Records management is defined as the "field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records" in the International Standard:  ISO 15489 Information and documentation - Records management (Part 1 General ;  Part 2 Guidelines).

Some professional societies and national archives offer useful information and advice:

Information and Records Management Society (UK)

ARMA international (USA)

Retention guidelines from The National Archives (UK)

Managing information from JISC (UK)

Creating an electronic filing system from JISC (UK)

(PIAF) Portail International Archivistique Francophone (includes useful online training modules)

Gérer les archives publiques  information from Les Archives de France

Records management information from the Association des archivistes suisses (French and German)