Are you considering a switch to electronic record management? You definitely should be! Not only do digital files offer a lot more convenience, they’re also safer than paper records.
This statement is especially true for certain industries.
A 2019 study shows that paper-based records are the ones linked to the biggest number of data breaches in the field of healthcare. The results show that paper accounted for a staggering 65 percent of all breaches and network servers contributed to the smallest number of security threats.
So, how much safer are digital files and why? Let’s examine a number of ways in which digital data management is superior to the maintenance of a paper-based archive.
Paper Makes Inappropriate Access Easy
Depending on office organization, printing and storage procedures within a company, unauthorized access to paper-based documentation can be very easy.
Let’s take a look at a simple, trivial example that’s reality in organizations across the globe.
Very often, a company printer is located so that numerous people can reach it easily. That means printing a document from one’s computer, getting up and heading to the printer in order to collect the printed pages from the tray.
If an employee takes some time to get to the printer, somebody else could easily scoop up documentation they shouldn’t be viewing. Such mistakes happen very, very often. And if someone has malicious intent, such data could be used as ammunition to cause lots and lots of damage.
Unauthorized access can occur in numerous other ways. A company will need to implement printing, sorting, storage and document destruction rules of steel in order to prevent such issues.
Data Tampering Is Easier with a Filing Cabinet
Tampering with a paper-based archive is another fairly easy thing to do that wouldn’t be an issue with electronic record management.
Usually, many people have access to a paper-based archive in order to do their job. Keeping sensitive documents separate can be challenging due to logistics and the associated costs.
Anyone with access to such an archive can remove pages or tamper with files in any other way. As a result, important information can be altered or lost altogether without possibilities for restoration.
With a document management system such risks are eliminated altogether. It’s very easy to assign permissions and give people access solely to the documents that they need.
Additionally, cloud-based document management systems often create detailed logs. These contain information about the people who have accessed a certain file and also about the changes that have been done. Version control and frequent backups also reduce the risk of data tampering whenever electronic record management is being employed.
Accidental Data Loss Is Easier with Paper Than with Electronic Record Management
In the previous section, we discussed intentional tampering. But it’s not the only one that can contribute to the loss of essential information that the organization needs to operate.
Paper-based files are notoriously easy to misplace or lose altogether.
According to stats, 7.5 percent of all paper-based documents get lost and about three percent will be misfiled. Human error is the reason behind both of these problems most of the time.
Electronic records will be very difficult to misplace with the right filing and indexing system. And even if a document is deleted accidentally, there will be automatic backups to count on for restoration. The chance of complete data loss is minimal, giving businesses peace of mind and opportunities for recovery in the event of disaster and accidents.
Increased Risk of Physical Damage
Finally, we need to talk about an obvious risk that stems from the use of paper at the office.
Paper, unfortunately, is quite fragile.
It is susceptible to moisture and it will be obliterated by fire.
In the event of an accident at the office or the document storage facility, there’s a high probability that a paper-based archive wouldn’t survive.
This is the reason why 70 percent of businesses today will fail within three weeks if they experience a catastrophic event that destroys a paper-based archive. Losing essential information means starting from scratch and that’s obviously impossible to do most of the time.
Cloud-based document storage gives security when it comes to physical damage and document destruction. The digital files are stored securely at a remote location. Even if a company’s actual headquarters get damaged, important information will remain safe and sound.
Obviously, there are some vulnerabilities with electronic record management. Most of these, however, can be addressed and rectified fairly easily. The selection of the right document management and storage platform, as well as a few simple security protocols can yield excellent results.
Electronic record management is flexible and safe. This is why many companies are making the switch. Not only that, it increases effectiveness and improves collaboration. It’s time to ditch the paper for good – you’ll notice the difference right away.