For many businesses, recordkeeping is one of those things you figure out as you go. You file what needs to be filed, store it wherever there’s room, and call it done. As long as you can find what you need the next time you need it, it feels like an actual strategy.
But over time, that kind of carelessness starts to take its toll. It gets harder to track things down. Records are misfiled or lost entirely. And before long, you start to wonder if it’s all going to come crashing down at the worst possible time.
Recordkeeping is often treated as a side effect of doing business, something you deal with because you have to, not because you want to. And for that reason, it rarely gets the attention it deserves. But it’s one of those areas that’s worth getting right, because the longer you cut corners, the harder it is to fix later on.
A lot of the worst recordkeeping habits are based on incorrect assumptions or misplaced fears. In this article, we’ll clear up a few of those misconceptions and share some added benefits of keeping your records secure and organized.
Digital Automatically Means Secure
We talk a lot about the security issues that paper recordkeeping can create. After all, that’s kind of our bread and butter. But the truth is, storing your records electronically doesn’t automatically guarantee that they’re secure, either.
Digital files can still be deleted by mistake, accessed by people who shouldn’t have access, or lost entirely if there’s no backup in place. Even cloud-based systems, while much more resilient and secure, aren’t foolproof.
To protect your digital records, you need to set permissions, maintain consistent backups, organize files in a way that makes them easy to find, and keep sensitive information in protected formats. All of that is easier to do electronically, but it still has to be done. It’s not magic.
Many smaller businesses fall back on desktop folders or simple cloud storage apps simply because they’re just easier to set up. And while those solutions can work in the short term, they weren’t really designed for business grade recordkeeping.
Using dedicated document management software, or working with a knowledgeable partner like SecureScan to set one up for your is a much better option, which will bring structure to your records and reduce the risk of security breaches.
Retention and Destruction Policies Are a Waste of Time
Most businesses don’t think twice about keeping records longer than they need to. When it comes to deleting anything, holding onto everything can feel like the safer choice. Maybe even the more responsible thing to do.
But that approach can create bigger problems than it solves. The more records you hang onto longer than you should, the more time you spend managing information you don’t need, and the more exposure you create for the sensitive data in those records. On the other hand, getting rid of documents too soon can lead to issues with compliance or audits.
That’s where a retention policy comes in. It doesn’t have to be complicated or formal. It just needs to clearly outline what to keep, how long to keep it, and when it’s safe to securely destroy it. Putting it in writing gives your team a consistent process to follow and helps prevent the slow buildup of records you’re better off without.
Paper Recordkeeping Is Less Expensive Than Digital Recordkeeping
On the surface, storing everything on paper seems cheaper. There’s no software to buy, no subscriptions to manage, and no IT training required. You print what you need, file it away, and move on. For a lot of small businesses, that feels like the most affordable way to manage records.
But the hidden costs of paper recordkeeping don’t show up right away. They show up in the time it takes to file, retrieve, refile, and track down documents. They show up when storage cabinets fill up and you need to buy more, or when you have to hire extra help just to keep up with the paperwork. These costs often go unnoticed until they’re already baked into your budget.
Digital recordkeeping does come with its own expenses, many of them upfront costs, but it’s also one of the easiest ways to lower your long-term expenses. Storage is cheap and near endless, and there’s no shortage of software designed to make managing electronic records easier, faster, and more efficient.
Recordkeeping Is a Completely Manual Process
For a lot of businesses, recordkeeping is still a hands-on task. Someone has to fill out paperwork, file it away in the right folder, maybe print a copy or two. It’s time-consuming, and it’s easy to make a mistake, especially when you’ve got a hundred other things to deal with.
But recordkeeping doesn’t have to be a fully manual process. There’s a ton of software available that can automate the repetitive parts for you, helping you keep things organized with far less effort. You can route documents to the right place, apply consistent file names, categorize records based on content, and even set reminders for retention based on the type of record, all without lifting a finger.
Automation helps reduce human error and makes your system more consistent. It also saves time, both upfront and down the road, by taking small but necessary tasks off your plate.
Going Fully Paperless Is Out of Reach
Most people already know that digital recordkeeping comes with a lot of advantages. It’s a faster, easier, and more modern way of managing information. That said, what often holds people back from moving from paper to digital recordkeeping is the process.
It sounds expensive. Complicated. Like something you’d need a full-time IT department to handle. So it ends up on the “maybe someday” wishlist, if it’s considered at all.
But the reality is, going paperless is a lot easier than most people think. It doesn’t have to be a massive, all-at-once project. You can start small, scanning just a few boxes or a single department’s worth of files to get a feel for it. You can prioritize active records first or phase in digital recordkeeping gradually based on what your team actually uses.
Professional scanning services like those offered by SecureScan are also more affordable than many realize, especially when you factor in the time and space you’ll save down the road. You’re not just getting digital scans of your records, you’re getting indexed, searchable digital files that are easier to organize, easier to secure, and easier to access when you need them.
And when you work with a scanning partner like SecureScan, you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting. We handle the logistics, the prep, the scanning, and the secure delivery of your files, so you can spend less time managing paper and more time running your business.
Rethink What’s Holding You Back
If recordkeeping feels messier than it should be, you’re not alone. Most systems evolve without much planning, and once a process is in place, it tends to stick around for the long haul.
But there are better options out there, and going paperless is one of the easiest ways to get things back on track.
SecureScan has been helping businesses take that step for more than 22 years. Whether you’re looking to digitize your existing records, set up a system to store and access your information, or need help following through on your retention requirements, our team is here to support you every step of the way.Contact us for more information or get a free quote from one of our scanning technicians to see how we can support your next step forward.
