World news and information

Document Storage ? Organizing for Maximum Productivity

April 29th, 2010 | Tags: Document, Maximum, Organizing, Productivity, Storage

Document storage—how you handle that endless collection of reports, memos, charts, photos and other items your business accumulates — is one of the most important decisions you make in business. I call it a “stealth business decision” because if you don’t make a plan for document storage upfront it can sneak up on you and can become an overwhelming problem. Whether you decide on an old-fashioned (and common) boxed storage solution, an open shelf filing plan or a more manageable and efficient electronic system, what you do about document storage is something you dare not leave for low-level staff to work out on their own. The result of that can chill your blood!

The problems with an on-site box method of document storage are fairly obvious. They eat up a lot of valuable floor space and the busier your office is, the worse the crowding. This type of document storage also leaves you open to theft and unauthorized review of important corporate documents by low-level personnel, cleaning staff — pretty much anybody with an extra dose of curiosity. At the very least, it makes sense to house these boxes of vital records in a secure off-site location where carefully screened professional staff can assure that no one but your specially authorized employees have access.

Many medical offices keep records of current patients in color-coded open shelf filing systems. Medical personnel need these records instantly available and onsite storage seems like a good solution. However, as the number of records grows they can quickly overtake the space set aside for document storage. Many new medical offices are turning to electronic document storage systems that still keep patient records at staff’s fingertips, while eliminating the cumbersome, and let’s face it, ugly bulging patient files that cloak many office walls.

If your office is overcrowded with boxes and files, and you’re trying to select a document storage solution, make sure these questions figure into your decision process:

Clearly, what at the outset may seem like an easy, even a “no brainer” decision is anything but. Make your document storage decisions upfront and with full consideration of the many options at your disposal. This is the way to assure you end up with an organized, efficient document storage system that enhances productivity, meets your needs and gives you real peace of mind.