While digital recordkeeping has become much more popular in recent years, many businesses still need to use paper. Service businesses often use paper invoices and work orders on job sites. Signed contracts and agreements are still common and need to be kept on file for future reference. Government offices like the DMV use paper forms as part of providing services to the public.
There are many situations where going completely paperless just isn’t possible. But that doesn’t mean you need to live with the consequences of keeping everything on paper.
The issue isn’t with paper itself, it’s the risk of losing everything to a single mishap. A burst pipe or small fire can wipe out years of records in minutes, and once they’re gone, there’s often no way to fully replace what was lost.
It’s unsettling to think that one unexpected event could threaten your records or disrupt your business. The good news is, you don’t have to give up paper completely to stay protected. Scanning and indexing your files creates a reliable backup, so you can keep working the way you always have, without worrying about losing important information.
In this article, we’ll cover when and why it makes sense to create digital copies of your paper records, how doing so helps protect your information for the long term, and how professional scanning services like ours can make the whole process simpler than you might expect.
The Risks Of Relying On Paper Alone
Many businesses take an “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach to recordkeeping. But when everything depends on paper, it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong.
One day everything is organized, filed, and right where it should be. Then a record goes missing, or a box of files gets wet, and you’re suddenly dealing with a mess that takes time and energy to fix, if it can be fixed at all.
Once paper records are lost or damaged, there is no easy way to recover them. These kinds of data disasters don’t just slow things down; they can stall projects, cause compliance issues, and even hurt your reputation with your customers and vendors.
There’s an inherent risk that comes with storing all of records in one place, no matter what format they are. Even with a single digital file, should something unexpected happen, it could mean losing everything at once, leaving you without the information your business needs. Simply crossing your fingers and hoping nothing goes wrong isn’t enough, because if it does, there may not be a way to get that information back. That’s why creating and maintaining a digital backup is so important.
Why Having a Digital Backup Makes Sense
Having a digital backup of your paper records doesn’t mean you have to change how you work. It just means you’re prepared if something goes wrong. It gives you a lifeline if the physical copy is ever lost or damaged. It also makes it possible to access records or share information without having to worry about something getting misplaced.
It’s a safety net that protects your business, your staff, and the people who trust you to keep their information secure. If a disaster happens, you’ll have a way to recover your records without losing everything you’ve worked to build.
Keeping paper around doesn’t have to mean accepting the risk of losing everything. A digital backup gives you peace of mind knowing your information is protected no matter what happens.
How To Create a Digital Backup of Your Paper Records
Scanning is the easiest and most effective way to create a backup of your paper records. But scanning is only one part of the process. Indexing your records, capturing and organizing the information within them, makes them fully searchable and much easier to work with.
You can absolutely handle this process on your own, and there are plenty of tools that make it possible. But it’s easy to underestimate how much time and effort large projects require, especially if you have years of records to go through. A single oversight can lead to missing files, inconsistent naming, or poor image quality that makes your backup less useful than intended.
For businesses with many years of accumulated paperwork, professional scanning services like ours are often the only way to get the job done. Scanning projects like these are difficult and time-consuming to take on in-house, and even small mistakes can undermine the entire effort. Working with people who specialize in this kind of work ensures your records are digitized accurately, securely, and in a way that supports your long-term goals.
After Scanning, What’s Next?
Now that your records are scanned, you’ve got a dependable backup in place. The next task is managing the new records your business will generate.
If you’re not moving fully digital just yet, day-forward scanning is the smart choice. As new paper comes in, you can scan it on a schedule that works for you—daily, weekly, or monthly—to ensure your backup stays current. It also prevents another massive scanning push down the road.
This approach helps you keep everything organized while still using paper when needed. Your team gains instant access to digital copies, while originals can be stored or filed as required—giving you flexibility without jeopardizing your data.
How SecureScan Can Help
Creating a digital backup of your records is easy with SecureScan. We’ve spent the past 22 years helping businesses of all shapes and sizes to protect their records with scanning services that make records management… well, manageable.
Our scanning experts will work one-on-one with you to develop a plan that allows you to digitize your records, no matter how many you have, without interrupting your day-to-day work.
Whether you need to scan decades archived records all at once or set up a day-forward scanning plan for the paper you use each day, we can help. We handle every part of the process with care, precision, and professionalism, from pickup to final delivery.
We’ve helped medical practices, law offices, government agencies, and small businesses of all kinds to protect their information, while keeping their paper workflows in place. If you’re ready to create a digital backup for your records, we’re here to make the process simple and stress-free.
Reach out for a free quote or contact us to talk to one of our scanning specialists about how we can help you.
