young couple discussing with a female agent

Many businesses today have realized the benefits of using electronic document management services. Whether it’s the efficient distribution of information to appropriate parties, the security of electronic backup, or any other advantages that come with an electronic document management system, forward-minded businesses are going electronic.

Storing large quantities of paper copy is cumbersome and inefficient. If you’re considering streamlining your document system, contact River City Data for a free estimate today. We will create a custom solution that meets your specific needs and prepares you for the new age of data management.

Why Are Companies Interested in Electronic Document Management Services?

If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen. Many companies live by that mantra.

Written documentation is an unimpeachably clear form of communication. It eliminates potential confusion and provides a clear record for everyone involved to access.

Documents are vital to most businesses. Keeping those documents safe, secure, and accessible is critical to good business management.

It may feel secure to lock a paper copy in a filing cabinet, but records are demonstrably safer when kept in a secure electronic format.

Digital files are easily backed up in cloud storage. If you have a cloud-based backup, you’ll never have to worry about a flood or fire wiping out all of your data.

Document management software helps you access files with a few keystrokes. And, unlike paper files, information can be tagged and cross-referenced. Companies using a management software system can search for data by any tagged field rather than seeking out a file by name.

Some companies choose to purchase a document management software program with the intent that employees will utilize the tools in it on their own. But employers who attempt this soon realize that managing documents in a data-heavy company is a full-time job.

If you aren’t excited about the idea of adding to your staff, an electronic document management service is an excellent option.

Companies providing professional management services are well-versed with the handling of sensitive information. They are experts at records management and providing security to your digital assets.

Each page is individually prepared. Each scan is completed on professional-grade equipment, then reviewed for any defects and tagged to be made searchable in whatever way the business has designated.

1. Insurance Agencies

If ever there was a type of business that understood planning for contingencies, it would have to be an insurance company.

Insurance companies process vast quantities of paper every day: applications, claims, cancellations, and policy statements.

Insurance operations run more smoothly with electronic document management services. Paper documents can be scanned as they are received and routed as needed with no time wasted in transit.

Agents can find the details of a client’s policy in the time it takes to type their name with searchable digital files.

When insurance companies have their clients complete forms electronically, dedicated software ensures all fields are completed with the appropriate type of data, reducing omission errors.

2. Law Firms

Legal specialists are obsessive about their data. Documents must be secure. The typeset needs to be clear.

Law firms know that each page of the paper copy will be carefully prepared and scanned when they choose professional electronic document management services. Staples and paperclips will be removed. Scans will be monitored for blurring or other failures.

The benefits of using a professional scanning service are clear: businesses get professional service from dedicated experts and the most current technology available.

3. Libraries

Libraries: the land of cross-referencing. At one point in history, researching in a library meant locating the card catalog, then searching by title, author, or subject.

Those days are gone.

A stereotypical library does not evoke images of the cutting edge of data technology. But libraries are continually moving with the times, adding new data and new formats.

Libraries are all about the preservation, advancement, and sharing of information. That might come in the form of a best-selling story, or it might happen with the discovery of a key piece of information in an old local newspaper.

At one time in history, a library user needed to ask the librarian for help if they were looking for something obscure. With electronic document storage, anyone accessing the library can search for an infinite variety of topics.

Scanned digital documents are searchable by keyword. Periodicals are no longer fragile, yellowing pages with faded print.

4. Real Estate Companies

Realtors need to cross-reference and compare information from a variety of sources on a daily basis. Current listings, pending sales by zip code or street-level boundaries, and many other fractured pieces of data come together to help realtors guide clients to the perfect property.

The right software system is critical to comparing data from different programs.

5. Pharmacies

Pharmacies retain sensitive documents and health information. Cross-referencing prescription drug information can be a matter of life or death.

Pharmacists are experts at cross-checking various medications. They receive data for every medication they dispense.

Managing that data and having ready access to searchable documents makes the pharmacist’s number one job – keeping patients safe – much easier to accomplish.

Your Business Will Benefit from an Electronic Document Management System, Too.

Any company that has a need to be highly organized will receive value from electronic document management. Strategic business owners will recognize the added value of retaining a professional service to handle this task.

Every day you delay moving into the electronic world adds up to more information to be scanned when you do take the plunge. Step boldly into the digital world.

Contact River City Data today. We will provide an electronic data management service geared to your specific needs to help your business keep looking forward. And, if you do need to look back, your data will be there for you.

woman worker sitting at a clean tidy desk looking zen and stress free

Marie Kondo has sparked an urge for minimalism, and it is a trend that has infiltrated every area of our daily lives. From sparkling, organized closets to clearing shelves of clutter, many of us have embraced the adage that less is more. Why not bring this concept to life in your office, by allowing the magic of scanning services to clear your desk and usher in a whole new you?

