Document Archiving – In-House or Outsourced?

Perhaps even more so, as it poses a greater risk of loss or misuse. Paper documentation must also be stored in compliance with legislation, while remaining well-organized, accessible, and secure. Many companies face a dilemma: should they archive documents themselves on their own premises, or seek an external expert for physical document storage?

In this guide, through 5 key points, you will more easily understand the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and may realize that an external archival service with a certified partner such as Mikrocop is often the right decision.

1. Costs and Investments: Savings with External Storage

One of the most common concerns for companies when archiving is cost. Although the initial costs of an in-house solution may seem lower, hidden costs almost always appear, such as:

• investments in suitable premises and shelving,
• equipment for temperature and humidity control,
• maintenance and system upgrade costs.

External archival services solve this with certified warehouses that already meet all standards for physical document storage. This means you do not need to invest in additional infrastructure or equipment — costs are predictable and transparent.

Conclusion: External document storage often results in lower total costs and better financial predictability.

2. Management and Professional Support: Reducing Operational Challenges

In-house document storage requires trained employees who:

• inventory documents,
• organize the archive,
• manage access, retrieval, selection, and destruction,
• maintain records and monitor retention periods.

This can be demanding and time-consuming and often leads to employees losing time that could be devoted to more strategic tasks. External archival service providers employ specialists who handle all procedures — from inventory and classification to record-keeping and material retrieval. They are properly trained, and the likelihood of errors is significantly lower.

Advantage: An external provider ensures professional and consistent document management, reducing errors and administrative burden.

3. Compliance with Legislation and Standards: Less Risk for You

Compliance with legal requirements for document retention is a fundamental business responsibility. An in-house archive can quickly fall below minimum standards, as it is necessary to regularly monitor legislative changes, update records, and manage the archive according to professional standards. This can be complex and risky without an experienced archivist.

With an external provider such as Mikrocop, processes are systematically organized and compliant with legislation and archival standards, including protection against burglary, fire, moisture, and other physical risks, as well as controlled access for authorized persons.

Importance: A certified partner provides assurance of compliance and reduces the risk of penalties or improper storage.

4. Choose the Right, Centralized, and Connected Tools

One of the key challenges of in-house storage is ensuring optimal conditions, such as:

• stable temperature and humidity,
• protection against intrusion or natural disasters,
• managing access, retrieval, selection, and destruction,
• appropriate equipment for protection against fire or water.

External archival centers are already equipped with infrastructure that ensures these conditions in practice and enables continuous protection and monitoring of documents.

Tip: Proper storage extends the lifespan of documents and preserves their authenticity and usability in the long term.

5. Space and Flexibility: More Room for Growth

Paper archival documentation grows quickly and takes up valuable office space that could be better used for value creation (e.g., additional work areas). External storage solutions:

• free up valuable business space,
• allow flexibility in archive volume,
• enable more structured and transparent storage.

Company experience shows that this factor often tips the decision — more office space means higher productivity and a more organized working environment.

5. Why External Archiving Is Often the Best Choice

Although archiving “in-house” may initially seem more convenient or cheaper, reality shows that such a solution quickly becomes inefficient and risky. Costs, management complexity, risks from improper storage, and space limitations are the reasons why more and more organizations are choosing external partners for document storage.

With an external certified provider such as Mikrocop, you:

• gain professional archive management,
• reduce risks and costs,
• ensure legal compliance,
• free up space and increase efficiency.

For a modern, growth-oriented organization, archiving with a certified provider is the most sensible and strategic decision.

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