employee carrying stacks of documents, files, binders, and paperwork

Does your company still rely on paper documents and filing for the organization of information? Have you been considering a digital solution but fear it will be complicated and disrupt the current flow? Are you concerned with security or data breaches if you move digital? 

Paper-based filing can be a security risk as documents may be misplaced or challenging to locate. Misplaced documents can be a significant obstacle for your business. Not only does it cause service interruptions, but it can be too costly. Having a reliable document management system is essential for maintaining flow within the company. 

River City Data offers a document management solution for numerous clients, including courts, hospitals, schools, and private organizations. Our document management software is an automated solution for organizations with security features to ensure privacy. 

We offer more than cloud storage with our document management systems, which are essential considerations when choosing the best option for records management and assurance of the business process. Call River City Data today for help with all of your data management needs.

document management system DMS

Consider a Document Management System that Gives You Freedom

Business documentation is no longer paper-based as paper documents and filing cabinets become obsolete. Many customers are surprised when companies continue to offer paper-based documentation options. Companies now need electronic document management so they can access what they need in real-time.

Much of the world’s information was created over the last three years. Most of the information and data is in electronic format. Because we live in a digital world, electronic-based document management systems are now necessary to thrive. 

With the right digital management system, files are accessible securely and instantly online. Files are even accessible through a mobile device. Documents are available when you need them, where you need them. 

Decide Cloud-Based Versus On-Premise

In general, there are two types of document management systems: cloud-based and on-premise. 

Cloud-based document management systems are generally considered more functional and secure compared to other systems. They are also more cost-effective than an on-premise solution. However, some organizations consider their bandwidth limited, making on-premise document management systems more financially justifiable. 

Consider that on-premise solutions require server hardware, unlike cloud systems. They are generally third party tools and desktop licensed products. One advantage is they are usually easier to navigate and understand, compared to cloud data management systems. Also, as mentioned, they can be more cost-effective. 

Know that cloud versus on-premise solutions is a widespread IT debate. What is best truly depends on the organization and the needs of the company. Each offers benefits and limitations but usually can be adapted to meet the company’s individual goals and conditions. 

folders popping out from a computer shaped as a cloud to represent cloud based document management system

Find a Document Management System That Frees Up Your Time

Time can be as important as money for your company. A document management system (DMS) eliminates the number one cause of disorganization chaos: document disarray. The right document management system gives workers time back, so they are not spending part of their day bogged down by paper-based administrative tasks. 

Some of the options in an ideal DMS that free time include: 

  • Document scanning
  • Document preparation for digital conversion
  • Document indexing
  • Microfilm conversions to digital format
  • Book conversion to e-format
  • Conversions to digital imaging
  • Document archiving

A Way to Organize and Optimize Asset Management File Types Is Crucial

Financial security and privacy are real concerns in today’s digital age. Digital management systems need secure access controls to keep information about clients safe and secure. Many offer electronic signature options for critical documents so clients know what they are signing, and only they can sign.

It is important to understand; most security breaches are a result of poor internal data information management. Secure version control ensures proper management of computer programs, documents, and collection of information. 

User-based permissions can eliminate internal data breaches, responsible for half of all data breaches over the last two decades. Businesses that do not take steps to reduce the risk of internal violations will be subject to hacking in great numbers. Document management systems eliminate threatening ransomware attacks that have crumbled some companies. 

office employee working with documents at a desk organizing files and folders

Ensure it Offers a Solution for Small Businesses

Document management systems were used by many consumers long before businesses moved to digital technology. Most are targeted to mid- to large-sized organizations, but DMS can improve workflow and productivity for small businesses. 

To determine the best solution for small businesses, they need to consider their digital management system goals. Many want to be paperless or migrate to digital space. The first place to start is usually with scanning paper documents into a digital format, plugged into data management software. 

How about converting old record books to an e-book format? It can be an ideal option to free storage and to get rid of paper clutter. The format allows for easy access and readability for future resource needs. 

Once company documents are digitized, they must stay protected. Secure document hosting will ensure you have the best security possible against intruders. River City Data can offer document security and protection with numerous measures in place for you. 

Why You Should Consider River City Data

Are you looking for a reliable company for your document management system needs? River City Data has been in the industry for over three decades. They are the premier document scanning service in Minnesota, handling over 250,000 documents per week. River City data handles document indexing using Kofax capture, Digitech paper flow, and proprietary software. 

River City Data can convert microfilm to digital format for easy access. They can handle Microfilm, Microfiche, and Aperture cards. 

All of their services meet industry standards in open formats. No matter the need, they can likely produce. 

Other Service Options Include: 

  • Document Hosting
  • Document Archives
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Film Duplication
  • Static Files from Word and Excel Documents

Contact River City Data today to discuss how they can meet your small business’s needs with an all-encompassing document management system tailored just for you. 

 

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. 

cyber security online protection

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.

 

confidential files under chain and lock to keep secure

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.

young employee with a computer and the words data protection

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.

 

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!