One of the most apparent advantages of scanning services is the space they allow you to save. Digital documents are compact, sleek files that will enable vast swathes of data to be stored in a single hard drive. But what are the other advantages to order and clarity in the workplace? Read on, and you may be surprised!

And when you’re convinced of the magic of a tidy desk and how document scanning services can help you achieve that goal, reach out to River City Data for a free quote. We can help you get your clutter under control!

What Benefit Does a Clear Desk Offer?

Taking advantage of scanning services comes with several bonuses for businesses and staff. In addition, the mere act of organizing can also have some unexpected perks.

From reducing stress to boosting productivity, there are several advantages to clearing your desk (luckily, we mean literally, not metaphorically!). Some of the more unexpected bonuses can really improve the general overall working environment and offer benefits to all workers.

Reduce Stress

Research has proven that a clean, ordered environment can have a positive impact on our stress levels. The visual effect of a clutter-free desk can leave you feeling calm, zen, and ready to work. In turn, this helps to generate a soothing and stress-free working environment. A clear desk really can be a clear mind!

Save Time

Reducing the clutter in your space can also be a real time saver. Scanning services help remove physical debris and make files easier to locate, meaning that you can immediately access the data you need. As an added bonus, the office will be easy to keep clean if you are not continually moving obstacles.

Improve Health

It may seem unexpected, but keeping your desk clear of clutter can have advantages for physical health, in addition to mental wellbeing. The increased ease of cleaning means that germs and bugs are less likely to build up and spread. Easier, more effective cleaning can minimize staff illness and reduce the spread of coughs, colds, and viruses.

Keeping spaces and areas clear and accessible also helps to reduce the chance of accidents in the workplace. Slips, trips, and falls can also cause serious injury, putting employees and clients at risk. Keep walkways clear from towering piles of paperwork, and make sure heavy files do not impair visibility.

Boost Efficiency

In a similar vein, streamlining information via scanning services also allows you to use your time more efficiently. There will be no more lost invoices or misplaced documents to hunt thorough; users can simply log on and access what they require. Not only is this record management better for staff, but it presents a more efficient and reliable service for clients and customers.

All interactions can be made faster and more effective, communications streamlined, and facts checked in no time. Employees will be able to archive old projects without issue and retrieve them if required at a moment’s notice. Productivity will also rise; everything you need to proceed is right there on hand, and this allows you to get on with the prioritized job.

Professional Image

There is nothing less professional than visiting someone who is hidden behind a mountain of paperwork. Presenting a clear desk to the world helps you appear capable, in control, and organized — a much better message to send to your clients!

Appearances matter, and a busy, messy desk indicates that you do not care about your job or are too lazy to care. Neither of these makes a great impression, and the added stress of scrabbling around for files only reinforces this. Get organized, get professional, and get results.

What Are The Benefits Of Scanning Services?

As well as keeping your office clean, clear, and productive, the benefits of scanning services can be seen in other areas of your working environment.

Security

Digital files help to preserve the security of your data; they are far less accessible than their physical paper counterparts. Document scanning helps transfer the details from the physical to the digital realm.

Unlike traditional filing systems, using scanning services allows you to protect sensitive information with passwords and codes. You will also be able to control access, blocking certain colleagues or staff members from accessing data.

Security can also be assured in the event that your office is struck by a flood, fire, or natural disaster. In these instances, paper files would be destroyed, and the information and data you rely on gone forever. By going digital, however, you can help to ensure that the information is safely backed up on a server, allowing you to carry on no matter what.

Transfer of Information

Scanning services allow files to be transformed into a digital format, which makes the exchange of information more manageable. Documents and data can be sent instantly to anywhere in the world, without having to worry about the uncertainty of post or fax. This also makes it easier to have improved conversations with colleagues and clients; you can relay them documents they need without delay.

How Can We Help?

Here at River City Data, we have a wealth of experience in the world of document scanning. Our team of experienced professionals has worked with businesses and clients across the globe in a range of niches and industries.

Our goal is to help you streamline and simplify your business, taking advantage of the rise in technology and scanning services available. With our help, you can boost efficiency, increase productivity, and enjoy the benefits of a clear desk. Document scanning can transform the way you do business — for the better.

