Dos and Don'ts of File Storage

Every business has to deal with files, whether they like it or not.  It's part of running a company so here are some dos and don'ts of records management to help you out.  

1. Don’t be a pack rat; do identify vital records.  Some companies cling desperately to every scrap of information—at the cost of making the more valuable data that much harder to find. Instead, securely destroy unnecessary, dead or least-used files according to your retention schedule. Move nonessential information from the “active” list. Flag mission-critical information and give it top indexing, storage and access priority.

2. Don’t pay for valuable office space to maintain records; do outsource records storage.  Unless you have an exceptional lease on storage space and don’t mind hiring an in-house records staff, consider teaming up with a trusted off site storage partner. In this case, you box the files, affix them with bar codes and call the vendor for pick-up. They’re out of your way until the next audit or legal discovery calls for them.

3. Don’t put unneeded records in cold storage; do destroy them.  Go ahead, hit the delete button—but only after creating a sensible retention schedule that conforms to any and all applicable auditing or regulatory rules.

4. Don’t scan everything; do develop a hybrid records management strategy—aka scan with a plan. Though scanning it all is tempting, it’s about as senseless as saving every sheet of paper, and it still costs time and money. Begin by digitizing only your most-used files—typically those germane to compliance or operational processes. Know that paper will remain a storage medium for some time to come, despite business’s best efforts to convert expediently.

5. Don’t complicate access; do use a simplifying desktop upload tool. Scanning is only one piece, albeit a very significant one, of a records management strategy. Easy access to records is critical. A smart, simple interface lets authorized users store converted digital documents in a single location, which fosters a sense of control and responsibility. And allow simultaneous access by multiple users—avoid queues as much as possible.

6. Don’t put an administrative assistant in charge of stored records; do hire a records manager. As alluring as it might be from a budget standpoint, you need more expertise to manage the records room archives. Searches go faster with someone in charge and accountable. A records manager coordinates and oversees the Chain-of-Custody of audit information and legal discovery as well as other requests, and assesses your strategy to recommend future upgrades.

7. Don’t allow everyone equal privileges; do set a policy for storage and access. Not every employee has the same need for—or right to—every bit of information in your archives. Develop a policy that’s both user-friendly and takes into consideration the way your company operates and uses information.

8. Don’t forget to include storage in your disaster recovery plan; do provide for records protection. How many companies went out of business or struggled to get going again after Hurricane Katrina? How quickly you can access and activate stored records will make a tremendous difference in whether your business gets up and running after a disaster, be it natural or man made, major or minor.

9. Don’t ignore advances in imaging, storage and information management; do solicit the aid of a trusted partner. Changes in technology and information management processes will continue to shape the way companies do business. To simply toss records into storage is to ignore efficiencies and cost savings in the future. Select a partner who will keep on top of technology, compliance and all other best practices so you don’t have to.