A document management system (DMS) refers to the use of a computer system or software solution to provide safe, digital document access. DMS solutions make it possible to store, manage, and track documents digitally. This enables employees in an organization to collate, share, and alter documents with ease.
Keeping company, customer, and client information secure is a challenge. Before the age of computers, paper files, ledger books, and other valuable information had to be locked up in file cabinets and sometimes even in vaults. In our digital world, new methods are available for securing and managing documents.
Complying with data and privacy regulations like the Health Insurance Act (HIPPA), Family Education Rights (FERP), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the (SOC) Sarbanes-Oxley Act comes with its own set of challenges.
These and others carry financial consequences and sometimes even imprisonment if your company does not comply with the rules and regulations. Thankfully compliance is made easier with a DMS in place. Below we have listed 4 steps to take so your company can deliver more secure document management.
Access Control And Tracking Access
Advanced access control is a crucial feature when bolstering document security. End-users can assign specific levels of access based on their security clearance and daily responsibilities to ensure that only authorized personnel can access business-critical documents.
The tracking feature provides organizations the ability to easily track digital documents as each instance can be monitored and recorded. Full-tracking capabilities reduce the frequency of data loss and ensure that only authorized personnel can access business-critical documents.
When an employee fires up their computer each day to connect to the corporate network, the standard practice is to require them to authenticate themselves by inputting a user ID and password. This kind of authentication can also be used when accessing documents, using printers, using all multi-functional devices, making copies, scanning, or faxing.
Immediate Disaster Recovery
2020 was a historic year of weather extremes and climate change is only exacerbating the frequency of billion-dollar natural disasters. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, 2020 set the new annual record of billion-dollar climate disasters with 22 events which shattered the previous record of 16 events that occurred in 2017.
Organizations that implement a document scanning solution mitigate the risk of natural disasters and unforeseen situations that could damage important company documents and halt business operations. With scanning workflows, digital images can be backed up and placed on either a server or on the cloud for the long-term preservation of data.
Since paper documents are vulnerable to the will of the elements, it is imperative organizations have a disaster recovery plan they can immediately put into action. Organizations that take the time to scan their paper documents will be better prepared to implement a disaster recovery plan when
unforeseeable events, such as floods, fires, and global pandemics occur.
Encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of encoding information. This process converts the original representation of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext.
Ideally, only authorized parties can decipher a ciphertext back to plaintext and access the original information. Documents that contain sensitive information should be encrypted, making it more difficult for hackers to access the information.
Whenever using a printer, encryption features should be enabled. Encrypt the document when it is sent to the printer, as the hard drive of the printer will protect any data that will remain on the hard disk drive (HDD). If documents are scanned or faxed any MFD should be able to create encrypted PDF documents.
Document Retention
Establish a policy of…
- What documents are used for
- How long they remain active
- When and how long they should be archived
- When they should be destroyed
Ensuring that only the right people can permanently delete content is key to making sure only the right content is erased.
Remove unnecessary data without compromising your ability to meet your retention needs. Advanced trash controls help reduce risk by giving you the right balance between automatically purging content that no longer has value, restricting permanent deletion to authorized users, and empowering users to restore in the event of accidental deletion.
Printers and MFD should be included in the retention, especially when it comes to the digital shredding of documents that may still be on the HDD of the device when a printer or MFD is replaced or returned to the leasing company.
Waltz Has Document Life-cycle Management Solutions
We specialize in delivering results incorporated in the complete document life-cycle, from creation to destruction.
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About Waltz Business Solutions
“If your document haltz… Call Waltz!” Waltz Business Solutions offers copying, printing, faxing, and document storage solutions from the best in the industry – Kyocera, Epson, and Hewlett-Packard.
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