The digital age’s promise of the modernization of information technology and machine learning comes closer with every update to technology, systems, and programs to better process and avoid human error. In the years of transitioning to more digital systems to improve efficiency, storage, and sharing, the one format that sticks around without the need for modernization is the old trusted and true medium, paper.

Despite the growing sense of obsolescence, paper is still part of business operations as a format for information and records. The event where paper becomes essential, if not useful, is when a disaster strikes and your entity cannot access the information, data, or records due to it being electronic. Usually when one thinks of disasters what comes to mind is hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, or fires. But hacks and ransomware attacks also qualify under the banner of disasters. When your governmental entity cannot access the electronic versions, let alone the backups, paper remains.

While Bulletin B: Electronic Records Standards and Procedures provide guidance on the minimums of electronic storage systems and considerations on updating those systems it doesn’t necessarily go into the cost of maintaining records electronically. In maintaining digital records your entity needs to check to see if the records and information can still be accessed and read on the latest software, monitor electronic storage servers (hardware based such as stored on jump drives or CDs, or cloud based) or must use a third-party storage server. Storage from all those accounts for other costs and inventory needs that continually grow due to rapid change and increase use of various technological platforms while keeping up to track where everything is stored along with the backups and how many copies there are of them. While with paper you need to figure out the storage space for filing cabinets, paper costs, and file folders.

 In such events is your entity ready to operate offline? What would your entity need to consider if you need to function on a paper system until you are back online?

The purpose of the article is to present questions and possible considerations if your entity faces being offline and is unable to connect for extended period.

The first place to search is the entity’s disaster preparedness policy or the continuity of operations plan (COOP) to review what types of disasters it addresses, and what plans of action is in place. This would also be a good time to see if the plan needs to be updated and what other possible scenarios need to be included based on the potential threats your entity could face. Here are potential steps to prepare in case your entity goes offline.

What events or disasters would cause your entity to use only the paper version of a record?

• Power grid failures.
• Ransomware or malware.
• Electronic servers down.
• Third-party service outages.

Do you know where all paper records are filed?

• Check the inventory of your records to where every record on paper is stored. (Checkout Bulletin C: Inventory and Scheduling Records for more on inventory rules and standards for Local Governments.)
• Are those records on paper accessible within the immediate aftermath?
• Does the paper version have the latest information?
• Are the paper records only records of permanent or historical value?
• How do the departments handle paper records and what information is generally printed?

If your entity cannot connect to backups or must remain offline for extended period what would be the plan of action?

• Review each department and what are their specific functions to continue operations.
• What information does the department need to have daily for said functions?
• Set up a drill day to test what would happen if the entity had to go back to paper?
  • Identify the pain points in business functions and how to correct it.
  • What information was not communicated and how to rectify?
  • What other business functions, both internal and external, have not been addressed?
  • Set up the next drill.

The guidance shown here provides an alternative plan of action to consider when local governments need to strategize for a potential natural or man-made disaster scenario. The information presented here is not intended to cause alarm, but for your entity to consider other methods for business continuity.

Do you know of any entity that has done such drills or have any further ideas of what to do in such an emergency situation? Let us know.