“You Gotta Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em…” – Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler (Song),” and Records Retention, in a Nutshell

When it comes to your vital records, knowing when to get rid of them is almost as important as knowing when to create them— it helps you keep costs low, inventory manageable and compliance breach risk limited (as limited as it can be, anyway). Records Retention is largely a function of compliance.

Know When to Hold ‘Em

Some records you have to keep—the law requires it, or you need the information until further notice or forever.  For most of our customers, the small part of their historical data they actually need to keep is stored within software programs like their accounting and billing system, or their CRM (Customer Relationship Management) program—what they keep and how long they keep it outside of their other business systems is almost entirely driven by compliance requirements.

So the easiest answer to “When do I need to hold ‘em?” is “When the law says so (or if you really, REALLY need them).”  If you’re not sure what the law requires you to keep and for how long, I recommend you seek professional advice from someone who does—your attorney or the agency that enforces your industry’s compliance requirements are two good places to start.  If your records manager has in-depth knowledge, they may also be able to share what other firms in your industry do, but since you are ultimately responsible, it’s always best to get advice and recommendations straight from the source.

Know When to Fold ‘Em

How do you know when to “fold ‘em” (destroy your records)?

The easiest answer here is, not surprisingly, “When the law says so (or you really don’t need them anymore).”

When it’s finally time to send your records packing, you have a decision to make.  Do you want to:

1. Save the data by scanning the records and preserving the information digitally before they’re destroyed?
2. Save the data in aggregate (summary) form, and lose the granular details when the records are destroyed?
3. Destroy the records and lose the data forever?

The best choice varies by industry and by company, so there is no “one answer fits all”– just remember that you are just as responsible for the confidentiality of digital data as you are for data contained in hard copies of records, so plan accordingly. Compliance with records retention will be specific to your industry, circumstance, management guidance, and internal or external counsel.

Also keep in mind you need your data to be as secure during the process of destruction and afterward as it was when it was still being actively stored, so make sure whoever you work with ensures data destruction that is total, certain and DOCUMENTED so your compliance requirements will be satisfied.  Having no records retention policy or schedule is in my view much worse than having one that contains flaws, or is miss-executed. Not following the law (employment law for example)  can cause liability or legal action.

Know When to Get Help

If you’re in over your head when it comes to your records, or just need some suggestions about what to “hold” and when to “fold,” including insider tips about how others in your industry or related industries handle records retention, please visit our website  and/or call me!  I can’t share confidential information, but I’m happy to share ideas, resources and tips that might help you, including information about our services if they would be appropriate for your situation.

Moving can be an expensive proposition, and a work-related relocation is no exception.  But the IRS does offer a little bit of help in the form of a tax deduction for work-related moves, under certain conditions moving expenses can be deducted:

Distance

You must pass the 50-Mile Test (the distance between your new primary job and your home must be at least 50 miles more than your old commute was). A great tax deduction and often under-reported.

Time

You must be employed full-time in the area of your new job location for at least 39 weeks during the 12 months after you move.  (If you own your own business, the time of employment required is extended to 78 weeks within 24 months after you move.)

The tax deduction applies whether the job you move for is a new one, or is for your current employer.  If you’re married, only one spouse needs to meet the Time/Distance requirements to qualify for the deductions.

What Expenses Can You Deduct?

Provided you meet the Time and Distance requirements, you can deduct “Reasonable” expenses, including the following:

• Packing and shipping your household goods and personal effects
• Travel costs to your new home, excluding meals
• Insurance Moving expenses
• 30 days’ storage costs
• Utility connection/disconnection charges

If your employer happens to be generous, any expenses they pay for are not applicable unless they are added to your regular salary, but you must be careful to claim only the allowable deductions.  You are also responsible for paying taxes on any money you receive from your employer for moving expenses that aren’t eligible for the deduction, like meals and temporary housing.

This is not an easy deduction to qualify for, but if you do, it is an “Above-the-Line” tax deduction (not itemized), and you would use IRS Form 3903 (Moving Expenses) to claim it.  As with any tax-related issue, you should always seek the advice of a duly-licensed tax professional to make sure you meet the criteria.

