选择贵组织的记录保留方法指南

Keeping detailed records has never been easier than in the digital age. 这对任何企业来说都应该是个好消息. 

Record retention refers to the way a business stores 和 uses data for a set period of time. 尽管很多人更喜欢纸质书, 电子存储是一种更安全、更可靠的选择. Failure to comply with retention requirements could result in major 税 和 legal issues, 和, 不幸的是, 山姆大叔不太会原谅丢失文件的人. 

It is crucial for a business to decide what works best for them when navigating record retention guidelines. Some companies might stick to paper, others electronic, 和 some will go with a hybrid. 每种方法都有优点和缺点, 和 it is important for a business to carefully consider the most efficient 和 accurate record retention system. There are many factors to consider when deciding on a record retention strategy:

1. 便利性和灵活性 -提供简单方式共享文档的系统是最好的. Electronic storage systems provide for easy transportation of what could be multiple physical boxes of information, 在一个单一的鼠标点击. 然而, there are risks of malicious third parties who try to hack into a system 和 steal data if it’s not properly secured. 
2. 可靠性 - Paper documentation is extremely dependable 和 is not susceptible to power outages 和 server failures. 然而, it is susceptible to floods, fires 和 other natural disasters. 的确，电子记录也可能被损坏或销毁, 但是创建备份和恢复丢失的工作要容易得多. 
3. 安全及私隐 - Cybercrimes are on the rise with an average of 2,244 cybercrime attempts per day in the U.S. 独自一人. 如果一个公司想要使用电子记录保存, it is important to develop internal controls to ensure the security of customer data. A business should never rely solely on a software vendor to provide security. 
4. 存储 - While paper records are tangible 和 can run out of space, electronic storage is nearly infinite. 如果一家公司的bet9平台游戏器跟不上, it is easy to find off-site storage facilities that will safely harbor records. 
5. 成本 ——虽然这个因素在10年前可能会有所不同, electronic record retention is the cheapest option for almost every business. 年复一年, 存储成本下降, 使电子存储成为各种规模企业的廉价选择. 

Once a method is chosen, the organization should develop a document retention policy. A document retention policy spells out how long a business keeps different types of data, 它如何格式化数据, 数据存储在哪里, 数据存储多长时间, 以及数据的处理过程. A fully developed document retention policy makes data more accessible, 降低存储成本, 有助于巩固文档存储, 并且可以为灾难恢复提供改进的过程. 

Deciding how long a business should retain documents can pose a challenge; a helpful tip is to look at the statute of limitations for various operating procedures, 再加上一年. 例如, most 税 returns have a statute of limitations of three years for most items 和 a statute of limitations of six years for significant understatements. It would be recommended that businesses retain 税 return data for a minimum of four years, 或者七年，如果他们想要谨慎的话.

记录保留程序不是一种放之四海而皆准的方法. It is important for any business to do due diligence before deciding on a document retention policy. If you have any questions on how document retention implementation strategies can benefit your organization, 请与我们的团队联系 (电子邮件保护).

关于施耐德唐斯税务bet9平台游戏公司 

Schneider Downs’ 税 advisors have experience 和 expertise in a wide range of industries, including 汽车, 建设, 房地产, 制造业, 能源 & 资源, 高等教育, 盈利, 运输 和其他人. Our industry knowledge 和 focus ensure the delivery of technical 税 strategies that can be implemented as practical business initiatives.  

要了解更多信息，请访问我们专门的 税务bet9平台游戏 页面.