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It’s Time to Brush Up on Records Management Best Practices

Reasons to Brush Up

  1. You get rusty. This old idiom describes what happens when you don’t practice what you know. Although much of your records management practices are used regularly, there are some areas that may be less frequently used and would benefit from a refresh. The longer we go without practicing something, the harder it is to recall. Without regular practice, things can get sloppy.
  2. Things change. Records management practices may change and improve over time and it’s valuable to be mindful of these changes. State and federal laws are sometimes updated or added to. If the law changes, you will be required to make those implementations.
  3. It’s required. Your business is required to follow all records management procedures and stay current to protect personal information of staff and clients and to follow privacy rules. Making sure your staff are familiar with all requirements will benefit your clients. It will also help your business to always be ready for an unexpected audit.
  4. It increases efficiency. When all of your staff are current with your records management best practices, your business will be much more effective and efficient.

Practices to Brush Up

  1. Access and Indexing: A records management system is only as good as its weakest link. Make sure you control who has access to the paper and digital files and that they know how they need to be filed and stored securely and properly. If a practice has been altered, make sure all records management personnel are following the same procedures. Indexing and categorizing all documents will ensure that records can be retrieved quickly and easily. A records management company has the training, knowledge, and equipment to make access and indexing effective. Outsourcing your file management will give you more space and still allow you immediate access with file delivery or Scan on Demand.
  2. Retention: Are you familiar with the unique retention dates of your business files? Check to see if any legal requirements have changed and incorporate them into your practices. Check to make sure that both paper and digital files haven’t passed their retention dates. A records management company can help guide you regarding retention dates.
  3. Security: Anytime is a good time to make sure your records are secure from theft and safe from rodents, environmental fluctuations, fire, and flooding. Records management companies have secure and safe, purpose-built document storage facilities. Consider partnering with a local, reputable records management company to increase your information security.

Brushing Up

Review your records management best practices and keep your staff up to date with their training. Hold a new training session when you take on new employees, records management guidelines change, or hold them on a quarterly basis as a refresher. Partner with a professional records management company to keep your business current with best practices and procedures and your records protected.

Records Management Center offers full-service records and information management services to clients in Augusta, Evans, Thomson, and Martinez, GA, Aiken, SC, and the Central Savannah River Area. Call us at 706-724-7982 or complete the form on this page and we’ll be happy to help you brush up on your records management best practices.