Improperly stored documents can create a number of serious obstacles for any company. Proper records management, however, can be particularly challenging for large businesses that have a substantial amount of records. Unfortunately, some businesses regard document management as an afterthought. Consequently, things like data loss or deletion are known to occur. By following some key document storage and retention guidelines, though, it is possible for businesses to safely manage records and to always have the proper information available when.

Follow State Regulations

Each state has different regulations concerning storage of records. The exact record requirements that should be followed also depend on the industry in which a company is engaged. Additionally, retention lengths for records also vary between states, with some states requiring that certain records are kept for a lifetime. Our document storage and management services enable your company to ensure it is complying with all state and federal regulations.

Trust the Professionals with Your Physical Storage Needs

The larger a company is and the more records that it stores, the more likely that accidents and other unexpected events will occur, that records will be accidentally destroyed, or that sensitive information will be compromised, and privacy breached. On-site physical storage devices are always more susceptible to theft, fire, or other failure. For this reason, it is often best for companies to outsource their physical record storage to a records management service provider.

Use Data Storage Devices

Many of the records that a large company needs to maintain and protect against loss and deletion no longer need to be readily accessed or edited. In these situations, it is a wise idea to save storage space by archiving these documents. A reliable digital archival location can make a company’s overall record storage system easier to navigate and maintain. There are several ways to do this.  Some organizations choose to convert their paper records to a digital format for storage, then shred sensitive documents.  Others choose to store paper files with a facility that offers scan-on-demand service.  Records are scanned and emailed when the need arises, saving the upfront cost of scanning and shredding.

Create a Company-Wide Record Retention Policy

When companies assign multiple people the task of handling the storage of records, it is important that they put in place a clear records retention policy. This policy should create guidelines that help your workers readily identify which documents require preserving, where those documents should be stored, and precisely which workers are in charge of managing the records. Workers should be able to refer to this policy whenever there is uncertainty about how to handle a particular document. When putting such protocols in place becomes too cumbersome, consider outsourcing your record retention and storage to the professionals.

Professional Document Storage Assistance

If you need assistance with document storage, you should not hesitate to contact Armstrong Archives. No matter the size of your business, we can help you build and implement a record storage strategy that works. We are highly experienced in record storage and are particularly skilled at document storage, scanning, scan-on-demand, and shredding. Contact us today for assistance.

Sherri Taylor

Posted By: Sherri Taylor – President/Managing Partner

Sherri Taylor is the Managing Partner and President of Armstrong Archives, one of the largest independent records and information management companies in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.

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