{"id":17566,"date":"2024-10-03T04:15:09","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T04:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heyerinc.com\/2024\/10\/03\/cloud-storage-for-businesses-heyer-inc-s-7-steps-for-going-digital\/"},"modified":"2024-10-03T04:15:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T04:15:09","slug":"cloud-storage-for-businesses-heyer-inc-s-7-steps-for-going-digital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/03\/cloud-storage-for-businesses-heyer-inc-s-7-steps-for-going-digital\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud Storage for Businesses: Heyer Inc.\u2019s 7 Steps For Going Digital"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pme-content\">\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">&nbsp;Fall is \u201cofficially\u201d here (even if it still doesn\u2019t quite feel like it), but that also means a lot less sunlight for the next few months. At least there are mugs of steaming cider and pumpkin-flavored pastries to look forward to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Here\u2019s something that you may not be looking forward to (ahem), but that is due within the next 60 days:&nbsp;<i>voluntarily rescinding your ERC claim.&nbsp;<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">As a reminder, the \u201cERC\u201d stands for the Employee Retention Credit, and it was one of a few huge credits that Uncle Sam put into place in 2020 \u2026 and it spawned a TON of cash grabs, sharky practitioners who preyed upon struggling business owners looking for a lifeline, and a bunch of disinformation. The IRS has been seriously cracking down on faulty claims, and it is very much worth ensuring that any claims your Miami Metropolitan business made have proper standing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">So \u2026 this really only applies if you got caught up in the ERC claim craziness but shouldn\u2019t have. It also only applies to claims for the 2021 tax periods (not 2020 claims).&nbsp;<strong><u>November 22<\/u> is the last day to withdraw your ERC claim via the voluntary disclosure program.<\/strong> Find out if you\u2019re eligible to do so&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/coronavirus\/employee-retention-credit-voluntary-disclosure-program\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>here<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">If you\u2019re in this boat and aren\u2019t sure, it would 100 percent be worthwhile to have a knowledgeable Southeastern FL tax pro look it over and make sure everything with your filing met the requirements. I\u2019ve got some time to take a look for you:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/ralfheyer\/30-minute-meeting\">calendly.com\/ralfheyer\/30-minute-meeting<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Now, I know I harp on keeping good business records on the regular. But I hope you can forgive me because it\u2019s actually my job to do that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">What I don\u2019t often take time for, though, is explaining what \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/recordkeeping\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;\"><u>good recordkeeping<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">\u201d means. As in, how long to keep business records and what exactly to keep and where to store them and for what purpose and how in the world do you keep them secure?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">All important details if you ever need to file a tax return or make a decision about a potential business investment.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Wait, that\u2019s you? Alright then, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Of all of the questions around this topic, cloud storage for businesses is probably the most asked, and for good reason. If you&#8217;ve decided to go digital with your business records, you\u2019re making a smart move.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Digital storage offers a host of benefits, from increased accessibility to reduced storage costs. But with the rise of cyber threats, it&#8217;s crucial to approach digital storage very, very carefully.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">So let\u2019s talk about best practices for cloud storage for businesses, making the transition, what to keep, and for how long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><\/span><span class=\"text-huge\" style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Cloud Storage for Businesses: Heyer Inc.\u2019s 7 Steps For Going Digital<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><\/span><br \/><span class=\"text-small\" style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><i>\u201cI&nbsp; know that I shall meet my fate somewhere among the clouds above.\u201d \u2013 William Butler Yeats<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Your business records are like your financial diary. They tell the story of your business, from the day you started to where you&#8217;re headed. They\u2019re crucial for filing taxes, defending your&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><\/span><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Southeastern FL&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><\/span><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">business in a legal dispute or tax audit, making any kind of forward-thinking financial decision, and eventually selling your business someday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">You know all of that already.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">But there\u2019s still a debate over paper vs. digital storage. I think this is partly because so many businesses have relied on paper storage for years, so the switch to digital is no small task. A&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ironmountain-c8dd68e9\/media\/project\/iron-mountain\/iron-mountain\/files\/resources\/whitepapers\/i\/iron-mountain-2022-small-business-pulse.pdf?sc_lang=en\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#1155cc;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>2023 survey<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"> by Iron Mountain revealed that 37 percent of businesses still rely heavily on paper records.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">But even as the trend of documentation moves toward digital, there\u2019s still a mixture of both types to deal with as a business owner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">As a financial professional, I encourage cloud storage for businesses. These records are easier to store, organize, and access.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">We&#8217;re generating more data than ever before, which can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it&#8217;s great to have everything at your fingertips. But on the other hand, it can be a security nightmare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><strong>First, what kind of records should you keep?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Here&#8217;s a quick rundown:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Financial records: This includes your income statements, balance sheets, tax returns, credit card statements, and bank statements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Employee records: Think payroll information, W-2s, W-4s, and time cards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Customer records: This includes contracts, invoices, and customer contact information.