Interested in taking the next step? Why not get in touch with our friendly team today, and talk through the options available. You will be Marie Kondo in your workspace in no time and enjoying the significant benefits which follow!

document management security threat, hacker at a computer

With more and more of our business operations moving to digital spaces, document management security is of ever-increasing importance. Keeping your sensitive data files under digital lock and key means your customers can trust your company to value their information the same way you value your personal information.

Trust breeds customer loyalty, brand recognition, business longevity, and prosperity in the long run. Outsourcing your document management security to industry experts like River City Data is a wise business decision.

Today, contact River City Data for a free estimate on securing your data with leading-edge systems that place your company and client documents in a virtual Fort Knox.

Essential Components for Document Management Security

When a company data breach occurs, the consequences can add up financially and with irreparable damage to hard-won reputations. According to IBM.com, the average cost of a data breach in 2020 totals up to $3.92 million.

Between customer loss, loss mitigation, reputation management, data security improvement, and gaining back the invaluable trust you’ve garnered, it’s better to avoid data breaches from day one.

The building blocks of document management security may seem like common sense, but it’s beneficial to regularly evaluate your adherence to the data security basics. Here’s what you should look for each year as you evaluate your document security protocols.

1. Encrypt your files.

Sending files in secure forms means using an encrypted link when sending or receiving digital documents. Employing an SSL (secure socket layer) when sending, archiving, or receiving data means that your information is impervious to hackers.

Though SSL can utilize symmetric and asymmetric encryption methods, asymmetric encryption is the best choice for sending documents worldwide. Asymmetric encryption requires a public key for encryption on the sender side, but a private key for description on the receiver side.

Of course, determining which files to encrypt is a matter between you and your regulatory organizations. Businesses such as medical clinics, dental offices, governmental agencies, and anyone else receiving and storing sensitive customer, client, or patient data must comply with HIPAA practices, for example. File encryption for archiving is paramount for these businesses.

2. Limit file access.

Placing limits on who can see certain files within your company is a boots-on-the-ground way to ensure data security. Knowing who has access to your company documents at all times should be part of every yearly data security evaluation.

In times of employment turn-over, staffing growth, or physical location changes, data access must be one of the first items you check to keep your documents secure. In effect, if an employee doesn’t require access to certain documents, they shouldn’t have it.

Using authentication pages as a way to limit who sees a document is crucial on all hardware within your company purview. This hardware could include:

- Printers
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Mobile phones
- Scanners

3. Know what and when to archive.

Keeping a glut of old data in your system is an invitation for disorganization and a potential breach, especially with large paper document collections.

When you digitally archive and index data, you can improve your data organization and access as well as improving your system security. In addition to adding security layers to your historical documents, you’ll also save space by moving them to a secure server, which you can outsource.

Further, accessing archived data is simple with leading-edge tools like OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and innovative indexing methodology. You can also set reminders to purge your archives periodically of old files you no longer need to hold.

4. Staff education is crucial.

Every new employee onboarding process should include extensive training on document security, especially in healthcare, government, finance, and legal sectors.

Providing clarity as to who should have data access, what the authentication process is, and how to legitimately access needed information helps you ensure good data management and helps your employees succeed from day one.

5. Have reliable backups.

Duplicating and archiving information on secure servers with encrypted access can save your company valuable time and money in the event of a natural disaster, fire, or other physical catastrophe.

Of course, backing up your data off-site with a data management company you trust is essential to uninterrupted business operation, no matter the calamity that may occur.

Advantages of Outsourcing Document Security Management

Most company owners understand the importance of document security. However, the number of breaches that occur each year suggest that implementing reliable security strategies in-house can be challenging.

Outsourcing elements of your data security can only add to your good document management practices. Here’s what a reliable data conversion and storage partner can do for your organization.

Save on space and equipment. Kitting out your office space to provide extensive and secure document storage can put a massive drain on your budget and physical footprint. Outsourcing your data archiving and converting your paper documents to digital formats frees up your filing cabinets as well as several budget lines. With SSL encryption, and plenty of storage space on our dedicated, secure servers, River City Data helps you streamline and secure your data in archives you can easily access based on indexing criteria you create.
Provide reliable data backups. With offsite, secure data storage and simple indexing, your documents remain physically safe should a disaster strike your business. Even if a building water pipe bursts, jeopardizing your files, you can relax knowing you’ve stored your data well out of harm’s way.
Ensure document management security. Enabling document access via SSL means that anything you transmit between your document storage partner and your devices is secure. Of course, adhering to the practices listed above helps add layers of safety to your sensitive or privacy-protected data once it hits your laptop, PC, or other company hardware.

