Record Management For Accounting Firms

It’s the time of year when it’s time to review and reflect on what’s occurred throughout the year. It’s also a time where purging should be at an all-time high. Document shredding should be on schedule for the final weeks of the year, in addition to document scanning for documents and data that can’t be disposed of. Knowing which records to retain and which ones can be destroyed can make or break an organization that deals with sensitive data. An effective plan must be in place and carried out on a consistent basis.

Record Retention for Accountants

Accounting firms must have document storage and document destruction plans in place to support their scanning and storage protocols. With a good document management system in place, everything runs like a well-oiled machine. Employees will know how to handle sensitive documents, how long to keep them, and when they need to be scheduled for disposal. In any business handling confidential documents, this is one of the most important elements of their risk management plan. For companies that employ paperless systems, this is very effective. One thing to remember – even with a paperless system, there will be instances where paper is necessary.

Working on safe and secure storage should be a top priority. A consistent policy that fully outlines how documents are named, where and how they are organized, where and how they are stored, and different levels of accessibility makes things a lot easier. This helps avoid breaches and also works to identify where breaches may have stemmed from in the event one occurs.

Scan Store or Shred with Gilmore

When implementing a document scanning program, it’s important to consider where those documents will live. Will there be an offsite storage facility that has your servers, or will everything be kept in-house? Cloud storage can be very effective and here’s why:

• It’s convenient
• It’s cost-effective
• Documents are secure away from your facility
• You can build and grow without worry

Again, even when scanning documents, those documents must be disposed of. Having a shredding plan in place to get rid of them is key. Working with an effective partner in getting your documents shredded on a continuous basis will keep your company compliant all year and avoid the year-end rush to get rid of documents that should have been destroyed throughout the year. Mobile shredding is a good solution to keep your company on a recurring schedule that won’t interfere with regular operations. This works hand-in-hand with any scanning and cloud storage options you are considering.

Contact Gilmore

If you’re just getting started on your year-end document destruction plan, the team at Gilmore can assist with shredding services and data destruction. Our company specializes in helping companies figure out the best solution for keeping themselves compliant and protecting sensitive information. A NAID-certified company, we provide onsite and offsite shredding to meet any needs. If your company needs assistance with scanning and storing, or document management to implement your plans, we can help with that as well. Contact a Gilmore associate so we can get you started on an effective document retention, storage, and destruction plan today.