Avoid the Nightmare When Your Most Important Documents Go Missing

We’ve all lost files and documents in the past. Perhaps you’ve lost a receipt, invoice, customer’s info, or even delivery notes. You looked for it everywhere but could neither retrace your steps nor find it. And if eventually it did resurface you no longer needed it as much - annoying, right? You are not alone.

More than they care to admit, many people occasionally lose or misplace vital documents. They cannot be blamed really as sometimes humans are to error. But that is not to say you should resign yourself to fate. A proper document management system can help back up your efforts in keeping your important documents not only safe but also organized.

Here are some tips that could help:

1. Make a Couple of Copies – Depending on how essential a document is, make a couple of copies and store them in different locations. Do not forget to synchronize any changes or updates you make.

2. Make Digital Copies – Most businesses prefer paper documents as they are easy to access and handle. However, break-ins or unforeseen natural disasters such as fire and floods can wreak havoc and make you lose them in a jiffy - that’s where digital copies will come in handy! Get yourself a good quality scanner, scan any indispensable documents, and save them to the cloud.

3. Fortify Your Files Using Passwords – Doesn’t matter whether your computer is private or not. Make use of the password protection feature on a word document, excel, or Adobe Acrobat to ward off unauthorized users from accessing and making changes to your documents. 

4. Use Reliable Backups – The Cloud works great for digital files, where cloud-based software like Office 365 and Google G- Suite can help save a document as soon as you start working on it. Therefore, eventualities such as a system crashing or device malfunctioning will never catch you off guard. As long as you have an internet connection you can access the data from any other device, anytime.

5. Get Rid of Unnecessary Documents or Data – Excessive data and documents can create chaos in your working space making you lose or misplace some. Using your best judgment, only retain documents for as long as you need to. You can create a policy that dictates how long you should keep your documents, after which use a shredder to discard them. This will keep your office space neat, organized, and easy to access.

6. Do not Procrastinate, as Soon as you have a Document in your Hands act – Make it a habit to store a document in its place or back it up as soon as you have it. Procrastinating the task while piling them up only spells trouble.

7. Create an Efficient System – You can create a system that allows you to track your documents and dictate which of your employees gets to see them. Notifications can be sent in case one is required to act on the document or make changes. Based on it, everyone in your business knows what is expected of them and can see the flow of documents from person to person. A combination of technologies makes this possible!

Losing vital documents fritters away your precious time and may lead to unnecessary costs. Luckily, you can avoid such occurrences using a proper and efficient storage system. Above are some of the tips you can utilize to put your house in order. To find out more, get in touch with us today. We’ll be happy to help!