| Our records are permanent. Why don’t we | | | | are often found culpable for actions that were |
| ever see a Destroy Review report? Mr. Johnson | | | | entirely compliant with the rules and regulations of |
| won’t let go of anything. We can’t risk | | | | the day. But records kept beyond the eligible |
| accidentally destroying something that | | | | destruction date can contain information, including |
| shouldn’t have been destroyed. It seems that | | | | notes and comments, which determine the |
| destruction costs more than just continuing to | | | | assignment of liability. The cost of not destroying |
| store a box. | | | | records can go well beyond the cost of |
| If any of these comments sound familiar, we can | | | | destroying them. |
| probably help you better understand the | | | | Archive Systems will partner with you to ensure |
| importance of implementing a company-wide | | | | compliance with your records retention policy, |
| retention policy and schedule. Generally, only about | | | | regardless of whether it is a simple outline or a |
| 5% of a business organization’s records | | | | complex schedule using records series titles and |
| actually need to be kept forever. These include | | | | codes. What matters about your policy is that it is |
| articles of incorporation, board meeting minutes, | | | | standard across the company and complied with |
| certain titles and deeds, among other things. But | | | | by everyone who handles your organization’s |
| whether or not specific records should be | | | | records. |
| destroyed is not a decision that should made by | | | | Our container-level Electronic Archiving Form |
| different individuals throughout the company. The | | | | (EAF) includes a field in which you can provide us |
| length of time you are required to keep a | | | | with the destroy review date for each box you |
| document is actually based on the type of record | | | | send to our records center. If you require that |
| it is. There are certainly industry-specific retention | | | | every box has a destroy review date, our Quality |
| requirements, but these too are based on the | | | | Assurance team will ensure that we have the |
| type of document being stored. | | | | information. |
| Compliance with a company-wide retention policy | | | | At the end of each year, we send our clients a |
| means that you may actually store less paper. | | | | list of the boxes that are eligible for destruction |
| For example, numerous departments may be | | | | based on our records. We also provide a Destroy |
| involved in the preparation and/or execution of a | | | | Review report available on our Virtual Records |
| contract. Instead of each department keeping a | | | | Center (VRC), which allows you to review |
| copy, a retention policy will identify who actually | | | | records eligible for document destruction |
| owns the document and is required to keep it. | | | | quarterly, monthly, or even daily. If necessary, |
| This eliminates the expense of storing multiple | | | | destroy review dates can be edited in the VRC. |
| copies of the same record. | | | | Archive Systems will not destroy a single box |
| Risk Management and Records Management | | | | based on the destroy review date. Every box |
| Services | | | | you want destroyed must be listed and |
| Records management is now synonymous with | | | | authorized by the appropriate personnel in writing |
| risk management. The cost of keeping records | | | | by letter or email. Once a destruction work order |
| longer than required isn’t limited to the per | | | | has been entered into our system, there is a |
| box rate you pay your vendor for storage. | | | | triple validation process in place that ensures that |
| Retaining expired documents can result in | | | | only the boxes you have authorized will be |
| enormous costs to a company in the form of | | | | shredded. |
| liability exposure, legal expenses and corporate | | | | A good retention policy puts you on auto-pilot. |
| reputation. For example, if you keep files beyond | | | | The implementation of a company-wide retention |
| the defined retention policy, you must product | | | | policy enables you to truly manage your records. |
| them during the discovery process. Companies | | | | |