Document management and archive storage is a huge part of any organisation. There are a number of risks associated with poor document management and there are a few factors to consider when archiving your documents. Keep reading to find out more about 5 things to consider when archiving your documents.

When should records be destroyed?

The failure to keep and maintain up to date and accurate records for the required period of time, as well as being able to locate them whenever necessary, could actually mean that you are committing an offence. Under the Data Protection Act 2018 records and documents should be destroyed when they are no longer needed, when the statutory retention period has passed and when the information is confidential and shouldn’t be seen by others. Certain records should be kept for longer than others, for example HR records should be kept for 7 years after termination of employment whereas payroll details should be kept for 12 years. As part of your off-site archive storage, a schedule should be implemented as part of your compliance with GDPR, in order to comply by not holding data for longer than necessary. As part of Topwood’s document storage service, we can assist you when you need to destroy or shred documents that you no longer need.

How do you manage documents?

Documents should be stored and managed electronically through an electronic document management system to provide the most efficient and secure method to tracking where documents are and how long they have been stored for. With GDPR taking effect in May 2018, individuals have more control over their personal data and have the “right to be forgotten”. This new law means that organisations need to be able to respond quicker to individual requests to have their data destroyed. In order for organisations to do this within the time, they must know exactly where that data is stored. Find out more about how electronic document management can improve your efficiency by clicking the link. Our legal document storage services can help you save time and improve your compliance with GDPR as part of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Can you save money using a document storage service?

Off-site document storage can provide significant cost savings in numerous areas. One cost saving to consider would be the office space that is freed up from moving old archiving to an off-site document storage facility. This can not only provide more space but allow the space to be used for something more productive such as a new employee desk, a larger meeting room, more space for products etc. Another cost saving would be a reduction in administration; off-site document storage can cost less that 1p per box per day. Off-site document storage companies such as Topwood provide an all-inclusive service for document storage, including the collection, indexing, storage, retrievals and delivery of files of boxes, which frees up valued employee time.

How often would you need to retrieve your stored documents and records?

As briefly mentioned above, Topwood provide a fully inclusive document collection and retrieval. The type of document storage service needed does depend on the type of files you have and how often you would need to retrieve them from storage. Topwood has its own fleet of GPS tracked vehicles and our drivers are fully trained and security vetted. We can collect and deliver with the minimum of fuss and our speedy and friendly approach is what makes us shine amongst the competition. At the point of collection all boxes and files are barcoded and scanned to our system using PDAs. From this point every item is tracked whilst in our secure custody. These scanning devices are also used to officially record the collection time and date and provide proof items have transferred to us. Just because documents are stored “off-site” does not mean that you cannot access them. Many clients admit that access to information is actually improved when Topwood’s services are used.

How secure are your document storage premises?

Security and protection of your document storage is a vital part of choosing an off-site document storage business. There are numerous studies that found that a high percentage of fraud is committed internally, this is why storing files in your office will always present a major security risk. Compare that to a professional storage company where there is no public access and staff that have access to the files are all vetted to BS7858 and Topwood provides storage facilities to standard BS 4971: 2017 (the most up to date British Standard to document storage). Our collection Legal document storage is essential to all types of organisations

If you’re looking to organise important documents in your business, call us on 01948 770 152 or email sales@topwoodltd.co.uk to talk to our professional team who can give you advice on which services will suit your needs best. You can also request a quote to receive more in-depth information for the service you’re interested in using.