This manual outlines the prescribed format and content of an institutional author record card, which forms the basis of the CARISPLAN (Caribbean Information System for Economic and Social Planning) Institutional Author Authority File used in conjunction with the databases of the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA). Fifteen fields are described, covering the officially selected institution name, city, country, parent body, former name(s), subsequent name(s), the language of the institution name, any versions of the name in other languages, any other versions of the name, a notation if the institution is a UN organization, identification of the information center and person entering institutional author data, the date of data entry, the source for the officially selected author information, and an ISIS (Integrated Set of Information System) number used to uniquely identify institutional authors in ECLA databases. Each field description comprises a definition of data included in the field, a description of the field's purpose and basic characteristics, and rules for data entry. A sample record format and a field definition table are also provided. Appendices present further guidelines for the choice and form of data entries, lists of country and language codes used on the record card, and a 10-item glossary. (ESR)