Following sound defensible deletion processes can save your organization in storage costs, litigation discovery expenses, and even everyday manpower costs.

The concept of defensible deletion is a response to the current atmosphere of repeated online security breaches. With companies storing ever more data and sometimes failing to secure it appropriately, defensible deletion has become an important way to avoid disastrous data breaches. In addition, the costs associated with storing and organizing massive amounts of data continue to grow. Searching through volumes of data, which may or may not be well organized can cost an organization many hours of manpower. Associated delays and expenses can take a major toll on a company.
A defensible deletion strategy is one that is both compliant and consistent. It meets the requirements of the oversight regulations your organization abides by, and it prevents the company from being subjected to associated legal proceedings or fines. But many businesses don’t know how to develop a defensible deletion strategy that will work for their unique situation – much less how to assess the tools available in the marketplace today. Here are four examples of policies that relate to defensible deletion that will help orient you as you take your first steps toward a buying decision for your organization:

1. A Document Retention and Deletion Policy must spell out which specific types of documents are retained, for how long, and the reasoning behind the retention. The organization’s legal department or counsel should be included in the policy drafting and approval in order to ensure that the policy complies with the law.
2. A Legal Hold Policy describes the documents that must be put under legal hold for a certain number of years. A solid legal hold policy will protect an organization in the event of litigation involving these important documents.
3. A Data Archive Policy separates extraneous data from documents that should be retained by the company. Saving unnecessary documents just creates a backlog of data that must later be sifted through in the search for important materials. A data archive policy will streamline an organization’s deletion process and make sure that the company holds important documents it may need later.
4. A Data Retention Policy for employee use will explain to all staff, in plain terms, which materials should be retained and which should be deleted. There is no need for employees to cram the company’s files with unnecessary documents. A data retention policy makes staff members part of the defensible deletion solution.

There are many defensible deletion tools available to help companies sort, store, and destroy data as necessary. These tools can streamline the ongoing data management processes and ensure that organizations comply with the law. However, these tools vary greatly and it can be difficult to determine which tool will work best for any given organization.
A professional records management adviser specializes in assessing a company’s operations, data, and storage capabilities in relationship to compliance requirements. This feedback is vital to determining which defensible deletion tool best fits the company’s goals and requirements. To keep your organization’s data secure, to cut operating costs, and to protect the company in the event of litigation, a company like the Cadence Group can help.
You can learn more about what the Cadence Group has to offer by attending Tina Baker’s Defensible Deletion session at ARMA’s 60th Annual Conference & Expo, which starts on October 5, 2015. Baker is the founder, CEO, and President of the Cadence Group and brings decades of experience to the field of defensible deletion. Reserve your spot for the ARMA Conference & Expo now and claim your seat for Baker’s Defensible Deletion session. Follow her on twitter @TinaTBaker and watch for more blogs on #defensibledeletion.

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