8 Common Record Management Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Do you know about 8 common record management mistakes and how to avoid them? In this article, we will let you know everything you must know.

Did you know that hackers attack every 39 seconds?

The increased cybertheft attacks call for proper record management systems. Whether you run a small business or a multi-billion firm, you should keep your business records well to reduce your vulnerability to common cyber threats.

Failure to secure your records can cost you money, time, and unnecessary legal costs. Your customers may also lose trust in you and withdraw from your firm. To keep your business at par, here are eight common record management mistakes to avoid.

Read them to know where you are going wrong, and the protective measures you should take to avoid record management mistakes.

8 Record Management Mistakes to Avoid

1. Ignoring Your File Disposition

How do you dispose of your unwanted documents? Many firms make a mistake by throwing them in the dustbin. The fact that you no longer need those documents does not mean they can’t be hacked.

Your hackers can be your employees or close people at your organization. If you keep the old receipts or documents in the trash bin, you will risk losing your vital info. This is because a third party may collect those papers, and use them to hack you.

The best way to dispose of unwanted files and papers is to call professional shredders. The professionals have advanced shredding machines that destroy everything and eliminate well without leaving traces. They also give out shredding certificates once the disposition process is done.

Find out a reliable shredding firm you can trust to protect your company’s information.

2. Keeping Your Files in House

In-house storage is excellent storage for small businesses. However, as you grow your business, you will realize that your storage needs are increasing too.

The files will continue to occupy your shelves, and eventually, they might mess up your office. File management might become hard too. Even worse, you might easily lose your vital documents, considering that everyone can access that information with ease.

The best record management tip would be to invest in a better storage unit for your files. A padlock would not be enough, that’s why you should consider digital storage. You should learn how to scan on iPhone to make document management more accessible while providing a digital backup in case you lose the physical copy.

3. Not Training Your Employees

Your employees may expose your company’s vital data to hackers if you don’t train them. For maximum protection, you should schedule training in the organization.

You will only need to collaborate with the best data protection experts to help you train your staff. After the training, the employees should do a managed test to evaluate their data protection skills.

A one-time training may not be enough, and this means that you should have regular training programs. The trainers charge a small fee which is much less compared to the costs of data breaches.

Just ensure that you outsource the most reputable trainers who are on par with the IT world’s current changes.

4. Not Indexing Your Files

You are doing wrong if you only pile up your documents on the shelves without indexing them. If you have many files, you should label them, and index them for easier access.
The poor arrangement will not only make the office messy but will also increase the time you spend picking them. So, organize the files well, label them, and store them systematically according to their content or departments.

Do not hesitate to seek the help of professional indexing and barcoding experts. They will help you arrange your files in a great way to save you the time you spent on the organization process.

5. You Don’t Outsource Record Management Team

It’s hard for a business to manage all its documents without an expert’s help. Even federal law requires big firms to have a systematic approach to managing documents, including outsourcing experts.

Record management experts help firms manage their receipts, invoices, and other vital documents. They do this by using both in-house and digital methods. If anything goes wrong in the storage, then the record management team becomes liable for the loss.

So, if you outsource record managers, you will create enough time to concentrate on other business activities. You will have a better and more organized office. Just make sure that you hire the best in the industry to prevent mistakes.

6. You Don’t Have a Data Backup

Data backup services in Orlando can help protect your data from accidental or malicious loss. Backups can also be used to restore your data if a disaster occurs. Some data backup services can automatically back up your data every day or hourly. Others may require you to create a schedule for backups. Backups can be stored on local computer drives, external hard drives, or cloud storage providers. Some backup services allow you to restore your data from multiple backups.

You need solid data backup storage to help you retrieve the information just in case the data gets lost. But how do you back up your data?

The most effective method is cloud storage. Cloud storage gives you unlimited space to keep your photos, files, and images, provided that you observe the terms and conditions.
Other reliable backup methods include hard drives, USB sticks, network-attached sharing, and so on. You can also print the information on your computer and keep it well.

7. Your Data Transfer Methods Are Poor

How do you transfer your data from one computer to another? In an era where hackers are always a step ahead, you should only use the most secure and reliable methods for transferring data.

Bluetooth, for instance, may expose your data if many people are connected. So, if your business requires you to share your files many times, find reliable data transfer methods.
For mac devices, you may consider airdrop, which has proven effective to many businesses. You may look here to know more about the airdrop, how it works, and how you can use it to manage your records.

8. You Don’t Comply With Rules and Regulation

Every state has its rules and regulations regarding the storage of physical and digital records. Failure to observe those rules can attract high litigation costs and probably affect your business’s reputation.

Find out the exact rules which you should observe, and follow them. Note that the rules change often, and therefore, you should be keen on the changes to remain legally compliant.

Avoid the Obvious Record Management Mistakes

Avoid the above-discussed record management mistakes to save time and money. Proper document management will also help you retain your employees, and protect your reputation too.

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