To learn more about the work-related moving expenses & allowable tax deduction, please visit applicable page on the IRS website, http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html.  Thanks to Chuck Myers of the McClatchy Tribune News Service for this information on how to make your work-related move a little less taxing, and please contact us to learn more about how we can help make the rest of your move smooth and worry-free!

Related articles

• IRS Moving Expense Deductions (turbotax.intuit.com)
• Little Known Tax Deductions- Check out five little-known write-offs that could make your refund bigger or cut what you owe. -Boyace Van Harlan Jr., PhD (imageinme.wordpress.com)

Planning to Use Plastic Crates to Pack Up Your Office?  Tell Your Customers to Pack a Lunch

If you’re planning to use plastic crates for your office move, plan to pack up your productivity along with your property— and while you’re at it, you may as well tell your customers that if they need you during the move, they should pack a lunch and prepare to wait… and keep waiting.

Plastic crates may seem practical, and they certainly last longer and more durable than cardboard boxes, even though they are more expensive.  But in our experience, they will kill your ability to conduct business as usual for days or even weeks before and after your move.  And we’ve been helping businesses relocate for over 23 years, so we ought to know—we’ve seen it happen over and over again.

Plastic Crates are a Massive Productivity Suck

Packing your property into small, sealed containers essentially puts it out of sight and out of easy reach for as long as it’s stashed there.  Finding what you need and unpacking/repacking it becomes your central focus, and in a move with hundreds of crates, finding the one crate with the one file you need can be an epic challenge that takes a REALLY long time.

That’s time NOT spent taking care of your customers, or conducting your business.

There IS a Better Way: Kill the Crates, Go with Gondolas!

It’s precisely because plastic crates and the cardboard boxes they replaced are such a productivity suck that we knew we had to find a better solution.  Our customers needed a way to safely move their property in larger “chunks” than a plastic crate can hold, without losing access to their ability to serve their customers for days or weeks.

There was no other solution, so we invented one: the Office Move Gondola.

Our Gondolas are basically large, sturdy rolling carts with shelves.  Each one can hold as much as 6-10 plastic crates or more, so it’s much easier to find what you need because there are just fewer places to look!  They’re easier to move, because they’re on wheels.  And because our gondolas are open, you can still see everything and put your hands on exactly what you want in seconds, instead of searching through one plastic crate after another.  And putting it back is as easy as finding it.

Open Gondolas DON’T Mean Open to Compliance Breach

With the right security protocols in place and best practices followed, your confidential information is actually BETTER PROTECTED on one of our open gondolas than it would be in plastic crates!  So even our customers with the strictest compliance requirements are protected against breach when using our open gondolas.

Don’t Sign Up for Costlier Crates Without Considering our Greener Gondolas!

Plastic crates are not the preferred packing container anymore—they are more expensive, less user-friendly and much worse for the environment than our gondolas.  To learn more about how we can save you time, frustration, money AND clutter (once you’re moved, the gondolas are gone!), please contact us today!

Related articles

• Say No To Boxes And Plastic Crates for Office Moves (montgomeryofficemover.com)
• Plastic Crates For Moving Is a Non-Solution (montgomeryofficemover.com)
• Household Movers Trying To Disguise Themselves As Office Movers Using Plastic Crates (montgomeryofficemover.com)
• Plastic Crates, Not A Good Idea For An Office Move (montgomeryofficemover.com)

Moving?  Lock down Your Confidential Info with Secure Chain of Custody

Moving is madness, or at least it feels that way!  Even the best-planned, most organized move feels like it’s barely-controlled chaos at best.  To further complicate things, you have confidential customer information that you MUST safeguard, even during the chaos of a move, or risk a breach of privacy and the stiff fines, penalties and damage to your reputation that could result.

Your customers’ confidential information is never more at risk of exposure than during a move.

All of your usual operating protocols and security safeguards are suspended when you’re relocating.  Your records are taken from their safe, locked file cabinets and storage areas, and moved out in the open until they get to their new home and your regular security practices are re-engaged.  And God only knows what happens when your records actually leave the building and are on a truck somewhere on the road…

Also, in case you didn’t know– yes, you’re 100% responsible for how your vendors (like movers, for example) handle your customers’ information.  Puts a whole different spin on things, doesn’t it?  Your movers really DO have your business in their hands!

