NEWS & INFORMATION - Article Detail

Records Management is an important part of every business, and choosing the right strategy is critical to the efficiency and cost effectiveness of your operation. The main factors to consider when choosing a strategy are the cost of maintaining files and the frequency of retrieval.

 

The Two Main Solutions for Maintaining Your Archive Business Records are:

1. Storing hard copy records in paper format
2. Scanning hard copy records to digital images

 

Cost Analysis:

A single standard size box of records contains an average of 2,250 pages of paper. The cost of scanning a single box could range from $.08 to $.12 per page. At $.10 per page, a single box would cost $225 (cost includes pulling staples, time spent scanning, indexing metadata, etc). 

Compare this to the cost to maintain the storage of a standard file box (12”x10”x15) with PLANET SHRED which can be less than $56 for seven years!  Clearly a more cost effective long-term strategy for your records...

• $3.25 for pick-up, transportation, and data entry
• $35.28 for 7 years of storage
• $12.00 for 3 retrievals/re-files during storage life (if applicable)
• $5.00 to retrieve and shred your box of files at the end of storage life

 

Frequency of Retrieval:

Some companies rarely need access to a file (or box of files) again, but need to keep them for a certain period of time. Other companies need to occasionally access files for research, audit, and customer issues. Off-site storage with PLANET SHRED, with quick access to the files, is the best option for companies who fit these two descriptions.
If access to the files is needed on a daily basis, then scanning is likely the best solution. However, if you don’t need daily access to all of your business records, why spend thousands of dollars to scan all of them?

 

The More Efficient, Cost Effective and Environmentally Friendly Option

If you need a few files on a regular basis, then have PLANET SHRED Records Management scan just those files, but not all of them. Store the rest in our records center until it is time to destroy them per your record retention requirements. By electing to keep paper files, you will be able to maintain complete file integrity, including any important notes or information that may be included in the files. Obviously, storage of paper files can take up a lot of office space, and is best done in a records management facility such as ours where they will be safer and more secure.

 

In addition, locating stored items needs to be as simple as possible. It’s often quite a task to locate an older file if you don’t have a good storage and organization system. PLANET SHRED specializes in records management and will provide you with the best option since we take over the entire scanning & storage process. We will organize, inventory, and store your records and if you need a particular file you simply request it. We have both standard and express delivery options to meet your needs 24/7, and can “scan on demand” as well.

 

And storing paper files with PLANET SHRED helps keep the world greener in the following ways:

• Once it is printed, no energy is used to store, back up, monitor, firewall, update to new servers, convert to new formats, etc. Paper v.1.0 is still working!
• After we store it through your retention cycle, we confidentially shred the information and it gets utilized again to make more paper. Recycling 101!