Benefits of Archiving Data
November 26, 2023
Archiving.
This has become a common practice in the modern world. The notion of archiving tends to fall somewhere in between a meticulously organized filing cabinet and that random junk drawer where we toss things that we deem "probably important" that everyone seems to have. But why should we archive our data?
Difference between Archive vs Backup
Let's be honest with ourselves, do you actually know the difference between archiving a file versus backing it up? I'll be honest and say that I've often used the phrases interchangeably with each other thinking that they're synonymous.
In reality, the difference between archiving something versus backing it up is a matter of time in which the data will be accessed.
Data backups are designed for rapid recovery where you intend on using that information immediately. You've most likely experienced this when Microsoft Word betrays you and freezes without allowing you to save your most recent changes.
We've all been in those shoes where you ruefully close out of the frozen document you've poured your heart and soul into and, with bated breath, reopen the document. Lucky for you, Microsoft Word has a built in backup that (usually) allows you to recover your most recent edits.
Archiving, on the other hand, is used to store data that you do not use on a regular basis, such as your decedent case records, yearly tax returns, or that screenplay you've been working on about a person who is a physician by day and a vampire by night.
Don't worry, we know how tough writer's block can be and it's okay that you haven't touched your screenplay in a few years. That spark of inspiration will come back; we believe in you.
Benefits to Archiving Data
Improved Computer Performance
With running your mortuary transport service or mortuary service, of course one of your main priorities will be the impact on the time and money associated with your business. Fortunately, archiving your data saves your company both time and money in the long run.
Your computers will experience improved performance since the data will be removed from your backups and removes the need to restore unnecessary files. Essentially, it clears out the clutter and gives your computer space to focus on the day to day processes.
Improved Productivity & Space
Maintaining an obsolete system for the sake of keeping their data is a cumbersome task. Archiving your data frees up the time spent maintaining and managing the onsite backup storage. Even though we might have filing cabinets full of decedent information, having a paper based system is a very archaic workflow.
If you're curious as to why you should move from paper based to digital workflows, click here.
Data Consolidation
It is far easier and far less stressful keeping all of the relevant information in a digital archive. Billing requires obtaining information from different sources and searching for those sources can be time consuming.
Stop wasting your time and putting yourself at risk for papercuts by parsing through all the papers in the filing cabinet. Search for everything in one digitized location and risk carpal tunnel instead.
(Hint: To avoid carpal tunnel, avoid typing with your wrists bent all the way up or down and try keeping your keyboard at elbow height or slightly lower.)
Increased Security & Reduced Data Loss
This is pretty self-explanatory. The information you collect is personal and sensitive information. By securely archiving your documents, you prevent unauthorized third parties from accessing this data.
Unfortunately, there have been reports of organizations whose data has been leaked or stolen by embittered former employees. This threat is eliminated by storing the data in a secure, offsite server.
Increased Data Access
It's hard to audit a file box of folders and papers from your beach vacation villa. Sand, much like glitter, gets everywhere and is impossible to completely remove.
Regulatory Compliance & Reduced Data Loss
Having your data archived ensures that your organization remains in compliance with applicable regulations and the law. Additionally, because the data being stored in a secure server puts the data an extra degree of separation from people who have access to it, data immutability is less likely to happen.
While it does not completely prevent changes from being made, audit trails make it possible to see who made any changes and to know when this edit occurred.
Regardless of how you choose to store your documents, whether it's in a junk drawer to a structured management solution, archiving doesn’t have to be a complicated ordeal. It only has to make sense to you and who you want to pass the liability onto in the future.
Alternatively, if you don't care what becomes of the person succeeding you, you can always opt for the ticker tape parade exit. For more information, let's talk: https://www.cairnstack.com/contact
For many funeral directors, chain of custody is a term more commonly heard in medical, legal, or law enforcement settings. But in reality, it’s a foundational part of funeral service — even if it’s not always referred to by name. Every identification, every transfer, every belonging entrusted to your care is part of a larger documented sequence. And today, families, regulators, and state laws are placing more focus than ever on making sure these steps are tracked and recorded. Whether your funeral home handles fifteen calls a month or fifty, a strong chain of custody protects your families, your staff, and your reputation. Let’s break it down more.
Decedent logistics plays a vital role in ensuring that funeral homes and hospice care facilities can effectively manage their workflow and provide the highest level of care for their patients. With the help of innovative solutions like MorTrack, decedent logistics has become more streamlined and efficient than ever before. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of decedent logistics and discuss how MorTrack is helping to improve processes for funeral homes and hospice care providers alike.
