From hiring staff to overseeing daily tasks, owning or managing a business comes with many responsibilities. Although often overlooked, proper document storage and record-keeping are significant components of any business operation—especially when papers contain sensitive business matters or customer information. Bank statements, tax records, shareholder and employee agreements, and leases are only a handful of records that need to be organized.
Keeping these documents orderly, free of damage, and secure can be a challenge if you don’t have space or a structured system in place. Here are four useful tips to help you get started on protecting your business documents.
Sort and Organize Paperwork by Category
If you don’t already have your documents sorted, now is a good time to start. While reviewing your paperwork, group records by what needs to be filed, shredded, and recycled. Recyclable documents consist of nonsensitive data that can be thrown away, whereas documents that need to be shredded contain private information vulnerable to security threats. The remaining documents will be those that you want to keep and file away.
Within the documents that require filing, you can categorize papers by bills, receipts, invoices, transactions, mail, and more. Then, break it down even further—by year, client, or document type. Label folders and bins with the appropriate description to avoid misplacing and confusing paperwork later on.
Buy a Filing Cabinet or a Shelf Bin Organizer
Once all documents are sorted and categorized, you should place them in protective folders such as large envelopes, file organizers, or plastic holders. Generally, file organizers are best because they come with color-coded labels that make it easy to identify certain folders at a glance.
The next step is finding a safe and sheltered spot for your files, one that adds a sturdy additional layer of protection and has enough space to house all your documents. Two main options exist: invest in a filing cabinet or install a shelving unit that can hold bins and containers. These two types of fixtures are reasonably priced and can be customized to the size, shape, and material of your choice.
Create a Check-in/Check-out Filing System
A check-in/check-out document system is an effective tool for locating documents and allows employees to retrieve files in an orderly manner while reducing the risk of misplacing or losing them when accessed. When implementing a check-in/check-out system, you can print a document with gridlines broken down by what was accessed, the time it was accessed and replaced, and who accessed it. Anytime an employee needs to obtain a file, they will need to sign in and out. This ensures documents remain secure and organized at all times.
Look into Offsite Document Storage
There’s no better way to control your stored documents and strengthen your business processes than by utilizing offsite document storage. Storing your documents with a professional storage or warehouse facility specializing in inventory and record management can help reduce downtime in the workplace and increase productivity among employees. You can not only optimize space in your office but also secure your physical records in a climate-controlled, weather-resistant environment.
Document Storage Services for Businesses in NYC
Because it’s difficult to manage documents in one place, many companies in the greater NYC area have found that working with a third-party service allows for better document management and increased security. CRS Movers & Storage is NYC’s top provider for document storage. By integrating state-of-the-art scanning technology and secure storage, CRS has helped thousands of businesses find innovative ways to stow their documents.
Let CRS maximize the efficiency of your document storage and free up space in your office. To schedule a logistics plan consultation and get a free quote, call 718-424-6000 or complete our contact form today.
