Business System Consultation Center - Our Business System ColumnVol.29 2013.04.01 Takahashi Minoru

Cautions when sharing files internally via NAS or file servers

Thank you for your interest and continued support.
This is Takahashi from the Marketing Plan Research Laboratory.


Having a “shared folder” within the company is extremely convenient.
Shared folders can be set up without much specialized knowledge,
and they allow you to easily copy "someone else’s past work methods"—such as Excel templates—as a format (template) to use for your own tasks.
making them one of the best tools for standardizing business processes at a low cost.


However, because tools that are easy to use tend to be “handled too casually” by everyone,
each employee’s unique techniques end up coexisting,
resulting in a situation where “no one can grasp the full picture”—
This is a common pitfall of shared folders.


In this column, I’d like to share
.


1. Designate a person in charge
Designate a single person to be in charge and assign them the responsibility
to ensure employees follow the established rules.
We recommend assigning this role to an accounting staff member who is as familiar as possible with the day-to-day operations.


2. Establish Rules
* It is advisable to document the rules in a manual and place it in a shared folder for circulation.
・Rules regarding folder structure
　　⇒ For example, files for each client should follow this folder structure
・Rules regarding file names
　　⇒ Always include the date in the file name (the file’s last modified date is unreliable)
　　⇒ Include the client name in the filename (to facilitate recovery in case of accidental file movement due to user error)
　　etc.
・Rules regarding file storage
　　⇒ Do not store the latest files on individual PCs
　　⇒ Ensure that the latest files are copied and stored in a shared folder
　　etc.


3. Backups and Preventive Replacement
・Write the purchase date and supplier on the file server unit (handwritten is acceptable)
・Install the file server in a location easily visible to the administrator
・Replace the file server every 1 to 3 years, even if it is not broken
・Configure the system to perform full, automatic backups on a regular basis


4. Other Options
・For documents such as payroll records that “must not be seen by anyone,” set up a dedicated server
・Back up files that absolutely must not be lost to a cloud storage service
・Although it may be more expensive in terms of hardware, electricity, and space requirements, we recommend using a dedicated server rather than a NAS


Please feel free to use this as a reference.


That's all, Thank you for reading.

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