Category: Uncategorized

The need for security envelopes every area of a business and that includes the printers. If you have ever worried about document security in your law firm, don’t forget that the printers use data streams just like the network’s computers do. That makes the printer fleet one of the main places that need attention to keep them secure. Locking the Printer One of the ways that document management makes printed documents more secure is that it utilizes the locking feature of modern printers. This allows a worker to send a document to the printer but to leave those pages inside the printer until later when they can be picked up. This is a helpful way to keep others in the office from seeing documents that they don’t need to. When it comes to printing, it isn’t just strangers in the office that can steal data- employees can take or photograph printouts and have access to private data. Encryption Most devices now use end-to-end encryption, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s now used on printers. Just like the data streams from one computer or network to another, printers have data streams going to and from them. It is possible to hack those data streams and to steal all of the data those pages contain. As a part of a digital document management system, the data stream should be one that is fully encrypted to keep it protected from end to end. When upgrading your document management system, be sure to check your printers to ensure that they use this encryption. Cutting Down on Printing Printing a document doesn’t have to be a risky proposition with the right precautions, but not printing the data at all is even safer. With digital document management systems, you may not have to print many documents at all. Instead, new documents are filed digitally and kept stored in the cloud. This keeps those hard copies from being left around the office for others to see.

The convenience of working from remote locations has made remote working more popular than ever. Between national emergencies and local circumstances, the push to work from home is strong, so the push to do it safely must be strong as well. Cybersecurity and other types of data security and IT solutions are vital to today’s working style. Unsecure Wi-Fi When workers work from the office, they use your computer network secured by the office’s secure Wi-Fi. However, when out of the office, it’s anyone’s guess. They could be using their home Wi-Fi network, and this may or may not be secure. They may also be working from public places like cafes, and this includes using public Wi-Fi that is often loosely secured and easily hacked. It’s important for workers to know that the Wi-Fi network they use for work tasks makes a big difference in the security of the company as a whole.  Personal Devices Part of the cost savings of having workers work remotely is that they can provide their own devices. They can use their own cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. However, this means that the company has no control over the security of those devices. If there is a virus on a home computer, it could spell disaster for a worker who uses that to input company data. Employees should be trained in how to keep their devices secure and how to know when a device may have been compromised by malware or other security problems.  Physical Security for Devices It isn’t just the virtual world that can pose a problem to devices and company data. There are many ways that the data on a device can be accessed through physical means. If devices are left around haphazardly, for example, they may be stolen and the data on them breached. It is also easy to leave sensitive data on a screen for other people around the worker to see and take notice of. It may not even be the screens that cause the problem. If a worker calls to check in and talks about sensitive data over the phone, that conversation can be easily intercepted.

The copier in the office gets a real workout on a typical day. That’s why it should be included in all security measures so that the data that goes to and from the machine isn’t compromised. The Hard Drive The hard drive on the company copier is much like the hard drive on the network’s computers. The hard drive stores data and much of that data is likely sensitive information that isn’t for public consumption. The hard drive should, therefore, be wiped occasionally to keep it from storing too much company data. Even more important is to either take out or erase the hard drive before the copier is gotten rid of when it’s time to upgrade your machine. Leaving an intact hard drive allows anyone who gets the machine next to access everything that was stored there. The Data Streams The data streams that go to and from the copier are much like the streams going between computers and other office equipment. They may be vulnerable to attack, causing a data breach, if they are not secured properly. The best way to secure them is to get a copier that has encryption from end to end. This encodes the data stream completely from the time it is sent until the time it is received by the machine. End-to-end encryption renders the data stream completely useless should anyone hack into it and try to take the data. Updates Much like the computers in the office, there are updates to the software used by printers and copiers that should be installed and used. If your company is like most, sometimes those updates get postponed until a more convenient time. However, this leaves the copier vulnerable to being attacked for its data. Always do updates as soon as they are available to close any windows of opportunity that are created by software issues.

