happy businessman doing data entry work at office

For many companies, storing data is an ongoing challenge. Methods of data entry and storage continually evolve with changing technology. It can be tough to implement data entry systems that are efficient, cost-effective, and space-saving.

Automated data management systems have quickly expanded their reach to assist companies not only to store their data effectively, but to use it to enhance their products, services, and operations.

River City Data is your one source for document storage and management. We customize our data processing solutions to fit your needs for online and physical space, privacy, and security. If you find yourself in data and document overwhelm, contact us today to climb out from under your digital or paper piles.

medical employee filing records and doing data entry in hospital

Data Automation: Is It For You?

Let’s begin with a few more questions, and then you’ll likely start to see some definite advantages to automating your data collection, storage, sharing, and dissemination.

 

    1. Does your company collect and use extensive data? If you run a medical office, a government organization, a retail company, a law firm, or any other related company, you likely collect and maintain truckloads of documents and client information. Keeping client information accessible, secure, and private is a cornerstone of your business.
    2. Would your business benefit if you could USE your collected data more effectively? Storing private data securely is one thing, but USING data to your advantage for reporting, progress analysis, and customer metrics is quite another. Most companies use only 30% of the data they collect in analytics that drive success. That’s a lot of valuable information to leave out of your business and growth strategy. 
    3. Does accessing, compiling, and reporting your data seem too big and scary for any of your teams to handle reasonably? Manual reporting can be among the world’s most daunting tasks. Asking your already stretched staff to add data analysis and reporting to their plates may be unreasonable. Further, if you don’t have a dedicated analytics and reporting team, you may not have the right skill sets to use your data for the best business gain.

How Do I Begin Data Entry Automation?

First, start with strategy consensus. If part of your data management challenge is coalescing different data sources into a centralized, accessible location, you’ll need to assess your data needs and use.

Every team leader should have input into the type of data they desire, collect, and use from internal (departmental and project data) and external (customer and client) sources. Further, if portions of your data are paper-based while others are digitally collected, you’ll need to convert paper documentation into indexed, digitally stored formats.

Before any data entry automation can take place successfully, all members of your leadership will need to agree on how data must be categorized, where it will be stored, and who will have access to which documents and information.

close-up of a person analyzing data on a tablet computer

Create or Update Your Indexing System

Building a system of data indexing that everyone can learn and use is paramount to successful data entry automation. Be sure to gain consensus on all your data forms for categories of information relevant to your business. 

With current document conversion technology, you can get as granular as you like with precise keywords or column headings to make your data indexing laser-focused and business-relevant.

Further, with companies that operate under privacy standards like HIPAA, indexing your data accurately will be necessary to use only the data allowable by law.

Matching your business terms with data sources and ensuring column-level accuracy are paramount in making sure everyone on your team “speaks the same language.” Accessing data successfully on-demand means training your staff on the keywords, phrases, or columns you employ for data organization.

Enlist Help with Data Entry Automation

At River City Data, we use OCR, or Optical Character Recognition in our data conversion processes and services. This software allows us to comb your documents for the keywords and characters you specify, making indexing a snap in most cases. 

As long as you and your team are clear on how you want your documents organized, our software can take your indexing methodology and apply it to every record we capture, convert, and store.

What Automation Does for Data Entry

Automation helps every stakeholder in your company gain access and insight into the data you collect. When your information is collected and stored with common indexes and a language everyone understands, you can use the data you collect to improve your overall business practices.

Plus, with data entry automation, you eliminate the need to manually re-key data on PDF’s and paper documents. This automation saves time, frustration, indexing mistakes, and money.

Data entry automation can also help you eliminate data silos within your organization. If one department employs different indexing keywords, phrases, characters, and columns than another in the data they collect, store, and use, you can all “get on the same data indexing page” with data entry automation.

In short, data entry automation can be a unifying force within your company. When implemented correctly, this type of automation eases communication challenges, streamlines project work, and can even help you grow your business.

close up of a doctor with stacks of medical folders and files and a stethoscope

Business Growth with Data Entry Automation

Once you’ve automated your data with improved indexing and accessibility, it’s time to use your data to benefit your company. Compiling patient outcomes, customer buying patterns, case loads, and project statistics are some of the ways you can let your data work for you (instead of merely storing it securely.)

You can even use your data to better understand your audience demographics so you can grow your footprint on social media and other marketing channels. The benefits of data entry automation continue to evolve with each passing season.

Stay ahead of the Data Entry Automation Curve with River City Data

At River City Data, we handle thousands of documents each week with care, security, and professionalism. We use the most leading-edge technology to help you get ahead of the data collection tidal wave. After all, data collection and conversion will always be “a thing” in every successful organization.

Our job is to smooth out the waves of data you must collect, process, and store into a calm sea of accessibility and utility. Contact River City Data today and find out why we’re the trusted local leader in data conversion, indexing, secure storage, and on-demand access.

