Top Tips to consider when Archiving Business Documents

*Efficient document archiving is a complex task. Image Courtesy: bluehillscha.org*

Document management is an essential part of the running of any business, and a big part of this is the archiving of your documents. There are a whole host of different risks associated with poor document management, so getting your document archiving in check is important to achieve efficient running of your business. With this in mind, we have created a list of some of the very best tips for when it comes to archiving your business documents:

Sort through the Different Documents

A way to reduce the huge pile of documents you are working with is to firstly dispose of the ones that have outlived their legal retention requirements, professionally destroying them in the correct manner. You are required by law to correctly dispose of the documents that contain sensitive customer information, ensuring that they are completely destroyed with no possibility of them getting into the wrong hands. Once this process is complete, you will then have a reduced pile of documents that you are sure you need to keep but would like to archive.

Active documents also need to be considered, they can be stored as long as you have a digital copy of them. Not only does this give you easy access to them digitally, but it means you can save further space by storing the documents that are currently active as well as the ones that aren’t. Once the documents are scanned, you are then given a digital copy of them, of which is easy to use and access on your computer.

Consider Document Retention Periods in Detail

You should make yourself aware of the retention timeframes of the different documents, researching into the regulations to be exactly sure of what is legally required. Although you may need to seek professional advice and assistance, you should create a retention policy to cover the regulations for your business and the sector that you operate within. Document retention periods are extremely important, and they should be correctly researched so that you know exactly where you stand and what you should be doing.

Store Archived Documents Correctly

Archived documents should be stored in an ideal environment, with the correct protection provided to them. Paper documents can be very vulnerable to damage, and so they should be correctly preserved with special considerations. Fire and water damage are very real dangers to paper documents, and so storing them in the perfect facilities or environment is very important.

Offsite storage facilities are available to businesses to take advantage of, with a professional service and a considered approach for each and every client. Such businesses are experts in the protection and preservation of paper documents, with the facilities specifically designed for document storage, including special measures such as climate control, fire proof storage materials, technical retrieval systems and comprehensive procedures.

Easy Document Locating and Retrieval

Although archived documents are typically never to be seen again until the day comes that they need to be destroyed, it is important that you are able to quickly locate them. Your system should be more than simply looking through the boxes of documents, applying a numbered or coloured system can be an efficient alternative. Offsite facilities often offer a barcoded tracking system to keep track of your documents, which helps for the quick retrieval of them.

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Peter Scully

Marketing Director at SF Media

Keen author and blogger. Peter writes on a number of topics he has a personal interest in, including brand promotion, marketing, social media, online marketing and small business advertising.