So how do you ensure end-to-end security and total compliance breach protection throughout a move?

Working with a vendor that knows and applies Secure Chain of Custody best practices throughout the moving process, including while your records are in transit from one location to another is not just good business it could save your business.  Secure Chain of Custody means your records are fully-secured throughout the transfer, and there is a carefully documented visual and written record of exactly where your records are and who has custody of them at each moment.

There are a number of ways to secure records besides keeping them in locked containers, like sealing them in plastic, for example, and a number of industry-specific protocols to be followed to stay compliant, like using security seals and limiting authorization to break them to one person.  A good records and information management firm that is also an expert mover knows and will tell you exactly what steps you need to take to satisfy regulatory compliance requirements while still being efficient in your move.

At Admiral, we’ve even incorporated total compliance protection into our box-less move, when items are stored on open gondolas or carts using our AirGlide® system for easy access.  How we do it is our secret, but if you need our help moving your records using Secure Chain of Custody, we’ll be happy to put our years of specialized industry-specific compliance experience to work for you.

Please do yourself (and your company) a favor– make sure whoever is moving your confidential records knows how to protect you from privacy breach.  If you need advice on what questions to ask your mover to ensure they actually do know their stuff, please call me–  I’ll be glad to tell you what to look for.

Commercial Relocation Network (CRN) Welcomes New Member

Seattle, WA — The Commercial Relocation Network (CRN), a North American organization which is comprised of more than 50 top-tier commercial moving and storage companies, is pleased to welcome Scott McNelley of Admiral Movers as a new member.

Governed by the CRN executive steering committee, a strict selection process is followed prior to a new member being accepted into the network. All members of CRN must be able to provide specialized commercial relocation services, programs, equipment and solutions that are competitive within the industry. Members must also participate in various activities throughout the year to ensure ongoing professional development and industry leadership.

Chairman Steve Komorous of the King Companies added, “Being invited to join CRN is recognition of the new member’s abilities and performance. Scott and Admiral Movers have demonstrated they are of the caliber needed to be a part of CRN and we are glad to welcome them into the group.”

About Scott McNelley and Admiral Movers

Scott McNelley started Admiral Movers 23 years ago in Montgomery, AL, as an office moving company and has led it through several phases of growth. Today Admiral is an agent for Mayflower Transit and performs local, long distance, and international residential moves, but still finds its specialty in office and industrial relocations. Admiral Movers is an award-winning industry leader and is home to several service-marked, revolutionary techniques that have changed the way offices are relocated. AirGlide Computer Moving and the Office Gondola System work in concert to transform office relocations with a box-less moving solution. Moving hospitals, plants and offices easily and painlessly with this method is one of the many accomplishments that have won Admiral Movers its outstanding reputation. As an outgrowth of file transfers, Scott diversified his business in 2007 when he launched Admiral Records Management.

About CRN

Founded in 2004, the Commercial Relocation Network is a membership organization made up of over 50 of the largest office and industrial relocation companies in the country. The main objective of CRN is for providing “Best-in-class” resources for its members and customers looking for a reliable, professional commercial mover in their region.

CRN members meet regularly and are encouraged to exchange ideas, education, training, and develop business partners, in other geographical locations, that provide a consistent level of professional service. By selecting a member of the network to assist with a move, customers are guaranteed that only experienced professional commercial movers will be handling their project.

Learn more about or contact CRN by visiting: www.officemovingcrn.com

CRN Media Contact

Elizabeth Domin, news@clancymoving.com (800) 836-0331

The proper role of government has become a major political and economic issue in today’s world and for the private sector in Montgomery, Alabama. Unfortunately, it has also become very divisive. So, what role should government play? In my opinion as a business owner, there must be a joint effort of government and private enterprise to provide the type of place people choose to live in and industry will locate or expand existing facilities to provide jobs and a tax base. There are roles only government can provide, as well as functions that must be provided by private enterprise.