Over the years tracking inventory for clients, I have seen many companies rise and fall. Some from external issues, some from change management failures, and some from holding on to their problems like they are a company asset. However, the largest example of where companies first show decline is from their inventory. Regardless of the industry, things go south when inventory management gets sloppy. Usually by the time sloppy inventory management practices show up on an accounting ledger, it is no longer a problem; it’s a crisis. We have worked for Fortune 100 companies who love their inefficiencies and know that, even though they manufacture a product, it's their IT team that drives their overall ability to be efficient. This didn’t become clear to them until COVID disrupted the supply chain last year (the microchip shortage around the globe is an accurate analogy). Imagine if they would have known even 30 days earlier that they were in for a raw material shortage. Now imagine 60-120 days in advance. Invoices and purchase orders can only go so far to tell an organization "how" inventory on hand is used. One company's blind reliance on the IT department to author reports based on financials alone has left them in a place where they are spending more than ever to have employees sit idle waiting for materials. These material shortages come from the supply chain disruptions that created a gap in raw material acquisitions. Based on financial data, the manufacturer said they had enough materials to bridge the supply gap. However, that turned out to not be the case. Why would this happen? It starts small at first. One senior manufacturing floor employee had a bad experience with a product they were proud of not passing the testing conducted by a third party QA process. This widget failed because of a design flaw, but even though the design was updated to fix the shortcoming, that employee felt personally responsible for ensuring that the product never failed a QA test again. As a senior associate, they ran the line and added just 3% more material than what was called for on new builds. Seems benign right? Wrong! By allowing employees to continually "alter" manufacturing specs without oversight, even if they believe they are providing value to the customer and ensuring the company looks good, these employees' changes can snowball into major issues. This small change was then altered without knowledge of design to all of the other products that were manufactured by that plant. Over time, that senior associate was involved in cross-training other plants. And, as we all learn from Good Manufacturing practices, it is good to share "best practices." However, that increase of 3% has spread to hundreds of products and plants. This is all without design, purchasing, and the C-level departments knowing the change ever happened. To bring this back full circle, if a product is being made that used to cost a dollar and now costs $1.03 by itself, it is not an alarm. However, this company makes 500+ million units on an annual basis. Another example is smaller but just as relevant. Say you have a VAR company that purchases products, adds some customizations to that product, then sells an experience (electrician, plumber, security company, AV installer, etc.). When a product is specified and that product is replaced in the field for any reason, are there more costs involved than just the delta of the new item's cost? Sure there are. It is the same issue as above. Even small changes gone unverified or explained foster a business environment of sloppy inventory management. These small changes all add up to take from the bottom line, first in ways that are hard to detect, then they start to build as time goes on and those habits become ingrained and are oh so hard to break. "I just didn’t want to have to go back to the truck for this specific part. So I used what I had within reach." - Said by everyone, at least once. One of the complaints we hear all of the time is "I don't want to micromanage my employees, they are a good group of people." In those instances, the real issue is usually a leadership or cultural issue. Besides, it's not micromanaging if you have a process that is well defined and ensures organization success. Asking employees to be accountable for their material usage is not micromanaging either; it's being smart with your resources regardless of the scale. Inventory management systems don't have to be evasive but they do need to think differently than your accounting platform. Your inventory under the eyes of "best practices" should be tracked to a point where acceptable loss is a known acceptable value. Moral of the story, if you have high dollar inventory or your revenue per item is high, then a single line on a P&L simply isn't going to explain "how" your business is running. The whole picture of how a business is functioning is simply not viewable from a P&L or a balance sheet. It requires another tool designed to offer incoming and outgoing inventory information from a non-financial point of view. Or in other words - trust but verify. From process improvement to change management. KPI's are important. Do you have KPI's or access to easy to access data that highlights your progress? If not, Cairnstack Software can help. Hello, Thanks for your time to read this post. I have a quick question for you. Did this post resonates with any company you have worked for or with? We would love to hear your story. If YES, send us an email at: Sales@cairnstack.com If I am way off base or have been naïve, please send us an email with your comments at: failedblog@cairnstack.com So we can understand what we are missing. One of our goals it to provide the best information possible. Sometimes that starts with a tough conversation but we can handle it. We sincerely appreciate your input and perspective.
