Tag: it solutions for businesses

  • 5 Smart Data Retention Policies and 3 Data Saving Pitfalls Costing Your Business Money

    5 Smart Data Retention Policies and 3 Data Saving Pitfalls Costing Your Business Money

    In today’s digital business landscape, how you manage your data is just as important as how you collect or store it. For small businesses, having a smart data retention policy isn’t just about staying organized, it’s about staying compliant, secure, and efficient.

    Whether you’re holding on to customer records, invoices, employee files, or emails, you need a clear plan for how long that data stays on your systems and what happens when it reaches the end of its lifecycle. Retaining everything “just in case” or deleting too soon can create legal headaches, security risks, or operational confusion.

    Let’s explore five data retention policies small businesses should implement, and three common mistakes you should absolutely avoid.

    ✅ 5 Smart Data Retention Policies to Implement

    1. Retention by Data Type

    Not all data is created equal. Treat it that way.

    Set different retention periods based on the type of data you’re storing:

      • Financial records may need to be kept for 7+ years (IRS rules).
      • Customer data may have different lifespans depending on usage and consent.
      • HR and employee records often follow labor law guidelines.
      • Emails may only need to be stored for 1–3 years unless tied to legal or financial records.

    Classifying data by type ensures your business is both legally compliant and operationally efficient.

    1. Automatic Archiving

    Out of sight, but not out of reach.

    Instead of deleting data prematurely, implement archiving policies that automatically move older, inactive data to secure long-term storage. This keeps your active systems clean and performing well, while still giving you access to historical data when needed.

    Modern cloud services and document management platforms often offer built-in archiving features, use them to your advantage.

    1. End-of-Life Deletion Protocols

    When data has outlived its purpose or retention period, it’s time to say goodbye — securely. Have a documented process for data deletion:

    • Use secure wipe methods to prevent recovery.
    • Maintain deletion logs for compliance.
    • Be especially cautious with personally identifiable information (PII) and health data.

    Deleting outdated data reduces your risk surface in the event of a data breach and helps you stay on the right side of data privacy regulations.

    1. Regular Audits

    Your business isn’t static, and your data policy shouldn’t be either. Review your retention practices annually to:

    • Stay aligned with evolving regulations.
    • Remove outdated systems or redundant storage.
    • Confirm your team is following protocols.

    Audits help identify gaps and keep your policy relevant.

    1. Employee Training

    Even the best policies can fall apart without employee buy-in. Train your staff on:

      • What data to retain or delete.
      • How to handle sensitive information.
      • Recognizing phishing or security threats that target stored data.

    Make data management part of your onboarding and annual training. It’s easier to maintain compliance when everyone’s on the same page.

    ❌ 3 Common Data Retention Practices to Avoid

    1. Keeping Everything “Just in Case”

    This is one of the most common — and risky — habits. Over-retaining data can:

      • Expose your business in a breach.
      • Increase legal discovery risks.
      • Cost more in storage and management.

    If you don’t need it and aren’t required to keep it then securely dispose of it.

    1. One-Size-Fits-All Retention Periods

    What works for one type of data might be a liability for another.

    Using a blanket policy for all files or records could lead to unintentional violations of compliance laws or operational inefficiencies. Customize your retention schedules by category and jurisdiction.

    1. No Defined Ownership of Data Management

    When no one is responsible, no one is accountable.

    Every small business should assign someone (or a team) to oversee data retention. This ensures policies are applied consistently and gives your staff a go-to resource when questions arise.

    Small businesses face growing data responsibilities, but they don’t have to face them alone. With the right retention policies in place, you can protect your business, reduce clutter, and maintain compliance without wasting valuable time or resources.

    At Valley Techlogic, we help small businesses build smart, secure, and scalable data strategies, including customized retention policies that align with your industry’s regulations and your company’s workflow. Need help building your retention roadmap? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on X at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • The 6 roles you would you need to fill to match the services delivered by an outsourced IT vendor

    The 6 roles you would you need to fill to match the services delivered by an outsourced IT vendor

    Has your business grown to the point you’re now looking to improve the IT solutions you have available, including possibly adding additional staff? Or maybe you’re currently the go-to person for providing technical support for your users (we see this a lot) and you’re realizing you need additional help to ensure things continue to run smoothly.

    It can be difficult to determine whether it makes sense to bring onboard additional in-house resources or if it’s perhaps a better idea to outsource the task to a company whose sole purpose is providing those services. When considering your options here are the six roles you would need to fill to match the services provided by an outsourced IT service provider as well as their average salary requirements:

    Systems Administrator: Responsible for the overall maintenance, configuration, and reliable operation of computer systems and networks within the organization. They ensure that systems are secure, updated, and performing optimally.

     

     

    Network Administrator: Manages and maintains the organization’s network infrastructure, including LAN, WAN, and internet connectivity. They oversee network security, troubleshoot network issues, and optimize network performance.

     

     

    Security Specialist/Analyst: Focuses on protecting the organization’s IT assets
    from security breaches, cyber threats, and unauthorized access. They implement security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption protocols, and they monitor for security incidents.

     

    Help Desk/Support Technician: Provides frontline technical support to end-users, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, resolving technical problems, and providing guidance on IT-related queries. They may also handle user account management and software installations.

     

    Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer: Tests software applications and systems to ensure they meet quality standards, functional requirements, and performance expectations. QA engineers identify bugs, conduct regression testing, and contribute to software quality improvement efforts.

     

    IT Project Manager: Oversees IT projects from initiation to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Project managers coordinate resources, manage risks, and communicate project status to stakeholders

     

    To contrast, with a managed IT service solution you’re usually looking at a fraction of the cost of the salary for just one of these staff members while still having access to all of these roles individually to support your business. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about the hiring process or all of the overhead that comes with hiring new employees.

    We can’t say what the right choice is for your business, and for some businesses it’s not an either-or situation. Sometimes it makes sense to hire one onsite staff member as a go to person while still outsourcing to provide better coverage and meet your long-term technology improvement goals.

    We can’t speak for other providers but for Valley Techlogic we have plans available to cover a variety of technology setups, whether we’re offering a co-managed solution and working alongside an existing staff resource or whether we’re taking over the technology side of your business in it’s entirety so you can focus on everything else. Learn more today.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.