Fireproof Records Center Blog » Records Management

Helpful Hints for Purging Records

blogadmin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:21:30 +0000

By Cecile Ogg, Director of Customer Service and HR

Here are some useful tips from Fireproof’s customer service department on purging your records.

Identify the records that need to be purged and consider their activity level. Determine the quantity of cartons required by measuring filing inches. If the files are in filing cabinets, you can convert the drawers to filing inches. If you have legal files and you will be using 12” x 15” x 10” carton there will be 9.5 filing inches in each box. If you have letter size files and you will be using 12” x 15” x 10” cartons, there will be 14.5 filing inches.

1. Purchase appropriate cartons for records – 12″ x 15″ x 10″

a. Purchase enough cartons to avoid over filling

2. Do not pack hanging file folders

3. Loose pages should be placed inside the box in a manila folder and labeled

a. Avoid using rubber bands, paper clips and metal clips for long term storage

4. Arrange records inside the box in a consistent manner

a. Alpha
b. Numeric
c. Chronological

i. Files should be facing the same direction in the carton so the tab is easily recordable
ii. Do not pack cd’s, dvd’s or other media with paper records

1. If the carton is not full, using packing material to stabilize the carton

5. Pack records with like retention periods
6. Label the carton and record the carton number, description and retention on a spreadsheet that is backed up regularly

a. When more than one carton’s description matches exactly or is very similar to another, consider cataloging each file

Are You Ready for October….2013?

blogadmin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:00:47 +0000

Records Retention for Business Survival

blogadmin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:56:10 +0000

The daily risks of doing business are increasing at an alarming rate. Information risk is one of the primary ones with which businesses must contend today. Risk of legal action and regulatory non- compliance are the two risks most discussed today. However, the primary risk to your business is simply the insidious one of wasted time and resources maintaining and searching for information!

Since December, 2010, when the revised Rules of Federal Civil Procedure were promulgated, the need to know what information you have, where it is, and how you can quickly retrieve it has become more critical than ever before. Concurrent with that, most businesses are creating, using and maintaining more and more information in electronic systems. How you manage those systems and the information they contain may mean the success or failure of your business.

A compliant information management program will save you time, save you money and may save your business life. Knowing what you have, where you have it, and how long you need to keep it are the first steps in creating a compliant program and protecting your business. Solid policies and procedures will offer protection against legal and regulatory actions that may cost you time and considerable money.

Join us for one of our Lunch ‘n’ Learns and we will explain how to create and maintain a compliant information management program. Your business survival may depend on it!

After the session you will understand how to:

 Perform a records / information inventory / audit

 Do an information analysis to determine required retention periods

 Create and promulgate an information retention policy

 Build an effective education program

 Create, enforce and release a litigation hold

 Perform periodic audits to ensure compliance

Who should attend: Organizational leadership (Executives, VPs, Directors and Managers), organizational stakeholders (business resources with authority and responsibility for records management policy retention and retrieval) and anyone in any business that creates and maintains records.

When:

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

(Select a date and register early – seating is limited)

Time – 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

About our Speaker:

Joseph C. Dickman, Jr., Senior Consultant for Document Management for Fireproof, will be presenting our Lunch ‘n Learn sessions. For more than 25 years, Joe has been assisting organizations in the creation and maintenance of compliant information management programs.

To Register:

Contact Linda Samson at 614/317-9235 or email lsamson@fireproof.com

Be our guest and have a complimentary lunch on us.

Lunch N’ Learn – Your Information in the Cloud

blogadmin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:28:23 +0000

Join us at our next Lunch ‘n Learn “Should Your Information Be in the Cloud” on Tuesday, June 14^th from 11:30 to 1:30.

We will explain how Cloud Computing can:

Reduce business costs
Improve technology agility
Strengthen your interoperability

Additionally, you’ll learn how to access Cloud Computing safely and securely, while understanding what, when and how to implement the Cloud to drive your productivity and competitiveness.

To register or for more information contact Linda Samson 614.317.9235 or email: lsamson[at]fireproof.com.

Are You Ready For Tax Day – April 18

blogadmin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:33:46 +0000

The traditional tax return filing deadline is April 15 of each year, but the IRS has approved April 18, 2011 as the tax filing deadline for 2010 Tax Returns and extension requests in observation of Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia.

As you prepare to file your taxes, here is a quick list of tips for organization and also information in case of an audit.

Documents You Should Keep:

You should keep your tax returns and any supporting documentation for your tax returns for 7 years. Supporting documentation may include:

• home mortgage statements

• Forms W-2 and W-2G

• Forms of the 1098 and 1099 series and Schedules K-1

• receipts for employee business expenses

• justification of fair market value for any items donated to charity

• receipts for items donated to charity with value greater than $500

• receipts for charitable contributions (including cash contributions made after 2006)

• receipts for rental property income

• brokerage statements

• receipts for qualified education costs

• 401(k) statements

• IRA contribution records

• receipts for items sold at a gain

• home-office-related receipts

• pay stubs

• copy of the front and back of the check you used to pay your tax balance due, if applicable

For Proper Records Management:

• Group documents by category then by year

• Follow a strict retention schedule

• Mark all boxes according to company retention policy

• Be knowledgeable of what your records say about you and your company

• Keep a quarterly index of all records

For more information on document indexing and retention schedules, visit us at www.Fireproof.com.