Storage of your important papers is a necessity for every business. Once you are done with files and as they age you need to consider your options for records management. The first step is to determine where you will keep the older files. The first thought may be to simply put your old files in a rented mini storage unit. While this may solve the initial problem of space constraints in your office it does little else. In fact it can actually cause problems later on. To begin with someone needs to properly organize your document boxes so that files can be found later when needed. This is almost impossible to do in a self-storage unit because every time you add a box you will need to shuffle and re-sort all the boxes to make the files accessible.

Most mini storage units lack temperature and humidity control. When files are kept in heat, cold and humid conditions they can deteriorate and you may find that the condition of some of the files renders them unusable. It’s also inconvenient to use a mini storage space. When you need to either file or retrieve a file you will need to send employees to the location and have them hunt for the items. This can be next to impossible when the weather is extreme. It is a time-waster to send your employees to the storage facility to hunt for the proper files. When filing boxes are disorganized it can take all day – or longer – to locate the proper box let alone file. Are you willing to trust your important records (HR, etc) to an inexpensive lock, or would you like several layers of security?

While you may think that using a mini storage facility for file storage is inexpensive it actually ends up costing more than you think in the long run.

Perhaps most importantly, the cost of using an Outsourced Records Management Facility, like Knight Archives, is typically much less than the cost of using a Self-Storage Facility. This may surprise many people, but when you use a mini-storage unit, you’re usually paying for space you’re not using to full capacity. With an outsourced Records Management Company, you’re able to pay per-box, so you can contain costs by paying for exactly what you need.

Jane Lockard – Knight Archives

jane@knightarchives.com