While it seemed like printing would be totally out of style and off the budget once the internet took over the work world, the reality has been dramatically different. While digital communications and integrated collaboration has definitely lead the way, no office can operate effectively without print. From the essential documents that are hard copies to the necessity of reading or recording in paper, some offices, businesses, and employees just prefer having some printed material on hand. Some clients require hard copies, and some communications must be in paper. In short, printing isn’t going away any time soon, so it’s time to get a handle on it. Common Print Problems What’s outdated now is the style of printing and managing print. In the past, self-managed printing made sense, where individuals would oversee the print materials, supplies, and necessities like maintenance. This has changed a ton in the last few years, with the advent of managed print. Why? Because self-managed print was costly, first of all, but also it resulted in some never-ending print issues that included: Costly print environment Excessive printing Wasting hard copies Over ordering supplies These problems are completely avoidable when you outsource print management. Managed Print is Your Answer That’s right – if print isn’t going anywhere, it’s time to manage it correctly. That means finally taking the time to learn the basics of managed print (in short: it will save you money) and how to implement it at your office. Managed print is a service that provides comprehensive print oversight, including supply ordering, maintenance management, print audits, policy recommendations, fleet management, and more.

If your business is growing and planning to expand, increase marketing, and reach a broader audience, it’s time to consider how to go green. It matters for public relations, sustainability, and cost management, so sooner is better to get working on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. One of the best document solutions for going green is document management. Document management turns hard copy papers into digital files that you can store, secure, and access securely. The process is incredibly efficient, saves every business money on printing and supplies, and reduces the environment’s output burden. The New Paperless Office What does the paperless office of today look like? It involves collaboration modules where you can use cloud storage and digital project management. It uses efficient communication methods instead of having papers floating around, and it secures everything with passwords, access locks, and encryption. Today’s paperless office is a result of efficient document management, which helps your business go green while still growing your company. Today’s Sustainable Solutions Sustainable solutions can look like a lot of things, but the best ones will save you money and time while going green. That’s where document management is your best answer. In addition to improving environmental impacts, you will: Save storage space with electronic files Protect employee and client information Maximize efficiency and professional communications Improve collaboration and version control Save time converting files to and from hard copy. Document Management is the Answer To environmental concerns, printing waste, overuse of supplies, and communications difficulties, document management is the efficient and productive solution for any business. 

It seems like some cloud computing solutions have been a long time coming without simple answers for office implementation. We developed comprehensive office services to address digital storage needs while providing space and security for your company to grow. Comprehensive solutions look more like helpful answers from your vendor partner at Base Inc and less like working with multiple teams to get what you need from various vendors and with too many invoices and contacts to count. What exactly are these solutions, and how do they help you? Read on! Digital Services Boost Security Cloud computing solutions are based on integrating the functionality of cloud components and monitoring and managing to ensure that all pieces – the best of the best – work well together. This is how Base Inc can help you. Digital tools can provide collaboration, client communication, remote work, and better integration of workflows across the company. Office Services are an All In One Solution Integrated solutions like cloud computing, storage systems, security, and other management software can improve your office workflows while streamlining budgeting, expense tracking, protections, and data management. Finding the right cloud solutions for your business is easy when you work with the right team.

One of the many questions that companies run into is how they are going to handle their print services. Some people might be surprised to hear that the vast majority of organizations do not know how much they spend on printing. This can be a huge problem when it comes time to do the budget. One of the ways companies can rectify this situation is by investing in managed print services. When it comes to managed print partners, there are a few points to know. An Overview of Managed Print Services Managed print services should be viewed as a partner with which a company can work to improve its printing efficiency. This includes identifying, controlling, and managing the amount of time and money they are spending on their print technology fleet. This is a broad definition. Given the broad nature of managed print services, this is appropriate. A strong partner will help companies increase their productivity, reduce their overhead costs, and become more efficient when it comes to printing. There are a few benefits that come with managed print services that every company should know. The Benefits of Partnering with Managed Print Services There are a few major benefits that companies will enjoy when they partner with managed print services. Some of these include: Optimization: A managed print partner will take a look at a company’s printing needs. Then, this partner will come up with a list of suggestions that can help companies streamline their workflow. This might include new equipment, new technology, and an updated maintenance schedule. The partner may even produce regular reports to show additional changes that can be made. Lower Overhead Costs: In addition, a managed print partner will help a company lower their overhead costs. A managed print partner will come up with a list of excessive spending that can be pared down. This is money that can be spent growing the business instead of fixing printers. 

