The legality of scanned documents

Is having your paper files scanned to CD/DVD Legal?

In short YES.....

It is essential that anyone choosing to put scanned documents onto CD follows certain procedures. In most cases where a documents admissibility has been questioned it is in fact the procedure rather than the actual media that is in doubt.

There are ways to ensure that such problems are avoided:

1. Always inform any governing body that may wish to see your documents that you intend to change your paper on to another format. Most departments will send you written permission to do so providing you can satisfy them that the correct process has been followed and it is something your company wish to do as a matter of normal routine.

2. In the same way that paper documents must be accessible to auditors’ documents kept on CD Rom must also be freely available to any outside body wishing to view them.

3. Using a bureau for your scanning work ensures that the correct procedures have been followed in the scanning, preparation, indexing and destruction of your work.

4. Finally, there must be a person appointed whom if required can be responsible to explain and oversee the company's CD Rom scanning policy.

So in short YES CD Rom is a legal format (COMPARABLE WITH PAPERWORK AND MICROFILMING) if the correct procedures are followed in regard to BSI PD0008.

Providing the guidelines listed above are followed there should be no problems with you opting to benefit from the document storage system of the future now.

Credits
“Vat guidelines 1996 “ - Inland revenue
“Is microform legal?" - Institute of micrographics
“Clarke Holt Solicitors "- Various publications
"Legal Admissibility and Evidential Weight of Information Stored Electronically" - BSI PD0008