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Organized Files

Archive Storage

Although much of business is now conducted electronically in the 21st century, paperwork will still be a common feature in our working lives. Paperwork can build up over time and can make your working environment feel disorganised.

Laws govern how long different types of records have to be kept, the timescales can be different depending on what they are for - tax, audit, or legal purposes. However, it is important to be able to access these documents at any time. Organisation and secure storage are key to keeping your papers archived safely. 

Archives

How long should they be kept?

01

Accounting Document Retention Policy

As a general rule of thumb, tax returns, financial statements, and accounting records should be retained for a minimum of 6 years. However, some documents may need to be kept for longer than 6 years.

03

Company Record Retention

General company documentation can include contracts and business agreements which need to be kept for a minimum of 6 years. You will also need to keep your physical business insurance documents and any relevant certificates for at least 7 years after the policy has finished.

02

HR Document Retention Periods in the UK

In general, HR records are kept for a minimum of 3 years. However, because payroll has to be kept for at least 6 years, it may be best to keep all HR documents for this long.

04

GDPR Data Retention

Since the introduction of the GDPR in May 2018, it has become imperative to maintain a document archive of items such as accident logs, and maternity and paternity records. The timescale of these documents can vary from 6 months to 6 years from end of employment.

Archive documents in a messy office cupboard

How can Primary Storage help?

Primary Storage will securely store your archive documents in a shelved, dust free environment with easy access for whenever you need to see your documents.

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