How do you ensure information security?

In the past, when someone created a file, they would include copies of the relevant correspondence. That way, anyone could review it if necessary. With email, that’s more difficult. A digital archive offers a solution. If you want to archive emails in a client file, they must be saved manually. But who does that, and who does it consistently? In most environments, incoming emails are therefore stored on the mail server. Often in separate client folders or in personal inboxes. But it goes without saying that this is not an ideal situation—especially given the growing volume of emails. With digital archiving, emails—including attachments—are largely archived automatically, after which they can be accessed centrally or linked to information in other systems (such as CRM). In the digital archive, the authenticity and integrity of the emails are guaranteed. This also ensures immediate compliance with legislation regarding the retention of emails or calendar information.

An HRM application is a database, not a document management system. But where do you store all those important personal documents? No wonder you still regularly see paper files in HRM departments. If you want to add HRM documents to an HRM application, the upload process often involves many steps. Whether uploading is even practical is another question altogether. For example, if you want to comply with the legal requirement to delete expired IDs in a timely manner, searching by expiration date is often not possible. Searching and deleting then remains unnecessarily manual work.

Within an Enterprise Information Management (EIM) platform, you can create a separate HRM archive where all relevant documents are stored. These can be linked to the personal data in the HRM application. This allows you to quickly add and remove documents. Thanks to a search function, documents can be found quickly. It is also possible to make documents—such as pay stubs—digitally available via a portal with login credentials. Additionally, you can digitally “redact” sensitive personal data or restrict access to parts of a file for unauthorized users. This ensures immediate compliance with data retention laws.

You’ve probably been there. A month too late, you discover that a contract has been automatically renewed for another year—for the umpteenth time. Save on unnecessary costs and use a digital archive as a reminder. How can you prevent contracts from being automatically renewed? A common method is to use an Excel file. In Excel, you list the contracts. You then file the actual contracts in a binder, and the list is supposed to ensure you don’t forget the expiration date. Dream on.

The features of a digital archive are much more convenient. Scan the contracts, enter their terms, and ensure that the responsible parties automatically receive a reminder before the contract expires. This provides peace of mind; you don’t have to keep track of lists, and colleagues have time to consider renewal, which can help avoid unnecessary costs. Since the system automatically generates reminders, contract management is no longer dependent on the attentiveness of a colleague with a handy Excel file.

If you need customer data, you often have to know exactly which system to look in and who to contact. With a digital archive, you can bring everything up on your screen with the click of a button. Customer files are often scattered across different systems and locations. Emails are on the mail server, customer data is in the CRM system, and other relevant documents are in an Office folder. If you’re unlucky, some data may also be stored decentralized across different people or departments. With a digital archive, you store all customer data centrally and in a standardized way. That way, everyone can always find the information. You can link the files to your CRM or ERP system so you can manage them through a single application.