5 Document Storage Questions You Need to Ask Yourself
March 20, 2017
It’s easy enough to throw a file in a box and call it “document storage.” But when you run a business, there are many more steps and factors to consider. We’ve compiled the top five document storage questions you need to ask yourself:
1. When Should I Consider Offsite Storage for My Documents?
If you don’t have the time, physical space, or financial resources to store documents at your place of business, you should consider using offsite storage. Offsite storage reduces office clutter, helps keep you organized and improves the security of your information. It allows you to get rid of space-consuming file cabinets and record storage cartons so your office is less cluttered. This can have an immediate, positive impact on your productivity. And since offsite storage decreases privacy threats to your information, your documents are less likely to be compromised from external and internal risks.
2. Where Will my Documents Be Most Secure?
Not all offsite storage options offer the same benefits, so it’s important to choose a document storage facility that’s secure, convenient and keeps your information organized. Unlike public warehouse and self-storage facilities, a commercial record center is designed exclusively for the secure storage and management of paper documents and files. Access to a record center facility is limited to screened records management professionals. All visitors must pass through a security gate and show identification before being granted escorted access. A digital surveillance system monitors all activity inside and outside the facility. The only identification on each stored box is a barcode which allows it to be tracked. Every security measure is taken to ensure the confidentiality of each client’s information.
3. What Can I Throw Out?
It doesn’t make sense to store every document you’ve accumulated, especially those that are old or outdated. Part of deciding what to throw out means determining which documents have reached the end of their retention life cycle and are legally safe to dispose of. Bear in mind however, some documents may be sensitive or confidential and should be professionally shredded.
4. Does My Storage Plan Support My Disaster Recovery Strategy?
Every business needs a disaster recovery strategy to ensure uninterrupted access to important business information. But an effective disaster recovery strategy is only as strong as your document storage plan. A fire, flood, or natural disaster can permanently damage essential, paper records.
In a commercial records center, your documents are safeguarded from these risks with state-of-the-art technology that includes:
- Ambient temperature monitoring and control
- Fire detection and suppression technology
- Independent electrical generators and backup systems
Each carton is stored on a high-density racking system to prevent mold, mildew and water damage and ensure long-term preservation.
5. How Do I Balance Security and Access?
Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice the security of your documents in order to gain unfettered access to your information. Professional document storage offers a combination of document security and document accessibility. Barcode technology tracks your documents as they are stored and integrates with a powerful records management application. A security portal lets you view your inventory of boxes and files with your desktop browser and request delivery to your place of business at any time. Your information is retrieved, handled and transported with a strict chain of custody process.
Now you have the information you need in order to make an informed decision about when, where and how to store your important business documents.
Corporate Records Management offers document storage services for businesses in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.