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Vendor records: Purchase orders, invoices, and payment information.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><strong>Second, how long should you keep these records?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">It depends on the type of record and local regulations. But here are some general guidelines:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Tax returns: 6 years<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Employee records: 7 years after the employee leaves the company<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Customer records: 3 years after the last transaction<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Vendor records: 3 years after the last transaction<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><strong>Third, how do you transition from paper to digital?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">I\u2019m SO glad you asked. \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Assess your current paper records<\/u>: Determine the types of paper records you have and the retention requirements for each.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Scan your documents<\/u>: Invest in a high-quality scanner and start scanning.&nbsp;<i>(Bonus tip \u2013 Consider using optical character recognition [OCR] software to make your scanned documents searchable.)<\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Organize your digital files<\/u>: Create a folder structure that makes sense for your business and organize your scanned documents accordingly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Shred your paper documents<\/u>: Once you&#8217;ve scanned your documents, securely shred the paper originals to protect your sensitive information.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Implement a cloud storage solution<\/u>: Choose a reputable cloud storage provider for businesses and upload your scanned documents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Set up regular backups<\/u>: Back up your digital files to an external hard drive or another cloud storage service to protect against data loss.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>Train your employees<\/u>: Educate your employees on how to use the new digital system and ensure they understand the importance of data security.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><i>* Bonus tip: You can hire a firm to do much of this for you if you have the budget for it.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><strong>And fourth, how do you keep your data secure?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">The risks of cloud storage for businesses are significant. Hackers can access and steal your digital records, leading to financial loss, reputational damage, and legal consequences. And then there are technical failures, human error, or natural disasters (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.infosecinstitute.com\/resources\/security-awareness\/human-error-responsible-data-breaches\/\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#1155cc;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>74 percent<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">(!) of data breaches, in fact, involve human errors).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">According to IBM&#8217;s Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach in 2023 was&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/security\/data-breach\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#1155cc;font-family:Georgia, serif;\"><u>4.88 million<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">But how to prevent all of this? There\u2019s no easy answer, and I would encourage you to consult with an IT or data security expert for advice and options. The risks and security possibilities are ever-changing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Generally speaking, though, start here at a minimum:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Choose a reputable cloud storage provider.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Encrypt your data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Regularly back up your data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Implement access controls.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff;color:#000000;font-family:Georgia, serif;\">Educate your employees about cybersecurity best practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Now, hopefully, you feel a little more equipped to conquer your recordkeeping chaos. Start small. Begin with the most important documents and gradually transition the rest. I\u2019m here to help you fix or update your records, anytime:&nbsp;<\/span><br \/><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/ralfheyer\/30-minute-meeting\">calendly.com\/ralfheyer\/30-minute-meeting<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\">Happy to help,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><strong>Ralf Heyer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color:transparent;color:#000000;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<style>.pme-content {\n\tfont-size: 1.2em\n}<\/p>\n<p>.text-tiny {\n\tfont-size: .7em\n}<\/p>\n<p>.text-small {\n\tfont-size: .85em\n}<\/p>\n<p>.text-big {\n\tfont-size: 1.4em\n}<\/p>\n<p>.text-huge {\n\tfont-size: 1.8em\n}<\/p>\n<p>.marker-yellow {\n\tbackground-color: #fdfd77\n}<\/p>\n<p>.marker-green {\n\tbackground-color: #63f963\n}<\/p>\n<p>.marker-pink {\n\tbackground-color: #fc7999\n}<\/p>\n<p>.marker-blue {\n\tbackground-color: #72cdfd\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pen-red {\n\tcolor: #e91313\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pen-green,\n.pen-red {\n\tbackground-color: transparent\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pen-green {\n\tcolor: #180\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pme-content blockquote {\n\toverflow: hidden;\n\tpadding-right: 1.5em;\n\tpadding-left: 1.5em;\n\tmargin-left: 0;\n\tfont-style: italic;\n\tborder-left: 5px solid #ccc\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pme-content .image img {\n\tdisplay: block;\n\tmargin: 0 auto;\n\tmax-width: 100%\n}<\/p>\n<p>figure.image {\n    text-align: center;\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pme-content figcaption {\n\tcolor: #333;\n\tbackground-color: #f7f7f7;\n\tpadding: .6em;\n\tfont-size: .75em;\n\toutline-offset: -1px\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pme-content .image-style-align-left {\n\tfloat: left\n}\n.pme-content .image-style-align-right {\n\tfloat: right\n}\n.pme-content .image-style-align-center,\n.pme-content .image-style-align-left,\n.pme-content .image-style-align-right,\n.pme-content .image-style-side {\n\tmax-width: 50%\n}<\/p>\n<p>.pme-content .image {\n\tposition: relative;\n\toverflow: hidden;\n\tclear: both;\n\ttext-align: center\n}<\/style>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;Fall is \u201cofficially\u201d here (even if it still doesn\u2019t quite feel like it), but that also means a lot less sunlight for the next few months. At least there are mugs of steaming cider and pumpkin-flavored pastries to look forward to. Here\u2019s something that you may not be looking forward to (ahem), but that is due within the next 60 days:&nbsp;voluntarily rescinding your ERC claim.&nbsp; As a reminder, the \u201cERC\u201d&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/03\/cloud-storage-for-businesses-heyer-inc-s-7-steps-for-going-digital\/\">Read More<a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-17566","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heyerinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}