Basically, city and county government’s role is to provide the infrastructure to make a place livable (utility service, police protection, fire department, streets, recreation facilities, public safety, libraries, etc.). Without these essential services, people, as well as industry and decision makers in the private sector, will not locate to a city or area. It is crucial that government perform these functions efficiently and equitably for all of its citizens. I expect my government to be fair in all of its dealings with all of its citizens, be beneficial, efficient and effective to those it serves, and to promote competitiveness in the private sector.

To have a vibrant, growing city there must be a good business climate.  And in Montgomery Alabama we have this. Industry provides the oil that makes the engine run. It provides employment that creates salaries, taxes, and in turn, provides the city services. I believe that any governmental body should have a tax structure that supports the growth of business, especially small operations. When the local economy is growing, almost always, the city follows. “A rising tide floats all boats” is an often-used phrase, but I believe allowing all businesses to flourish helps all citizens. Local government should do things that make its citizens proud to live and work there.

Quality of life is critical to new people locating to a city. A lot of us want a clean city that is attractive and well maintained. Pride in this area fosters the right tone for us all, and encourages visitors to have a favorable impression of our whole region. Montgomery and the River Region are most fortunate to have an outstanding quality of life. Not many cities of any size can match our offerings, such as the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and other entertainment and attractions venues. The relatively new River Walk and the recent revitalization of downtown Montgomery, along with an outstanding baseball park and a professional baseball team, certainly add to the quality of life for all citizens of the Montgomery area. Add the large number of college options and the work force it provides, and golf courses and other sports and recreational offerings in our area, and you provide people with a variety of choices. Again, you have a combination of government and private enterprise working together to provide a variety of opportunities for a quality lifestyle.

Education is of major importance! An essential element in any progressive community is the availability of good schools. The children hold the future in their hands, so to neglect to properly educate them assures failure as a society and municipality. Unfortunately, too many high school graduates do not have the skill level to assume positions requiring modest skill levels. Government’s role is to assure good physical facilities, but most importantly, demand well-qualified teachers and require discipline and expectations from teachers, students, and administration. An educated workforce is absolutely essential to the growth of any community, regardless of size. We must not fail in this area.

Currently in Montgomery, we are blessed with strong leaders and good administrators in both the state and municipal executive offices. That can change easily. We, the citizens, must be diligent to keep competent leaders in place and hold them accountable. Our leadership understands the importance of economic development, a good economy ensures access to economic freedom for all citizens.

On the federal level, I believe if the U.S. – as the world’s largest economy, the world’s biggest innovator, and the world’s biggest exporter – is to remain in that position, we must ensure that America is the world’s best place to do business. The Federal government should not run the whole show, but they should demonstrate common needs by addressing their own uses first. As America’s largest landowner, building/owner operator, largest employer and therefore largest consumer of energy, government should focus its efforts on making sure its own internal operations follow sound business practices, including conservation of people and resources. By doing so, they pave the way for private enterprise to follow their lead. Government must create economic, social and environmental value while minimizing or avoiding damage to the economic, social or natural capital so as to allow the private sector to thrive.

Finally, we should not forget that our government works for its citizens, and in the end the elected officials are accountable to the people and to the private sector. Elected officials should never lose sight of the importance of being an advocate of private enterprise, and the two working together will provide a vibrant, healthy place in which to live and work. Quiet enjoyment, although very much a legal term, says a great deal about what citizens should expect from government. For the most part, I want government to let us all “quietly enjoy” our lives. Allow us to live un-encumbered by unneeded intrusion, encourage and support economic development and efficiently distribute resources to allow economic freedom.

The excerpt below is from the Chamber’s “State of the City & County Economic Development” breakfast

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — City and county leaders celebrated recent economic development successes in the River Region and hinted at an increased focus on public education in coming months at a joint breakfast today.

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange and Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission Elton Dean outlined goals and achievements during an annual breakfast event hosted by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dean said businesses created nearly 200 new jobs and announced $56.8 million in capital investments in 2011. Continued business expansion and providing Montgomery citizens with the best services possible are among his goals for 2012.

“It is now more important than ever that we stay on course with our economic development efforts with the Chamber (of Commerce), city and state,” Dean said. “And remain focused on attracting businesses from all over the world.”

Much of Strange’s speech centered on educational goals. He told the group of business leaders that Montgomery Public Schools does a great job of catering to those students at the top, but not such a great job targeting those toward the bottom.

