The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) in Boise, Idaho houses more than 150,000 boxes containing government and non‑government archives. Established in 1907 as a state agency, it preserves some of the state’s most important historical and cultural records.
But behind the scenes, the ISHS had been managing these important collections with aging, unsupported records management tools and no internal records retention schedule. That changed when the state agency partnered with Zasio.
Through the implementation of Zasio’s physical records management solution, Versatile Enterprise (now known as Versatile 2026 with Advanced Physical Records Management) and a comprehensive records retention schedule developed with the help of Zasio’s Consulting Team, the historical society has improved daily operations and strengthened how staff locate, manage, and care for long‑term historical records.
Background
Spanning territorial-era documents from 1863 through manuscript collections, photographs, oral histories, and the archives of city, county, and state agencies, ISHS is responsible for preserving a vast and varied record set. With only 12 staff members, the agency required a system capable of efficiently managing high record volumes while maintaining the rigorous tracking and documentation standards essential to its mission.
Before Versatile, ISHS relied on two outdated systems: a legacy program “not necessarily developed for archives,” and a separate homegrown database at the State Records Center described as being on “life support.”
As State Archives Administrator David Matte noted, the system was unsupported, not user-friendly, and had been built by two programmers who were leaving. The transfer of nearly 35,000 active boxes from the Idaho State Records Center to the Historical Society underscored the need for a more robust and efficient records management system.
Implementing Versatile
After Zasio was selected and Versatile was implemented, day‑to‑day operations at ISHS improved significantly. Tasks that previously took hours (such as printing large spreadsheets and taping them together on a table for monthly billing) became fully automated and far easier and more reliable to manage with our records management software. Staff were able to work more efficiently with faster searching, bulk uploads, and dependable auditing tools (capabilities that simply weren’t possible with the previous systems).
Key improvements include:
- Automated billing and workflow processes, eliminating manual spreadsheet reconciliation.
- Faster, more precise searching, including the ability to drill down into sub‑entities within large agencies.
- Bulk inventory uploads, replacing handwritten box inventories and reducing errors.
- Robust auditing and space‑management tools, enabling staff to verify locations, correct past misplacements, and keep track of every box and its location during the move.
Versatile helped the agency conduct an audit of its archives for the first time. It’s also become a critical tool in the agency’s 50,000-square-foot expansion project (scheduled to open in 2027) and relocation of more than 30 semi-truck loads worth of boxes that will be transported to the new building.
“Versatile is key to the whole expansion project,” David said. “We know where every single box is from every agency and that information will be used in moving to the new building.”
Consulting
While Versatile solved system and workflow challenges, ISHS was in an awkward situation. It still did not have its own internal records retention schedule. Staff had long been responsible for helping and guiding other state agencies on proper retention, yet internally it relied on the general state schedule.
“It always felt a little weird… we should be leaders in that, and we couldn’t completely make the case for our leadership if we ourselves didn’t have a retention schedule,” David said.
The agency had wanted to develop a records retention schedule for years, but budget and timing never aligned. That changed once ISHS partnered with Zasio’s Records Retention Consulting Team. After a positive experience with Versatile, choosing to partner with Zasio to help create a new retention schedule was the obvious next step.
“I didn’t think of anybody else to create a schedule with,” David said.
Working closely with Frank Fazzio, Senior Analyst, ISHS and Zasio worked with departments across the agency to build the schedule. Frank and David went through multiple review sessions to refine, consolidate, and ensure retention rules were “as lean as they could be” while still aligned with the general state schedule.
“The retention schedule is amazing and everybody in the agency was very impressed with it,” David said. “It really has been one of the many highlights during the 18 years I’ve worked here.”
The Result: A Scalable Partnership for Preserving Idaho’s History
David repeatedly emphasized how positive the working relationship with Zasio has been, describing the company as customer‑oriented, highly skilled, and supportive from start to finish. He praised the software and the technical support during Versatile’s implementation. He also recognized Frank who provided steady guidance, and a collaborative approach to build the much-needed retention schedule.
David said he appreciates how Zasio took time to understand how the agency works and structured the project around those needs.
“We couldn’t have done it without Zasio,” he said.
The ISHS’s transformation shows how much of a difference the right software and support can make. ISHS has moved from outdated systems and informal processes to a more organized, efficient operation that’s better prepared for future growth. It can now preserve Idaho’s history with greater accuracy, efficiency, and confidence than ever before.
With Versatile and Zasio’s Consulting Teams’ expertise, ISHS has not only improved operations for today but also put tools in place that will support its work for years to come.
To learn more about Versatile 2026 with Advanced Physical Records Management, and our Consulting services, call 800-513-1000 or email connect@zasio.com