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Preparing for Audits with Off-Site Records Storage

Throughout the records management lifecycle, organizations are constantly subject to audits. They need to prove to regulators they have been retaining records in compliance with their legal retention obligations. If you’re not prepared, an audit can be an unpleasant experience. Auditors can show up at your business location without warning and request a wide range of documents to verify your organization’s compliance with regulatory requirements. Failing to produce the requested information promptly can result in non-compliance penalties. In this blog, we discuss how off-site records storage helps you prepare for audits.

Organized Records

You can’t just hand an auditor a box of paperwork and expect a favorable audit. The more you can make an auditor’s job easier, the faster they’ll get out of your hair. Your files should be organized and properly indexed. An off-site records storage provider can sort your records by department, file type, or retention period so an auditor can easily verify what’s in your records inventory.

Liability Reduction

Keeping information longer than required can extend audit scopes and therefore legal liability. When your records reach their final disposition date, they should be promptly destroyed. An off-site records storage provider monitors your records throughout their retention lifecycle and alerts you when documents are scheduled for destruction. Upon receiving your written authorization, your documents are professionally shredded and you receive a Certificate of Destruction.

Quick Document Access

An auditor isn’t going to wait for you to rifle through file cabinets to find requested records. If you can’t find necessary documentation promptly, your business may face non-compliance penalties. Off-site records storage keeps your records accessible. Your records inventory is tracked with sophisticated barcode tracking and an integrated inventory system that enables round-the-clock monitoring and retrieval of your documents. During an audit, authorized users in your organization can request records by phone, fax or email. Requested records are hand delivered to your office within a few hours. Requestors can even have documents scanned upon request instead and emailed directly to their computer with a Scan on Demand service.

Chain of Custody

Auditors want companies to have well-defined information management procedures. Off-site records storage gives your organization a full chain of custody records management solution. From the day your records are sent off site to their final disposition, they are professionally tracked and managed. As a result, you have a complete history of your records storage and compliance practices.

Audits can be time consuming and stressful. Off-site records storage eliminates unnecessary headaches and helps make audits go as smoothly as possible.

Records Management Center provides businesses throughout Augusta, Evans, Thomson, Martinez, GA, Aiken, SC, as well as the Central Savannah River Area, with full-service records management solutions.