Intro: Archiving home office documents

When you archive your important files, you’ll free up more random access memory (RAM) on your computer and enjoy quicker processing time.

• Meet compliance standards: Many organizations are legally required to retain their business communications for a designated period of time.
• Peace of mind: Between computer crashes and natural disasters such as fires and flooding, there is the possibility of losing your records. By backing up your documents, you are protecting your valuable information.
• Easy to access and share: Having a well-organized archive of your business documents makes it easy to locate, retrieve, and share information.
• Speed up processing time: The more files stored on your computer, the more random access memory (RAM) is used—which slows down your computer’s processing time. Enjoy quicker computing when you archive files you need to keep but not access often.

Tip: Designate a time at the end of each month to review and archive the information you’ve accumulated that month.

Use these tips to help you begin—and continue—building your archive. No matter which storage method you use, the important thing is to be consistent with your archiving.

• Timing: Archive your documents as you go, or designate a time at the end of each month to archive the information you’ve accumulated that month.
• Apply consistent naming and filing conventions: To make it easier to locate your documents, create folders each time you archive. Include key information, such as file type and a date, in every file name. For example: projectname_filetype_MMDDYYYY = BathroomRemodel_contract_02162011.
• Keep up with technology: For optimal efficiency and ease in future document archiving, check once a year to make sure your backup method isn’t becoming outdated.

For ultimate portability, consider a lightweight external hard drive such as the HP 500 GB Pocket Media External Hard Drive.

Back up content from your PC using external hard drives—compact, portable devices that connect to your computer and allow you to transfer files for safekeeping.

• Portability: Consider a lightweight option like the HP 500 GB Pocket Media External Hard Drive for ultimate portability.
• Large storage capacity: External hard drives have a higher storage capacity than discs, perfect for archiving a large quantity of documents.
• Long-lasting: External drives last longer than traditional computer hard drives because they're not constantly running.
• Automated backup: Synchronize your external drive with your computer so that every time you upload documents to your PC, they will be backed up on your hard drive as well.

Learn more about archiving to external hard drives.

HP Web-connected printers offer HP Print Apps, that are specifically designed to help you store your business records online, such as the Google Docs eStorage App.¹

Online storage systems offer easy global access to your data, making it easy for you to access and print your information later, when you need it the most.

• Large storage capacity: Online storage allows you to archive a large amount of information in one place.
• Secure and private: Only you and those with your security information are allowed access to your files.
• Economical: Save on ink and paper costs accrued by printing your documents for archiving.
• Natural disaster-proof: In the event of a fire or flood, your important records and documents will be safe.

HP Web-connected printers offer HP Print Apps that are specifically designed to help you store your business records online. For example, use the Google Docs eStorage App to scan a wide variety of documents and store them on the Web.¹

Learn more about archiving via online storage, including step-by-step instructions on using the eStorage app.

You can get a 25 pack of HP DVD+R LightScribe mv1.2 Media for under $25.

If you aren’t looking to archive a large amount of information (a basic DVD holds 4.7GB of data), backing up documents onto DVD is one of the easiest ways to store and preserve your information.

• Simple: Drag-and-drop files and burn your information to disc.
• Inexpensive: You can get a 25 pack of HP DVD+R LightScribe mv1.2 Media for under $25.
• Space-saving: Transferring data onto DVDs frees up space on your computer's hard drive.
• Long-lasting: Preserve your important documents for up to 100 years.

Learn more about archiving to DVD.