Both individuals and businesses rely on a smart digital file management strategy. Check in this article the top five challenges of managing digital files and information with the best solutions & preservation tips to host all safely. Mismanaging customer data and sensitive personal information could lead to multiple problems, such as:
- Exposing login credentials
- Harming business performance
- Collecting inaccurate analytics
- Damaging reputation
- Getting swamped with lawsuits
The consequences can be severe. Thankfully, the existence of different solutions make it easier to manage files.
Nonetheless, plenty of challenges come your way when you are going through devices to ensure that every file is in check.
Let’s take a deeper look at these challenges and how you should approach them if you want to minimize or avoid the risks.
Malware Challenges Managing Digital Files
Malware is one of the standout issues in the digital landscape. Hackers are not picky when it comes to their targets. Both small and large organizations are fine so long as they believe that they can penetrate the security system.
Malware is a malicious code that gets injected into the system. From there, it depends on what the goal of a hacker is.
Some aim to corrupt or delete files, whereas others look to expose information to the public or acquire it for personal ends.
A few key ways to fend off malware include:
- Keeping the systems up to date
- Encouraging strong password policies
- Relying on antivirus software and other tools, such as website plugins
- Using virtual private networks
Hardware Breakdowns
As far as unpredictable problems go, hardware breakdowns are an excellent example. This is something out of your control to avoid challenges managing digital files.
Keeping files on a computer’s drive or an external storage device is common. In the case of the latter, it is also a popular solution to back up files. There is a slight issue with that, however.
Even though external storage accessories like USB sticks and flash drives are reliable for the most part, they do not last forever.
According to The Guardian, hard drives last up to 5 years. HDDs are not that common anymore, thanks to solid-state drives becoming the go-to option.
Modern SSDs last up to 10 years, which is a significantly longer lifespan in the context of storage accessories.
Nevertheless, it still means that there is only so much time you have to rely on the drive. And the timespan is arbitrary. You cannot predict when the hardware breaks down, leaving you in a tricky situation.
Ultimately, it is better to rely on cloud storage services, such as iCloud and Dropbox, as a digital solution. Or, at the very least, have a backup copy in case your original storage accessory stops functioning.
Unwanted Strangers Using Your Device
One should always be wary about their devices. Besides, when somebody steals the device, trying to prevent unwanted strangers from using your smartphone or computer becomes a challenge when you:
- Have noisy coworkers or family members to avoid challenges managing digital files
- Work in a public location like a cafe and leave a laptop on the table while walking away for a bit
Fortifying the device with multiple security layers like passwords and two-factor authentication is arguably the best if one wishes to protect the device and files on it.
It is also worth tinkering with the data directly on the device. Why not, for example, learn how to hide a folder on a Mac or encrypt some files?
Even if someone accesses your laptop or smartphone, they will struggle to find or open the files because you put the effort into protecting them.
Naming Convention Inconsistencies
Naming convention inconsistencies might snowball out of control. If a single person establishes and sticks to a system when naming files, the problem should not present itself.
It is when multiple people use the same device. For instance, if different shifts use the same computer and they do not agree on how to name files well in advance, there is no telling how much of an issue such miscommunication will become.
Imagine coming to your shift and struggling to find the necessary information to work because your colleague used different names because they are new and were not informed about it yet or simply did not care to follow the instructions.
Recognizing the problem early is great because you can address it before it snowballs. On the other hand, if naming inconsistencies have been going on for weeks or months, expect to waste a lot of resources to untangle everything.
Compatibility Problems
Compatibility is another challenge that might present itself, particularly when people managing the data are not too tech-savvy. Check in this article the top five challenges of managing digital files and information with the best solutions & tips to host all safely.
One might not be familiar with the PDF and how it is a universal file format. Instead of converting an invoice to PDF, they submit it in a Word format. The recipient might be a macOS user who did not purchase MS Office—the suite is not included with a Mac by default.
Different devices and software support different file formats. Utilizing universal formats like the aforementioned PDF is imperative challenges of digital information.
When in doubt, it is recommended to check with others to confirm that the file format is okay to use. If you get an okay from them, you can submit or store the file. And if not, you will need to look for an online file converter or desktop software with digital preservation challenges and solutions.
Challenges Managing Digital Files Conclusion
All in all, there are a fair few challenges that present themselves when you want to ensure smooth digital file management.
Thankfully, people continue to improve their technology knowledge to know what to expect and what to do. The constant development of new SaaS or desktop applications also comes in handy.
Still, problems related to digital documentation are not going to disappear. Whether one manages personal files or company data, one still needs to do their best to do everything correctly with digital preservation challenges and solutions.
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