Trust River City Data for Reliable Document Security

In addition to using SSL when we send, receive, or store data, our team is also certified in HIPAA protocol. Our clients understand their privacy is our top priority, as well as providing unparalleled quality document conversions and storage upon which you can depend.

Contact us today to set up a free estimate. We customize our document management security strategy to your unique needs and challenges. Our clients enjoy our world-class know-how and experience, alongside our small-town values and accessibility. We look forward to keeping your data safe, today and in the future.

two people floating in a sea of papers on life rafts

Does your business depend on files and documents; customer, client, or patient information; or essential records? If the answer is yes, a disaster recovery plan is critical for your business.

When disaster strikes, the last thing you want to worry about is recovering all the paper files and records necessary for the business to proceed. If there were a flood or fire, you’d also be working to replace computers and office equipment, and finding a new work location.

Even if the disaster was theft or a small localized flood or fire that only damaged your files, the less time you can spend recovering information is more time you can spend on other aspects of your company.

That’s where River City Data can help. When you trust us to handle your data, you can rest assured knowing we protect it throughout any disaster. Contact River City Data to keep your company’s records, files, and other data safe, secure, and accessible through natural disasters, and cyber-attacks.

What is disaster recovery planning?

Many companies make efforts to construct a disaster recovery plan to resume operations in their business as soon as possible in the event of a disaster.

Catastrophic events, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and technological equipment failure, can lead to downtime for any business. That downtime can lead to lost revenue, or worse if it threatens valuable client or patient data.

A 2015 study found that downtime that lasts for one hour can cost small companies $8,000, mid-size companies $74,000, and large companies $700,000.

Having a disaster recovery plan in place, you can reduce downtime and speed when business operations can resume.

Large tech-based corporations may have entire teams dedicated to disaster recovery. For smaller businesses, having such a group can be cost-prohibitive.

Some smaller companies try to add disaster recovery planning responsibilities to an existing employee’s task load. This shortcut often backfires, as the employee may be too busy to adequately plan for disasters or not appropriately trained in how to do so.

Hiring a data management service like River City Data can help your business prepare for the worst without placing the burden on current employees. Your employees can focus on their areas of expertise and responsibilities. The data management experts at River City Data handle the disaster recovery plan for your company’s data and records.

Whether you decide to hire a document management company to help with your disaster recovery plan or choose to forge your path, there are a few ways you can better prepare for a disaster.

Create a Priority List

Before disaster strikes, you can prepare by creating a priority list. Consider every single thing your business needs to operate.

Once you’ve listed everything, identify each item as Priority 1, Priority 2, or Priority 3.

Priority 1 items are those that are essential for your business to be up and running again. This group might include computers and specific apps that you use daily.

Priority 2 items are those that you need in a day. They aren’t the most urgent for business operations to resume, but they’re necessary for smooth sailing in the short term.

Priority 3 items are things that you can do without for at least a few days. Breaking down your business to the essential items for the operation will let you focus on a backup plan that prioritizes replacing those things.

Create a Disaster Recovery Team

This step is another that should occur long before the disaster hits. Think about the vital roles your company will need in the case of a tragic event or natural disaster.

For example, you might consider creating a disaster recovery team with the following:

the person who relays updates to internal employees
the person who gives updates to vendors or clients
the person who removes all salvageable material items from the workspace
an IT recovery director or team who is responsible for all technology
an insurance point person, who communicates with the insurance companies
a media (or social media) spokesperson, if warranted
a legal liaison, if needed

It is also a good idea to assign each integral role a backup person if the primary employee is on vacation or has left the company.

Creating a structured system in which each employee knows their responsibilities expedites a swift return to business operations. The best way to help your team cope with the disruption of a disaster by being as prepared as possible.

How River City Data Can Help With the Disaster Recovery Plan for Your Business

The best thing about reaching out to River City Data for help with your disaster recovery plan? The burden you’ll feel lifted from your shoulders when you can focus on the part of your business you love instead of planning for the worst.

You can trust our team at River City Data because we’ve been in the business of protecting business records for over 40 years. We use state-of-the-art software to scan documents and have the equipment to deal with high volume records and large formats.

We also index the data using any parameters you prefer. You then choose where that indexed, searchable data is stored — and if you choose the cloud, you know that it will be accessible wherever you can access the internet.

Cloud storage is the perfect choice if you’re concerned about losing the information contained in paper records in the case of a disaster. You can control which employees and clients access what data and when. Your business will be back up and running in no time!

If you’re ready to take the first step in preparing your business for an emergency, Contact River City Data today. Ask about disaster recovery planning and sleep easy tonight, knowing your business’s crucial data is safe.

office worker distressed with lots of files and folders and legal paperwork

How are you storing data? Do you have a room full of filing cabinets? If your office space is a cave of paper, it may be time to consider moving into the digital storage age with legal scanning services.