Economic freedom is the linchpin of great quality of life, it is incumbent on government to provide this for its citizens.

How to Pick the Right Lion Tamer for Your Records Beast

Someday the world may be a paperless place, but until then, if you have records, you need to store them somewhere.  Storing them on-premises at your office isn’t a workable option forever—at some point, your records inventory (or indexing) takes on a life of its own and becomes a hungry, space-sucking organizational nightmare of a beast, consuming expensive office space and valuable time. A bar-coded records inventory is essential and will help locate records quickly.

It’s a good thing when your records inventory grows by leaps and bounds, because it means your business is flourishing—it is your business activity, after all, that generates all the records.  But when managing your records becomes a task unto itself, when it starts to take time away from the business activities that make you money and diverts resources elsewhere, it’s time to seek professional help to tame your records beast and convert it from a ferocious lion back into a cute, furry little kitten in the corner.

Decisions, Decisions – How to Choose?

When you realize your records are taking up more office space and more head space than you can bear, there’s lots of help available to bring things back under control.  How do you decide which Lion Tamer to enlist in your fight to reclaim your space and your sanity?  Here are a few things to consider:

Seek Industry-Specific Experience

Your records management and storage partner should have experience with your industry’s regulatory and compliance requirements.  Compliance rules are too technical and the risks associated with compliance breeches are too numerous and expensive to leave it to chance by choosing someone who’s still learning how to protect your information. A good vendor will be well-educated in the areas concerning compliance requirements.

Seek Time-Tested Vendors with a Proven Track Record

Like everything else in life, when it comes to managing records, the more you do it, the better you get at doing it.  Do you really have time to wait-and-see when it comes to your records management and storage?  Choose a firm that’s been in business for at least 5 years, so you know they know what they’re doing and they’re not going anywhere.  And choose a firm that already has loads of happy customers—if they are delivering consistently for others, it’s a good sign they will for you, too.

Only Pay for the Space You Actually Use

You don’t need to pay for ANY storage space other than what you actually use.  You wouldn’t rent a ballroom when all you needed was a small meeting room, but if you’re paying for a large space that’s mostly empty because your storage vendor doesn’t offer you utilization-based billing, you’re doing essentially the same thing.

Think Ahead

Your needs will likely change over time, so it’s best to choose a vendor that offers a full range of services and can expand what they do for you as you need it.  Moving your records and starting over with a new vendor can be an expensive inconvenience, so it’s best to choose someone who will be able to accommodate both your current and future needs.

When you’re ready to tame your records beast, we’ll be glad to share our recommendations on what services you need and what questions you should ask prospective vendors, so please ask!  We’re happy to be of service even if we’re not the Records Management vendor you ultimately choose for storage, and there’s no obligation to you. We can help you with a records inventory, a bar-code locator systems, easy retrieval and compliance requirement consulting.

Related articles

• How A Records Management Company Can Help With Your Document Management (ruralstops.blogspot.com)
• Why Effective Records Management Matters in a Democracy (recordskeepers.wordpress.com)

Going Paperless Doesn’t Have to Mean Going Broke

Going paperless is the way of the future when it comes to records management and storage—it gives you better records security, better access and collaboration, better preservation of your critical information and it’s better for the environment.

Do I Need to Convert Everything to Go Paperless?

Once you’ve decided to join the 21^st century and go paperless, the first question you’ll need to answer is what to do about your existing records—should you convert all of them into digital files up front?

That’s certainly one option, and some customers really do need everything converted to stay efficient.  But in our experience, most customers don’t need to do that—most firms only need to access 5%-10% of the information their records contain on a regular basis, so scanning every single file at once is expensive overkill.

The Smarter Choice: Intelligent Archiving

With Intelligent Archiving, you only scan records as they are needed.  So your paper records are stored securely, and when requested, they are scanned and delivered as digital files with the associated security and access improvements.  You save on delivery time and scanning costs, and get the information you need even faster than when physical delivery is required.

An Efficient, Cost-Effective Solution

Intelligent Archiving of your records to digital files is more efficient than fussing with pickup, delivery and cataloging of paper records, and more cost-effective than a full-fledged up-front conversion to all digital—your files are sent to you by email or uploaded to our secure web portal for instant access, and you pay only for what you need, as you need it.  For most customers, it truly is the smartest option.

