and usable.” She chose Laserfiche’s Records Management Edition package from General Code. Why? “The DoD (Department of Defense) certification,” Clark says without hesitation. She actually went to the Web site and read the certification’s fine print to see exactly what was being certified. “I’m a masochist,” she said with a laugh.
The Laserfiche Records Management Edition package (Laserfiche server software, Advanced Audit Trail and the Records Management Module) is one of the few software packages certified as compliant with the Department of Defense records management standard.
Shirley Clark, who was a municipal clerk for over 21 years, with the last 10 in Las Cruces*, was respected as a leader in the field of records management. Initially, the Laserfiche software bundle was installed in the City’s records center and the City Clerk’s office. It has since been expanded to the City Manager’s office and the Police Department.
A software system “is a document management tool, not a panacea,” she says. She chose the Laserfiche bundle for its “ease of retrieval. I like the way we can take a call from the public and within five minutes find, retrieve the requested record and fulfill the request.”
Without a reliable system, Shirley says, studies showed that “between 5% and 7% of files are misplaced each year. And it costs an average of $200 to track down each lost file.” Do the math, she says. By her calculations, a records clerk simply can’t afford not to buy a system. “This way, we don’t misfile,” she said.
Las Cruces chose to purchase the Laserfiche solution through General Code. “The training 
was wonderful and the support has been unbelievable. The important part is not sales, though I love my New Mexico representative, and she answered every question I asked. But the proof’s in the pudding, in the support and the training. The support from General Code has been tremendous. Actually, one day (General Code Laserfiche HelpDesk technician) Brian Hoody spent eight hours on the phone with a staff member. That level of commitment, that is why (we chose General Code),” she said.
In March, Laserfiche, in conjunction with General Code, held a free workshop for local government in Las Cruces. It was filled to capacity with representatives from Las Cruces and area municipalities that currently don’t have Laserfiche systems for records management but are exploring possibilities. Others do have systems but want to know more about the possibilities for improvement and expansion. Similar Laserfiche workshops are held in many regions and provide an opportunity for clerks to interact and share experiences and ideas for records management.
Since 1987, Laserfiche has helped more than 30,000 clients in government, education and business save time and preserve information.
* Esther Martinez now serves as City Clerk for the City of Las Cruces, NM following Shirley Clark's retirement from office.
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