Ensuring the security and safety of your archived documents needs to be a priority given the confidential nature of so much information that is processed by a business.  Fraud, fines and legal action are all potential consequences of lost data, impacting the bottom line as well as a company's brand and reputation. 

If you struggle to find documents, if there are no access restrictions or if information could easily fall into the wrong hands, it's time to take a proper look at your document security.

What Are Archived Documents?

Archived documents are those put into secure storage for an extended period of time.  They may contain information employees need to access infrequently, but that are required for reference to ensure tasks are completed.

Alternatively, some document types are subject to lengthyretention rulessuch as invoices that need to be kept for six years or data held on children can be up to 15 years.

It's vital that documents whether on paper or in digital format are archived securely. Protecting a company and an individual's data from threats of cyber attacks, fraud and loss should be a top priority.

What Is Document Security?

Document security is how a business keeps control of its data,ensuring compliance and the prevention of data loss.

Efficiently maintaining document archiving, filing, processing, sharing, back ups and destruction should be planned out.  Everyone in the organisation needs to be aware of your document security protocols and the important role they each play in following them.

Different document types will have different rules that apply to them.  For example with an employee contract, only HR, a line manager and the employee themselves should have access, whereas invoices could be available to all of finance, management and project teams.

Improving the security and safety of your archived documents will also depend on whether information is stored digitally or on paper. Paper documents can be lost, misfiled and accessed much more easily than those stored digitally. 

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6 Tips for Improving Document Security

On a daily basis organisations send and receive personal and sensitive information and have a responsibility to ensure it is all secure.  There are a variety of processes, tools and document security systems that can be implemented to help. 

1. Create A Security Policy

If you don't have one in place already, think about any document security problems you've had, as well as worse case scenarios and put a plan in place to mitigate risk.  There are plenty of online 'how to' guides you could use as a reference. 

Think about whether papers left on desks should be filed away?  Are computer screens left unlocked while out at lunch. Walk around your office and look at the potential risksthat could occur either accidentally by staff, through fraudulent activity or from a natural disaster.

2. Shred Old Data

What are you doing with paper documents, ID badges or company credit cards that are no longer needed?  If they end up in the bin with all the other rubbish they're not being disposed of securely, and the organisation could face fines or harsh punishment fornon-compliance with data protection legislation. 

If the volume of shredding is low, it can easily be taken care of in-house.  But for large amounts there are variety of companies out there that can help.   Items for shredding can be collected, securely transported and shredded off-site, with a certificate of destruction supplied as proof.  

Not only does this ensurecompliance, but shredded items can be recycled so you're doing your bit for the environment too.

3. Implement Access Rights

When thinking about document security it's important to addresswho can access what.  Organisations hold large volumes of data both personal to employees, about customers and suppliers, as well as business critical information not to be shared with competitors.

 With a digital document security system, employees can be given specific   access to documents, digital cabinets or features dependant on their role.   An employee data file for example should only be available to staff inHRand no-one else.  Permissions such as read or edit rights, the use of digital stamps and   authorisation to change tasks can all be put in place.

It's not just about restricting employees, but ensuring they have the right level of access to enable them work with ease, while giving the organisation as a whole greater confidence of document security and compliance.

4. Ensure Documents Are Encrypted

If you choose to implement a document security system, ensure that everything is encrypted. Data stored within it should go through a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt data between users and the data centre.

5. Backups Of Backups