To learn more about how Intelligent Archiving could work for your company, and to get an honest assessment of whether it would be the best choice for you, please contact us today!  You could be on your way to the freedom and flexibility of a Paperless Office before you know it!

Our “Boxless Move” is the best way to move your files and property, because our gondola system allows you greater access to your records throughout your relocation, and is the fastest way to load and unload your records.  But even we know that sometimes, for organizational purposes or keeping “hot files” handy and portable, boxes are called for.

All Boxes are NOT Created Equal

Not all boxes are the same.  Your boxes need to be the right size, so your files fit correctly and easily without being too heavy to move.  They need to have handles, so you can easily move and carry them, and be stackable, to minimize the space they take up.  They need to be sturdy enough to protect your files from damage due to crushing or buckling.  And in a perfect world, they would also be recyclable, to minimize any negative environmental impact.

Introducing The Perfect Box

We have The Perfect Box– our reusable Office Totes.  The best thing about our totes is their size—they are configured to fit regular or legal-sized files easily, and with a weight capacity of 60 lbs, they are large enough to hold a lot of information while still being small enough that they can easily be moved or carried.  Constructed from heavily-corrugated cardboard with cutout handles and fitted, self-closing lids, they are more than sturdy enough to protect your records, and will support the weight of other boxes if you stack them.

All That AND They’re “Green”

Because they’re so well-constructed, our totes are reusable for years, and because they’re made of cardboard, they are completely recyclable.  So our office totes give you the storage and protection you need, the ease-of-use you want, and the environmental friendliness you prefer.  What more could you ask for in a box?

“The Best Box for Your Buck”

So for those situations where nothing but a box will do, please contact us to learn more about how our Office Totes are the simply best box for your buck!

With property ownership comes responsibility—property assets need managing just as financial assets do, only the process can be a little (or a lot) more cumbersome.  You have to move property where you want it, deploy/install it, store/protect it when it’s not needed, track your inventory and dispose of what you’re finished with.

Regardless of how much or how little you have, it’s important to protect your assets and efficiently manage them—if you don’t, it can cost you dearly in time, effort and ultimately, loss of your property.  Here are a few components of asset management people don’t always think of that will absolutely impact their bottom line:

Logistics (Pickup/Delivery/Redeployment Coordination)

Coordinating the transfer of property in and out of storage is a critical part of asset management.  Scheduling the delivery of stored inventory so production proceeds at maximum capacity without skipping a beat can be tricky.  Whether for a retailer, hotel or manufacturer, it requires tightly coordinating logistics to pinpoint delivery times and have the right vehicles and personnel on-hand to maximize efficiency.

Descriptive Digital Inventory

There are many reasons to maintain a detailed inventory registry, including item dimensions, condition descriptions and images.  Having the specifics available on-demand (and possibly online) helps for insurance purposes if you ever have a claim, assists with inventory depreciation calculations, gives you what you need if you ever list the items for sale or auction, and best of all, helps you always know exactly what you have on hand so you can deploy it where you need it when you need it.

Proper Long-Term Storage of Retired Assets

Retired assets like furniture, electronics, lab equipment, computers, machinery and even surplus inventory need to be stored properly to protect them pending their redeployment, sale or disposal.  Items should be properly tagged, catalogued, wrapped in plastic for extra protection where warranted, and stored on racks or platforms in sealed vaults if needed.  Items can then be easily refurbished if needed and disposed of by resale, recycling or auction.

Records Archiving

Records Management is part of asset management, but because of information security and compliance concerns, it has its own subset of options and requirements.  Records need to be stored properly to prevent damage and degradation, converted to digital format for easy collaboration and to backup the data, properly catalogued and indexed, and when the time comes, securely destroyed.

If you don’t manage your assets properly, they will manage you out of a lot of time and money.  Doing it right can be a full-time job all by itself– if you’re smart, you’ll partner with an office moving and storage specialist or records management specialist that handles it all for you the right way.  The choice is yours– choose wisely, and if you have any questions about how to best manage your assets, please call (877) 816-5430 today!