Two weeks ago, on the 2nd of February, the Filing Room’s MD, Patrick Grant, journeyed to Ramba, a village in Western Kenya, to celebrate something special. He took time out from his day-to-day duties running the document storage company to visit an inventive farming project in western Kenya. When Coronavirus restrictions were imposed across Kenya, now nearly a year ago, it had a significant impact on a country as a whole. In Kenya’s rural areas, where open food markets are the main method most people use for securing their essential foodstuffs, these measures often added to hardships experienced in rural communities. In many of Kenya’s poorer areas, subsistence farmers are reliant on open market places. Without them, they cannot sell the produce they grow – mainly maize – and they cannot buy the food necessary to sustain themselves or their families. When the markets were closed, many of the subsistence

As we draw toward the end of one of the most difficult years the globe has ever seen, the team over at the Filing Room wanted to give you, our readers, an article that might serve to spread a little Christmas cheer. With a national curfew from 23:00 until 4:00 every day, bars and restaurants forcibly closing from 21:00 and masks still mandatory in public spaces, this Christmas will be like no other Kenyans have ever seen. Many will have had their Christmas plans halted or altered by these restrictions which are in place to ensure the virus’ spread is limited. Many businesses, like our own, will have had to reorganize Christmas party plans. Fortunately for us, here in Kenya, we can still meet and interact with one another during this important time for families and friends. The inhabitants of other countries will not be so fortunate during this December

Maintaining and managing storage facilities is a key part of records management and file storage. There are so many factors to consider including accessibility, weather conditions, size, and humidity. At The Filing Room, we have a total of six warehouses: three on the Mombasa Road, and three in the Athi River area. These warehouses are managed by our incredible team of archivists and records managers. As explained in this article, our archiving teams adhere to best practice guidelines outlined by the International Organisation for Standardisation. The Best in East Africa Kenya boasts some of the best document archiving practices in East Africa. In a 2003 text in the Records Management Journal, Nathan Mnjama, a researcher at the University of Botswana, explained how The Kenya National Archives and Documentation Services was already a leading force in Africa. He suggests that the Kenyan National Archives are already adept at preserving archives, although

There was once a day, not too long ago, when records management and document storage professionals were the gate-keepers of data. When the information that we found important was largely confined to physical records and paper documents, archivists and bookkeepers were its handlers. Now, in our 21st century state of modernity, data has grown in such volume and significance to the well-running of the world, that it has left the hands of those humble custodians and has instead become the domain of the globe’s most powerful companies. Tech giants like Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Amazon, Facebook and Apple covetously store more and more data, establishing near monopolies on the practice and amassing eye-watering wealth in the process. These huge companies have built a future of wealth accumulation around this newly revalued, newly commodified resource. Tech’s biggest companies are now so large they have taken on the significance of nation states,

The US election still balances on a knife-edge, although our personal prediction is that Joe Biden will secure Nevada and Arizona as well as complete a late surge in Pennsylvania to secure the presidency. (Since writing this, Biden has also taken the lead in Georgia.) However, Trump has consistently defied expectations, and stranger things have happened so we will be following it closely. Unfortunately, even if Biden reaches the all-important 270 electoral college votes, Trump will insist on a protracted legal battle and a likely recount in Wisconsin where Trump’s share of the vote is less than one percent lower than Biden’s. Trump’s main issue with the election is the high quantities of mail-in ballots that are, firstly, predominantly votes for Biden and, secondly, are being found in large quantities at the end of the count in certain key battleground states. As a company specialising in records management, we know

An effective records management system relies on the consideration of a variety of different factors. It is more than simply storing all your records for ever. Even if you - or whoever is in charge of records management on your site - have created an organised system for managing your records, eventually those records will be so numerous your system will fail. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that your records management system has an in-built process for the destruction of your records. If your system fails it could result in an inability to find certain documents in a timely manner. It might mean other documents are lost forever. It also opens your business up for the possibility that some important documents can be stolen without your notice. This can have a devastating impact on your business and how it runs. Improper records management can result in missed payments, lost contracts

Many people are unaware that there is a global standard for records management that was issued by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) back in 2001. Since its first release, ISO 15489, as it is commonly referred to, has undergone various updates and re-works, most recently in 2016. In this article, we will take a closer look at ISO 15489 and what it has meant for businesses. In 2001, this ISO provided practical guidance and contained specialised guiding principles in relation to records management. The first iteration of ISO 15489 served its purpose, but in 2016 it was time for a more holistic understanding of records management. Indeed, the 2016 iteration of this ISO focused more on metadata, digitisation, and information security. It is fair to say that ISO 15489 is better suited to help modern businesses overcome typical issues of modernity. What does it cover? There are various topics

For many new business owners and operators, records management might not seem like the most pressing of their many concerns. There are a lot of moving parts to operating a young business. There are start-up costs. There is the pressure of entering quickly and confidently into the market. There may seem to be a lot hanging on the strength, weight and outcome of any early relationships - whether with potential clients, suppliers or partners. And there are a whole host of other challenges dependent on the specific industry being entered into. Small businesses and start-ups have a lot on their plate. Putting into place a system for the management and storage of a new business’ records might, therefore, seem not so pressing a concern as those listed above. That is understandable. It may, however, also be costly. In this article, we will look into how important records management is to

In this article, we delve into 8 key principles of records management. These principles are a great place to start if you are looking to implement an effective records management strategy. At The Filing Room, we know a thing or two about how to manage important records safely and securely. We would always recommend using a third party to store your records but, if that is not an option right now, you can always do it yourself. As long as you consider these 8 key principles, you should be just fine. The beauty of these 8 principles is that they are true and useful regardless of whether your records are physical or digital. They apply across all spheres of records management and document archiving. ACCOUNTABILITY: Do not overlook the importance of records management. What frequently happens when businesses don’t use a third party is that records are placed in a

Table of Contents: Introduction Accounting rules in Kenya and the world The retention of records/documents What is the law in Kenya? 3-month grace period in Kenyan accounting law 7-year legal storage requirement Why you should store your records indefinitely What format must these records be kept in? Introduction Are you a business owner worried about where to store the records for your enterprise? Or perhaps you are an Office Manager looking to de-clutter your office and implement a proper document management system? In this article, we will be going through the legal implications of your corporation’s records. This information will allow you to make a better-informed decision about your records and prevent any costly legal cases and complications further down the line. You would be surprised at how useful one small, seemingly insignificant, document could be in 5 years’ time during an unexpected legal case. So, let’s jump right in.