Many businesses are transitioning to digital documents for greater efficiency. However, scanning paper files is only the first step. Simply creating digital documents does not guarantee security or solve the problem of what to do with the original paper copies. Improperly managed old records can expose your business to compliance violations and data breaches. To fully protect your information, you need a clear plan that includes secure disposal, like using one-time purge shredding services.
Audit Your Digital Transition
After a major scanning project, it’s a good practice to perform a digital record audit. This review ensures your transition was successful and that nothing was missed.
- Take Inventory: Confirm which documents were digitized and which, if any, remain in paper form.
- Check Organization: Verify that your digital files are correctly named, tagged with appropriate metadata, and stored in a logical folder structure for easy access.
- Identify Sensitive Files: Pinpoint physical documents containing private customer data, financial records, or employee information that now require secure disposal of the paper originals. A thorough document management review will help you categorize these records.
Secure Your Digital Records
Your newly created digital files are valuable assets that need strong protection. Securing your electronic records is just as important as locking up physical file cabinets.
- Control Access: Implement strict access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can view or edit sensitive files. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
- Encrypt Data: Encrypt your files both when they are stored (at rest) and when they are being transmitted (in transit).
- Establish Backups: Use a reliable cloud storage service or an on-premises solution with proper security certifications. Regular backups are essential to prevent permanent data loss from hardware failure, cyberattacks, or accidental deletion.
One-Time Purge Shredding for Physical Documents
Once your files are securely digitized and backed up, you must deal with the leftover paper. Keeping these old documents creates unnecessary risk. One-time purge shredding is a service designed for this exact situation. It involves the secure destruction of a large volume of documents at once.
This process is ideal after a digitization project because it ensures compliance with privacy laws. Professional shredding services provide a Certificate of Destruction, which serves as proof that you have disposed of sensitive information responsibly. This documentation is valuable during a legal or compliance audit.
Implement Ongoing Document Management Practices
A successful digital transition isn’t a one-time project; it’s a new way of operating. You need to establish clear, ongoing practices for managing documents.
- Create a Schedule: Set up a regular process for reviewing, scanning, and securely destroying new paper documents as they arrive.
- Train Your Team: Educate staff on the new digital workflows, including how to handle and file documents correctly.
- Use Automation: Consider automated systems for indexing and retaining documents to improve efficiency and reduce human error.
Compliance and Legal Considerations
Different industries have specific rules for how long records must be kept. A clear record retention policy is necessary for compliance.
Your policy should define the lifecycle for various document types, outlining how long each should be stored before secure destruction.
Secure Your Transition Completely
Making the move to digital is a great step toward modernizing your business. To complete the process, you must purge the old paper copies and maintain consistent management practices. Combining digital efficiency with the secure disposal of physical records is the only way to fully protect your business information.
Contact FileShred for professional one-time purge shredding services to ensure your business remains secure and compliant.
