Tessa Duvall is a Tweeter after my own heart.

She delights in filing and tracking open records requests as a reporter almost as much as I delighted in writing open records decisions as an assistant attorney general.

Her tips for organizing/tracking several pending open records requests — with slight modifications for Kentucky law —are useful to anyone who regularly files requests.

Here it is:

-Date requested

-Agency

-Confirmation date/number

-Record description

-My last contact date

-Fulfilled/resolved? (conditional format for Yes=green/No=red)

-Date fulfilled?

-Estimated cost? (sum in bottom row)

-Actual cost? (sum in bottom row)

-Notes

She points out that "estimated cost" is less important under Kentucky law because copying fees are fixed, but "date requested" is critical because the three day clock starts running (actually from the day after the date on which the agency receives it — requests submitted by US Mail often take 3 or more days to reach the agency).

This is a good system.

And I don't think Tessa will mind if non-journalists borrow her open records spreadsheet for their personal use.