Storing and sharing financial documents requires the highest level of care and security. Whether it is client data or company financial information, your system should at the very least guaranteed safety from unauthorized access. A secure file-sharing approach benefits both your business and your customers. Your business gets to attract chary, safety-conscious clients while your clients transact without the fear of their financial information falling into the wrong hands. If you are looking for a secure document sharing application or solution, here are a few options to consider:
1. A Secure Client Portal
Client portals are electronic gateways that provide a secure file-sharing medium between a business and its clients. A well-set up client portal lets you seamlessly share and request files in a process that is almost as simple as sending an email. That said, unlike regular email, client portals have multiple security layers, which ensure your documents are fully locked while in transit.
A good portal should be bi-directional, and this means it can facilitate file sharing from either end of the connection. If your customers or clients cannot directly share files with you, their financial information can easily get intercepted and corrupted before it reaches you.
Since your client portal represents your organization, it’s also advisable that you go for one that allows you to customize its branding. Customers are more likely to trust a file-sharing system if it displays a business’s name, logo, and brand colors.
2. File Sharing Service
Today’s world of file-sharing is awash with options. Companies such as Box, Dropbox, Microsoft, Apple offer file-sharing solutions. Products like Basil from CoralTree, offer unique solutions tailored for specific types of users.
Before committing to a service, it is best to ensure its infrastructure and applications are regularly inspected for weaknesses and hardened to improve security against attacks.
3. Collaboration Tools
Various cloud collaboration applications target different clients. Basil was created specifically with Small Businesses, Tax Professionals and Accountants in mind. Not all cloud collaboration applications are ideal for sharing financial files or sensitive data, and not all will give you that unified interface that your team needs. For this reason, you need a decent understanding of your needs before choosing or even shopping around for a cloud-based collaboration application.
While your choice should be a matter of individual conscience, a good collaboration tool should offer maximum data security as a bare minimum. Most top providers use their own servers, host locally, and abide by the best practices for cybersecurity. They also let you limit access to certain files and leave others open to anyone who can log into the system. These multiple levels of permissions enhance your security and save you the need for separate tools to handle sensitive data.
Finally, your application should be compatible with the systems you have in place. For instance, if you use QuickBooks, you will need a collaboration solution like Qbox that complements its features.
4. Cloud Fax Service
Conventional fax machines had security weaknesses that are not present in newer cloud fax services. Also known as online faxing, cloud fax services operate through mobile apps and computer software. They completely replace physical fax machines but still let you send files to traditional machines.
Cloud faxing has the following benefits over physical fax machines:
- Increased security thanks to a high level of encryption
- Easier, quicker, and more efficient file-sharing process
- Convenience for remote teams
- Presence of file saving features
- Ability to assign multiple fax numbers to the same account
Like any other option on this list, the handiness of your cloud faxing service depends heavily on the provider you choose.
5. Secure Document Scanning Apps
Mobile scanning apps may prove an absolute necessity if you frequently share physical files in digital form. When choosing a scanning app, traits to prioritize include ease of use, image quality, text recognition accuracy, security, and format and sharing options.
If you are skeptical of sharing financial files using a mobile app, consider an app that is compatible with major file sharing services such as QuickBooks and Qbox.
You might want to keep off apps that encourage you to upload scanned files to their cloud servers or don’t have clear privacy and security policies.
Conclusion
The list of file-sharing options goes on and on. The bottom line is to choose a solution that meets your needs and offers a level of security fit for storing and sharing important financial documents.