In the healthcare industry, it’s all about patient medical records. The way they are dealt with within a healthcare practice can make an enormous difference to patients. A good practice must have a good document management system. Privacy and Security While compliance issues are being faced by every industry, the healthcare industry has perhaps the most regulations to follow. Patient privacy, and the security that it takes to maintain it, are part of the running of the practice. That privacy is harder to maintain when the files are in hard copies that can be picked up and looked at by anyone. For better security for patients’ sensitive data, digital document management is far more safe and secure. Better Organization When records have been digitized and are being filed and stored in the cloud, those records are safer, but they’re also easier to access by those who need them. The security measures that keep anyone else out of those files allow the healthcare provider to quickly access those documents and to file them again just as quickly. With this method, there is no chance of the records being misplaced and lost. Patients get faster care because it takes just seconds to access those patient records. Keeping Control Over Costs While many costs continue to go up, better document management can make it possible to bring down the cost of running the office. With digital files instead of physical ones, not as much physical space is needed for files. That means less real estate being taken up and less heating and cooling of those spaces. And because no one has to search an office for files, time is saved by the workers. Instead of spending much of the day hunting down files, the right files can be quickly accessed when it’s time.

The cloud is a safe and effective storage solution that is used for storing many different types of files. This storage system uses online storage to access any digital documents that you have put there. There are some types of documents that most need the cloud. Business Messages Whether it’s through letters or memos or even emails, every business correspondence is potentially important. Even if it doesn’t seem vital now, it could later at any time. That’s why the safest way to store your business correspondences is to put them in the cloud for safekeeping. It’s a great way to keep those communications safe and secure while also keeping them from prying eyes. Even with it stored so safely, it’s also simple to share it with anyone else to prove certain communications. Official Prices Price lists let workers know just what to charge for products, and that information must be readily available to them. When you store price lists in the cloud, it’s always available and ready to be accessed by workers. This means no long wait for customers who may call with pricing questions or get a quote. It also curbs pricing mistakes that can happen when workers think they remember correctly about specific prices. With this system, there’s no reason not to double-check them. Photos of the Site If your company has photos of its building and its workspaces, this can be very important to have on hand later. If the site were to flood or burn down, for example, these photos can be used for insurance purposes. When you have them available, they are also easy to put into company brochures and relevant memos. When having to explain a project to a contractor, they will want to have those photos in order to reference the site and make recommendations.

There is so much office equipment needed in the average office that it can often make good financial sense to rent or lease some of the needed equipment. This eliminates the need to come up with a great deal of money all at once, and it allows for a steady monthly budget. Renting the Needed Office Equipment If your company is a new one,  and you aren’t quite sure yet what type of office machines you will need in the next few years, renting can be a good option. When the equipment is rented, it is for a short term, so it’s easy to stop renting a piece of equipment when you find that your company doesn’t need it. This flexibility is especially helpful in industries that are rapidly advancing and could be far different over the next three years. Renting keeps you from being locked into any one piece of office equipment. Leasing Your Company’s Equipment If you’re sure of the office equipment that your company needs, leasing is a good option. Like renting, it prevents you from having to come up with a large sum all at once. The terms are longer, however. There may also be maintenance contracts that can be enacted along with the equipment lease to keep it in good shape. With a lease, your office can learn to use machines that will stay there for a long time to come. And because the contract term is longer, there is often a lower monthly payment. Should You Rent or Lease? If you know exactly what your company will be using in the office for the foreseeable future, leasing office equipment is often the better choice. It keeps the needed machines right there in the office long-term. If the technology you use is rapidly evolving, consider renting the equipment instead. It can allow you to upgrade the equipment more quickly as it is introduced into the market. And with a lease, it is often possible to eventually buy the machines that you have been using.