Friday, November 16, 2012

It's Time to Purge your Business Records

Every year after Thanksgiving, businesses all over the world clean out older files and make space for the new year. It's time to set a date for your "Purge Party". One thing I know you will need is Records Storage Boxes,. Why pay more for lower quality at the big name stores.

Elmwood Records Center has heavy duty records storage boxes that are made to last. Order your boxes today. Special pricing for volume discounts and delivery are available. Call Matt Glaviano, Elmwood's Records Analyst at 504-826-9090 or email him at mattglaviano@elmwoodrecords.com to place your order now.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Are your Business Records Safe from Intrusion or Misuse


data breach is a security incident in which sensitive, protected or confidential information, business records or data media is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen or used by an individual unauthorized to do so (including a disgruntled employee).

Incidents range from purposeful attack to careless disposal of hard-copy business records or data media storage. Millions of business records including confidential or sensitive personal or corporate information were involved in security breaches in the United States last year alone.

The departure of a trusted staff member with access to sensitive information can become a data breach if the staff member retains access to the data subsequent to termination of the trust relationship.

Isn't it time to protect your valued business records in a “Trusted Environment” where only authorized individuals can access them.

Elmwood Records Management is ready to help.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Deciding when it is Time Send Records Off Site


If there is one thing every lawyer has plenty of, it’s paper: motions, pleadings, contracts, invoices, letters and other documents, either gathering dust in banker’s boxes or filling up file cabinets.

The problem can be especially acute for solos, since solo practitioners typically have finite space for files — both in their offices and on their computers.
The obvious solution is to get rid of some of those documents. But which ones, and when?
Apart from the general rules regarding the safekeeping of client property, the American Bar Association has rules regarding retention of records for attorneys. But such entities do offer guidelines, such as keeping copies of all files for at least 10 years to protect against potential malpractice claims.
It’s not necessary to hang on to records for on site for 10 years. Send them to Elmwood Records Management

Why your Organization needs a Records Management Program

Written by: 
Allen Podraza ECMp, ERMp, SharePoint p

Do you know what records your organization must keep and for how long, to comply with federal and state statutes and regulations? Have you identified and preserved your organization’s vital records ensuring they are available in case of disaster? If you are involved in litigation, do you know where your organization’s electronically stored records are located and how they can be searched and accessed? If your organization completes an IRS Form 990, will you be able to answer “yes” to the question asking whether your organization has a records management program in place?

READ MORE 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Advice on Handling Wet, Moldy Records

Hurricanes, Floods and Basement flooding is more and more common. Records kept in unsafe places can turn into a nightmare.


Paper records and electronic devices often are among the items damaged by rain or flood water, and organizations must determine whether and how to restore these documents or to securely destroy them. NAID says it recently published two articles describing the disposition of wet records and how to handle moldy records. 
 NAID CEO Robert Johnson says, ”In the event wet paper records are old enough to discard, disposing of them in a secure and safe manner is still a struggle. On the other hand, if the records have not reached their legal disposal date, there are still some basic steps that allow organizations to avoid problems due to their loss.”

Link to this Secured Business Destruction Magazine article:

www.sdbmagazine.com/naid-offers-advice-wet-records.aspx



Monday, October 1, 2012

Have you ever lost an important file?

In my experience "Lost or missing files" are a very costly event. I have personally documented the $10,000.00 retrieval. What is your Horror story about a lost file and how it affected your business.
Tell us your story.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Records Management v Records Storage

Anyone can store business records. Storage is a commodity that you rent per square foot. When you run out of space then you get more. Simple as that. In our world Records Management is actually less expensive and better than simple storage. ARMA and records management professionals agree that storage is only the tip of the iceberg of record keeping cost. The real cost has to do with how you find a file when you need it. It only becomes only important when you need it and then ... it usually goes from the unimportant sitting in a box in the basement to the Board Room for Litigation or Regulatory Compliance.

If you have a story about how lost and missing files has cost you money, please post it to this blog.

Monday, September 24, 2012