If you’re contemplating transitioning to digital document management, contact River City Data for a free estimate. We’ll prepare and scan your documents, tag your information for easy searchability, and provide secure access for your employees and clients.

Why Would I Want to Change How I Store My Documents? Paper Feels So Safe and Familiar

There is something solid about holding onto the document you need. You keep your passport in hand while you’re waiting to go through airport security. You keep a copy of your birth certificate locked up.

Paper documents have undeniable value. They are also cumbersome and fragile.

Let’s compare traditional paper document storage to a digital option.

Digitized Documents Can Be Searched Easily

Can you quickly put your hands on a specific document? Perhaps you know precisely how your paper files are organized and can finger through the right file drawer to find that single sheet of paper.

You might have one or two members of your team that can accomplish this. Do you have staff whose primary duty is to locate information?

One limitation of paper files is the singular format. Files are usually arranged by an overarching organizational method, such as alphabetizing by name.

This singular format means that to search your files, you always start from the same point.

But what if you don’t want to search for a file by name? What if you need every file from a specific date or every file for a particular location?

Paper files can be difficult to search and cross-reference. By storing your data in a digital format, you will have access to search your data by whatever identifier you value.

Search by client name, case number, date, or any other filter. You can also add filters to search various subsets within a value.

Digitized Documents Can Be Shared Easily

If you want to share paper documents, you will likely be taking a trip to the copier machine. Once you’ve passed those copies around, you will have limited control over what happens to them next.

If a client or an employer misplaces a document, the information contained in that paper could be compromised.

Give your staff easy access to information with digital access to scanned documents. You can allow read-only access to those who need to be informed and editing access only to appropriate employees.

Scanned information can be shared quickly without going through reams of paper. Digital documents are less likely to be lost or accidentally shared with someone who shouldn’t have access.

Your Documents Can Be Accessed Remotely

Have you ever gotten to a meeting, opened your briefcase, and discovered you were missing the item you needed most?

If your documents are stored digitally, you will have access to them wherever you go. Don’t worry about hauling hundreds of pages around. Plus, you won’t have to worry about finding yourself unprepared for that meeting.

Your employees will spend less time trying to get their hands on documents and more time getting results for clients. And, if the staff needs to work from home or another remote location, electronic access is a must.

Is Paper Safer Because You Can Hold It In Your Hands?

If you keep your legal documents in filing cabinets, you probably lock them at night. And then lock the filing cabinet room. And then lock the building.

The physical act of turning a lock can help a person feel secure, but it doesn’t protect you from:

Fire
Flooding
Mold
Spills
Unauthorized copies

If your filing cabinet room goes up in flames, what will you do?

If your legal documents have been scanned and saved electronically, a flood or fire in one location won’t result in a catastrophic data loss. When you give staff and clients read-only access to confidential documents, they can’t change, copy, or destroy them. And if you need someone to discontinue having access to a document, you don’t have to try to take back a piece of paper. You just push a few buttons.

Your documents will be safer in an encrypted file than they will in a filing cabinet. You’re still locking the doors at night; they’re just digital. And actually, you don’t have to lock them at all, because they stay inaccessible to anyone without authorization.

Why You Should Use Professional Legal Scanning Services

You’re ready to step into the digital storage age. But there’s so much paper copy to switch over!

Don’t waste human resources having employees stand around feeding the scanner. They have enough to do without taking on this task (don’t they?).

Legal scanning services provide an economical solution. You receive a dedicated team of single-taskers. They’ll work only on your conversion — and not stop to answer your phones.

The most important part of any great job is preparation. Your scanning service team will take the time to sort, repair, and remove staples from all those precious documents before scanning.

Your data will be scanned with state-of-the-art machines that are meant to handle large quantities of paper. Your office all-in-one was not made for this task.

Legal scanning service providers are experts at managing sensitive data. They stay up to the minute on compliance laws and are familiar with the legal industry.

Your information will be tagged by whatever search terms you choose. Imagine the time saved when your employees can type a few terms to retrieve exactly what they need.

If you choose document hosting and cloud storage, your data will be securely encrypted, yet ready at your fingertips. If you prefer to manage your own data, your documents can be loaded to a private drive that will be entirely in your control.

It’s time to advance your company through digital data management. Contact River City Data today for a free estimate of customized legal scanning services (and other services too!).

5 Industries That Benefit from Electronic Document Management Services

Tag: document management