Scanning, Storage, and Destruction: Connecting the Dots

Running a business is expensive, and the largest chunk of that expense is usually payroll. But do you know what the second biggest cost is? Rent. The space you use to operate your business.

In Sacramento, the average cost of office space is around $26.20 per square foot. A single square foot isn’t much—just enough room to stand still or place a floor lamp. Now think about how many of those pricey square feet are taken up by boxes, shelves, and cabinets filled with paper documents. Some of these papers are used frequently, while others haven’t been touched in ages. So why is this important? Harnessing the power of scanning, storage, and destruction can help you make better use of your space and increase efficiency.

Scanning

Back in 1978, University of Illinois Professor F.W. Lancaster predicted that by the 21st century, we’d be living in a “paperless society.” While we’ve embraced digital technology, our dependency on paper has increased. It’s challenging, maybe even impossible, for your business to go completely paperless, but converting paper documents to digital files is a great start. Digital documents take up only a fraction of the space that paper files do. Here’s how scanning your documents can benefit you:

• Confidential Business Records: Scanning these records not only protects them from theft but also allows you to store them behind robust digital walls. If you can eliminate paper documents and operate entirely digitally, you’ll safeguard your information and free up storage space. For those confidential papers that need to stay in their original form, consider storing them off-site with a professional records storage company. This can be more cost-effective and provides protection against disasters and theft.
• Regularly-Used Business Records: Scanning these documents can streamline your operations and free up valuable drawer and cabinet space. Digitized files can be easily shared, protected, and accessed only by authorized personnel. Ensure you have a backup system in place, like the 3-2-1 strategy: three copies of your data (production data and two backup copies) on two different media (disk and tape), with one copy off-site for disaster recovery.
• Archived Business Records: Move these records to a records management storage facility to protect them while freeing up space for revenue-generating activities. A professional storage company can quickly retrieve documents and provide you with digital copies using scan-on-demand

Using a professional scanning service ensures you get the best image quality possible. If you dispose of the original document, your digital copy needs to be top-notch because you won’t get a better version later. A professional service will tailor the scanning process to your needs, providing the best DPI, file type, and size for your requirements.

Storage

Renting or owning office space doesn’t have to include storage for paper files. Operating digitally is highly feasible even if most of your records are currently in paper format. For the essential paper documents that must be kept, consider off-site storage. Here are some benefits of using a reputable records storage company:

• Efficient Records Retrieval: Your records are available when you need them and can be delivered, picked up, or sent digitally. They are stored securely to comply with all state and federal privacy laws. Each file is individually barcoded, assigned a unique shelf location, and tracked.
• Protection from Various Threats: Records management centers protect your files from fire, water, humidity, disasters, rodents, and theft. They monitor your files in state-of-the-art storage facilities with limited access to authorized individuals only.

Destruction

Sensitive documents have a lifespan and must be destroyed once they reach their retention date. Shredding is the most efficient and cost-effective method for destroying paper documents. Here’s how to do it right:

• Purge Shredding: Reduce the number of on-site paper files by implementing a one-time or regular purge of redundant, unnecessary, or expired documents. A professional shredding company can handle any size job and offers the convenience of pickup or drop-off services.
• Regularly-Scheduled Shredding: Shredding discarded documents on a recurring schedule protects your information and keeps office paper to a minimum. Adopt a system for directing all paper documents to a destination. For example, discard unwanted junk mail immediately, handle bills as soon as possible, and file or hold other documents until further action is taken. Move paper to the shredding bin to minimize clutter. Consider a shred-all policy where all paper goes to the shredding bin to ensure sensitive information is destroyed. Schedule regular pickups with a shredding company to prevent documents from sitting around too long.

When choosing a destruction company, opt for one that provides locked shred collection containers to protect sensitive information between disposal and shredding. An environmentally-friendly company that recycles 100% of shredded material is also a great choice.

By integrating scanning, storage, and destruction into your business operations, you can reclaim your office space, enhance efficiency, and ensure the security of your sensitive information. Whether it’s transitioning to digital documents, securely storing necessary papers off-site, or regularly shredding unneeded files, these steps can significantly impact your bottom line and overall productivity.

Pacific Records Management offers combined scanning, storage, and destruction services under one roof with a long history of quality service. We can help you recover valuable office space using any of these tools. To inquire about our services, call us at 800-685-9034 or complete the form on this page.