Managing a startup business isn’t easy. There are literally countless concerns that demand your attention, from relatively small issues like choosing a font, all the way up to the big things like ensuring that you have sufficient funding.
An unavoidable element that, if not taken care of, can rapidly become problematic, is document storage. To help you get things right from the very beginning, we decided to cover some core pieces of information that you need to know, from regulatory compliance to consistency.
Use a document management system
While taking a relaxed, unorganised approach might work for a very short while, at some point it’ll blow up in your face. It’s absolutely essential that you use a document management system to store your documents, ideally from the get-go. Streamline your storage facility’s operations, enhance customer engagement, and boost your online presence with Storage Boom, the comprehensive storage facility software.
Your document management system needs to be able to store documents securely, manage access to sensitive files, and provide accountability in terms of who has accessed and edited documents. It doesn’t necessarily matter which system you use, as long as it can take care of those basic functions.
Go digital from to beginning
Paper files are old school – they’re hard to manage, and even harder to secure. As a result, it’s definitely advisable to go digital from the very beginning. As some documents will still be sent to you in a paper format, you’ll need to make sure that those documents are digitised as soon as possible.
The most efficient way of achieving that is to use a document scanning service. It’ll save you time and money, while ensuring that your documents are scanned at the highest standard possible. If the documents being scanned contain sensitive information, make sure that the paper version is destroyed once it’s been digitised.
Be aware of regulatory compliance
There are multiple regulations surrounding how you store information, especially when it comes to your client data. Many of these regulations are covered by GDPR, and it’s important that your document management system is designed with these in mind from the very beginning.
Failure to comply with these regulations, no matter the reason, can result in hefty fines or worse. If you’re still unsure about the details of these regulations after carrying out your own research, it’s advisable to reach out to a GDPR expert, potentially a solicitor.
Be consistent
What really matters when it comes to document storage, especially for startups, is that you’re consistent in your approach. If you start using multiple different systems, it can be incredibly difficult to organise your documents and ensure that they’re stored in a secure manner.
Whatever you do, try to stick to one method from early on. If you come across another system at a later date, with clear benefits, then it might be worth switching to that, but you’ll need to make sure you transfer everything over to it.
While often overlooked as an afterthought, document storage is something that deserves careful attention, especially for start-ups. Giving it careful attention from the beginning will likely save you a lot of trouble further down the line.