 

Document security is an issue that businesses face every day in the corporate world. Any mismanaged records, data, or documents can cause a loss of time, effort, and reputation. 

Don’t let data mismanagement lead to breaches in security and substantial setbacks in daily operations. Having a security system put into place is essential to your companies well-being.

When a business uploads documents to a cloud or storage system, they are now victim to external data breaches, such as hackers, viruses, and a multitude of different malware. While stored paper records are at risk of internal theft and physical damage, document security decisions should be taken very seriously and done wisely. 

Contact River City Data today and talk to one of our highly trained professionals about how to take your document security to the next level. We will help you understand every step of the process.  

Yellow folder and lock. Data security concept

Overview of Document Security

Document security is the way that all classified paper or digital documents are kept safe and secure. The safety of records consists of how the files are managed, backed-up, organized, stored, filed, delivered, and eventually destroyed. 

With many different factors threatening the security of your documents, it is crucial to know the importance of a back-up and storage plan. Unfortunately, document security is not as simple as choosing a cloud with adequate data space. You must understand the ins and outs of the security features to restrict document access.

Once you have a plan on how you will back-up your data in the event data is lost, test your storage system to ensure your files are easily retrievable. Having a plan to retrieve lost information is equally important as it’s security. 

Security Methods for Paper Records

Some of the biggest threats to paper records are internal theft, fraudulent files, and natural disasters. There are a few methods to manage each of these security risks. 

Locked Filing Areas

Keeping the documents in a locked storage area with locked filing cabinets is a necessary and straightforward method to secure paper records. Maintaining the documents securely locked away will ensure they are away from wandering eyes and out of the wrong hands. 

Environmental Hazard Protection

The best way to keep documents from destruction from a natural disaster such as a flood or fire is an off-site storage facility. Off-site facilities use climate-controlled systems and fire suppression methods to protect documents from environmental hazards out of our control. 

Storage Facility 

An off-site storage facility not only protects from any natural disasters, but also includes benefits such as locked premises, a highly trained security staff, and 24/7 video monitoring. 

Security Methods for Electronic Data

Cloud storage and other document management storage solutions (DMS) software implement methods such as encryption and access controls to help protect files.

Data Redaction

Document redaction is the process of permanently removing any visible text or graphics from a document. Redacting a document helps remove sensitive data during the document scanning process. 

Encryption of files

File encryption keeps electronic records safe. In the event of a hacker gaining access in an open network, they are inaccessible without a decryption code.

Access Control List (ACL)

An access control list allows you to control the access of sensitive documents to authorized users only. You can create a list of predefined users, and control who has access to what content- keeping snooping to a minimum.   

Files locked with chain and padlock - data and privacy security concept

Third-Party Document Security

There is always the option to hire a company that can provide storage for your documents versus spending money on leasing a separate space for storage. A third-party option will provide you with a cost-effective solution and a guarantee of the security of your documents. 

Rest at ease, knowing that storage facilities take document security very seriously. A storage facility will be secure and provide professionals who have extensive experience handling, storing, and retrieving documents on behalf of many companies and businesses. 

8 Security Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Mismanaged and incorrectly labeled records. Thus making documents impossible to locate and utterly disorganized. 
  2. Documents that are stored online without proper encryption. They are likely to fall prey to hackers and malicious malware attacks, despite having security methods in place. Encryption is key. 
  3. Inconsistent document storage. When documents lack daily management, they become disorganized and extremely time-consuming to retrieve later.
  4. A huge mistake to avoid is failing to ensure that your disaster recovery plan is successful. 
  5. Another common mistake is not correctly prioritizing the protection of your data. It is crucial to know what data is most valuable to your business’s functions.
  6. Incorrectly managing passwords. Deciding on an easy to remember and a secure, lengthy password is crucial. 
  7. Keeping a record of all your security measures and failing to protect that document. While it is essential to keep a record of your security methods, keep that document protected at all costs. 
  8. Thinking that your network, OS, server,  etc. is secure already. You can never be too paranoid when it comes to document security. 

Why Document Security is Important

Although document storage and security can seem intimidating and time-consuming and costly, with the correct management and security measures, you will set your business up for success and keep your assets safe from threats. 

By successfully using document management storage systems, all of your company’s documents are made easily accessible in a user-friendly, secure, and organized manner. If using a storage facility, employees are excellently trained and vetted through a security process. They will maintain your records in a climate-controlled and damage resistant facility.

Document management systems and storage facilities are, without a doubt, the best choice to ensure your company’s assets are protected. They provide unmatchable management and top-notch security. All while maintaining a cost-effective and user-friendly interface that will benefit all your business needs.  

River City Data is here to take care of all your document security needs. Let us worry about all your data while you focus on the vital task of running your business. Get in contact with one of our highly-trained professionals today!