How do I secure sensitive and private information about myself and my colleagues?

MAKATI CITY, Philippines - Sept. 15, 2017 - PRLog -- Mishandling of information covered by the Data Privacy Act can result in fines of up to PHP 5 million.

The Data Privacy Act of 2012 requires that personal, private, or privileged information is protected. It covers personnel data and companies involved in the processing of personnel data and other sensitive information.

Information, whether it's from the business or for the business, is key to growth and success. As custodians responsible for managing this information, it is your responsibility to ensure that your company's data remains secure and protected.

How do I secure sensitive and private information about myself and my colleagues?

One of the many ways to do so is by investing in a document management system (DMS). A DMS has several security features that support the Data Privacy Act:

1) Access Rights

Access rights are configurable for every user.

· Access

· View / Preview

· Check-out or download

· Print

2) Auto-Expiring

With a DMS, you can set a validity period for your files. When a file reaches its expiry date, the DMS will notify you. This helps you keep track of documents that require renewal or updates.

3) With a DMS, documents are stored in a database, not on shared drives

Saving documents in shared drives is risky because anyone with access to the drive can access and edit, or delete the documents. Using a database to store your documents ensures that access is very carefully controlled, and documents cannot be edited, changed or deleted.

4) Audit Logs

It keeps a record of who has logged in and out or who has downloaded a file. If a data breach occurs, it is a simple task to determine who accessed the files.

5) Limits the need for uncontrolled paper copies

Document management systems are designed to ensure that the latest revision of a document will appear, this avoids the confusion of multiple versions of a document circulating when it is time to review, approve, or distribute a document.

6) Documents can be digitally signed for authenticity

A simple company policy to digitally sign all documents they receive and process will help to ensure that documents are valid. Digital signing also helps to identify documents that have been altered because such actions will invalidate the digital signature.

Archive One is a document management system that automates the production of compliance reports related to employee record keeping. Through automation you are ensured timely reporting of accurate information and better security of your data.

Document management systems should play a vital role in business continuity planning, risk management, compliance to data privacy, and disaster recovery.

Who needs a DMS?

All organizations can benefit from using a DMS. The HR department is the first touch point for employees, and the main custodian of employee confidential information and thus will get immediate benefits from deploying a document management system. With a DMS all employee documents including salary appraisal, disciplinary actions etc., can now be stored in a single repository.

For more information about the Data Privacy Act of 2012, visit https://privacy.gov.ph/