Why Professional Records Management?
Benefits You Should Consider —

Separation of the Business Records from the Client Enterprise

The simple fact that business records are separated from access by the client’s employees adds to the integrity value of the record itself. Courts and regulators require proof that documents have Integrity, i.e.; proof that the record has not changed from its original state, in fact guaranteeing “proof of completion of a business record”.

Authority and Audit Trail

By transporting the record to a custodian and requiring that the client and their staff be authorized to get the record maintains inventory control and complements the integrity issue. Additionally, since the authority requires signatures along with time and date stamping of the records it provides an audit trail from point of custodian entry to destruction.

Storage Cost Control

Most companies do not understand the cost of their record keeping program because the cost is spread between storage costs, manpower costs and the cost of not being able to locate a record. Once an outsourced provider becomes custodian of the records all costs are tracked, an invoice is sent each month and control of record keeping can begin.

The Advantage of Incremental Cost of Storage

After records are transported into a Canada FileSafe™ (CFS) Records Centre the cost of storage for additional storage units becomes incremental by storage unit. The client never needs to lease more storage space and always has only incremental cost of additional units in storage. They only lease the space they need.

Freeing Up Expensive Office Space

Office space is rented by the square foot, whereas, your records management is rented from the CFS-Records Centre by the cubic foot or by the storage unit. The cost of office space in any filing unit always exceeds the cost of CFS-Records Centre storage by at least half. Depending on the storage mechanism (filing systems vary) in the office the cost may be several times higher. For example the cost of storing in a conventional 4 or 5 drawer filing cabinet is higher than the cost of storage in lateral files and that is more expensive than mobile filing systems. Since the client may have almost any type or combination of types of filing mechanisms the cost can be computed using simple formulae.

ARMA publishes several publications that discuss these issues.

Confidentiality

CFS-Records Centres require that their employees be trained in confidential handling of their client’s business records and sign confidentiality agreements that have penalties attached.

The Core Business of a CFS-Records Centre is the Secure and Confidential Storage of important client business records. It is what we do.

Security

Client records are maintained in a secure environment in a protected facility. CFS-Records Centres use premises protection, smoke and fire detection systems, authorized employee identification and internal controls to assure that the business records are maintained securely.

Privacy

Business records are private and kept in random bin location order. Boxes do not require outside identification. No one is allowed into the facility without an escort and authority to enter. It is virtually impossible for an intruder to find a box, file or document unless he has access to the data base.

Zoned Sprinkler Systems

A CFS-Records Centre facility is protected by stringent fire code adherence governed by the municipality. Only approved sprinkler systems that meet or exceed code are installed. Zoned sprinkler systems insure that only areas in danger are sprinkled limiting damage to other records. Water damage generally is minimal to records since they are stored in tight containers and can be freeze dried and dehumidified to salvage wet records.

Facility Design

Space planning insures that the cost per storage unit is always kept as low as possible to insure cost control for clients.

Unit or Item Tracking

CFS-Records Centre enterprise software insures inventory control from the first day of storage to the ultimate destruction of the unit or item. Not only is the storage unit tracked by location it is also tracked historically so that you know where it has been with a complete history of the box location, person accessing it and internal controls are maintained forever.

Notification of Units Out of Storage

Just like a library sends a notice for overdue books; a CFS-Records Centre can inform clients when files or boxes are out past their “threshold”. A threshold can be set at 30, 60 or 90 days. Files out of storage for long periods of time are those most likely to be lost or misplaced. This service insures that items return “home” on a timely basis.

Protection from Employee Sabotage

One of the most frequent misuses of records is the retrieval of business records by disgruntled employees for malice such as destruction to get back at the employer. The CFS-Records Centre operating system always maintains a current list of authorized employees and their delivery point. If an unauthorized employee requests a storage unit the system issues a caution notice that notifies the CFS-Records Centre manager. If the delivery address is changed from the normal mail stop the CFS-Records Centre manager contacts the client administrative contact to insure that it is an authorized delivery.

Labor and Transportation Cost Reduction

CFS-Records Centres provide both pick-up and delivery services for their clients. The client never needs to be concerned about transportation or personnel cost related to records movement. The client price list insures a low fixed cost for every transaction. The cost of labor and transportation is spread over the entire CFS-Records Centre client base insuring the lowest possible cost for each client.

Reduction in Employee Liability

Clients no longer need to send their important employees out for mundane records movement activities and the possibility of workman compensation issues due to injury or accident. CFS-Records Centre employees are trained to lift heavy cartons and the insurance is provided by the CFS.

Authority Required

CFS-Records Centres require authorized validation for each client transaction. Boxes and files are bar coded, work orders require signatures of both the receiving individual and the courier, dates and times are recorded, transfer points and controls are maintained in the CFS-Records Centre data base forever. Signed work orders are maintained forever in the CFS-Records Centre archives to validate every transaction.

Delivery Options

CFS-Records Centres provide five options for delivery to every client need; regular (next day by 5 pm), same day (by 5 pm), emergency (within 3 hours of the request), Evening, weekends and holidays (on-demand via after hours phone number) and client will-call (client may pick it up). This provides the client flexibility in access to their records, each option is subject to a different rate of charge.

Inventory Control

CFS-Records Centres provide exact inventory control methods using state-of-the-art computer systems. These systems insure that the CFS-Records Centre knows where all storage units are located at all times. Units can be moved from shelves to staging areas to work areas and back to shelves. They can be moved to clients and back multiple times with insurance that the client will not lose important records.

No Employee Cost or Lost Time

CFS clients do not need to send important employees to search for files. A simple request is all that is required. CFS-Records Centre staff provide the retrieval or re-file at the lowest possible cost to the client because it does many at the same time, batch processing insures cost reduction per unit.

On- Line Access

CFS-Records Centres provide access to client inventory information over the Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Authorized employees are provided passwords and log-on ID’s and may search, order or report at any time using a simple familiar “shopping-cart” method.

No Lost or Missing Files

The CFS-Records Centre enterprise software insures that files are always replaced into the box that they were originally filed in. Returning boxes are tracked to their new location. The system has dozens of internal controls that insure that accuracy is maintained. Exception reporting and clearing systems are required daily.

Permanent Retrieval

CFS-Records Centres provide accuracy on all transactions; however when a storage unit is retrieved permanently from storage additional controls must go into effect. Since the CFS-Records Centre will permanently check it “outside of its control”, it is important that the greatest degree of accuracy and integrity be maintained by both the shipping and the receiving entity. This activity requires additional work by both the CFS-Records Centre and the client. True and certified reconciliation of files checked permanently out of inventory require authenticated validation.