Document management systems and being dispute ready
This week, we share our top tips for organising your company’s document management system.
Unsurprisingly, a company may accumulate a mass-volume of documents very quickly. These documents may take up space and sit in storage units for long periods of time. However, you must not overlook the possibility that you may need to access these documents again, especially in the event of litigation. From a legal perspective, proper document management is crucial. Having access to specific documents can often be the difference between success and failure in litigation.
Top Tips for an Effective Document Management System
You want the document management system to be in such great shape that if a dispute arose today you would not find yourself scrambling to find all pertinent documents.
Maintain a Digital Archive
Storing documents and any attachments in a digital format is the best way to ensure you have immediate access to all the information whilst saving on space. You should retain a back up of any digital archive and still retain hard copies as required by law;
All electronic files should be backed up several times a day in order to prevent accidental deletion. There are also software systems that may be programmed to automatically back-up electronic files; Futher, all software and hardware should be kept up-to-date;
Ensure that any files created using old version of software are still accessible. An IT expert should be able to help in ensuring the compatibility of your electronic systems;
A regular reviews of this digital document management system will ensure all documents are kept safe for fututre use.
Create an Archiving System
Organise documents into work created by company departments. The files created by your legal team should be kept separate from the files created by the accounting team;
Next, store documents by project name or subject matter ie: 'Project Pericles: The Warehouse Sale'. Keep this system consistent and the name of all folders and files neat and tidy;
For amended documents, use a consistent method of identifying updated versions. If there are several drafts of same document, mark it with letters or numbers to avoid duplication or confusion.
Hold Training Workshops for Staff
Holding training seminars for staff will keep them up to date on the expectations of your organisation regarding document management. Workshops can address questions such as best formats and distribution of the documents to be stored;
Furthermore, ensure that there is a way to store and collect all work product created during the lifetime of employment to ensure that when an employee departs their past work is still accessible.
Document Retention Policies
Have a policy that specifies how long documents must be retained for and when they may be destroyed;
The policy should disallows the destruction or removal of any documents during legal proceedings; and
All policies on document management should be updated regularly.
What Should I Do Next?
Contact us if you require further advice on document management systems and becoming dispute ready, our staff attorneys are always available to answer your questions. We may be able to assist you in identifying documents that must be retained and in developing policies and training programs for your employees.
* This blog is for general guidance only. Legal advice should be sought before taking action in relation to any specific issues.