Best Practices: This Is How Successful Companies Organize Their Data

The Principle of Seven

Digital data storage is a great advantage for internal company processes. Access from different devices and fast updating saves time and inquiries. However, the truth looks much darker in the everyday office life: Different versions of a document are available, coherent labels are missing, or the storage on the personal desktop excludes other colleagues from continuing to work on a project. Organized data and folder management in an internal company wiki requires uniformity and discipline.

Using a precise structure helps to control the load of data. There are many different approaches to this, and they depend above all on the size of the company. From the classification to hierarchies, projects, or priorities, many possibilities can be realized. However, anyone who is committed to the classic folder structure should consider the principle of seven. Behind this is the idea that a level has no more than seven subdivisions. Any further folder division leads to pure confusion.

We even took this one step further and only allow Skara users to differentiate between three levels. This makes it even easier for everyone to navigate (and force you to come up with a structure that is more intuitive).

Make Your Knowledge a Working Tool

In many companies, the work goes far beyond the editing of text or image documents. Those who fail to establish proper folder rules will have difficulties working with complex data management systems. The Wiki must be seen as a general store of knowledge that is not a repository but a useful working tool.

The Berlin-based web agency diesdas.digital can be referred to as best practice. With their approach of making its in-house Wiki available to the public, the company made a name for itself.

diesdas.digital: Data-Driven Work as a Corporate Value

Team introduction, daily routines, examples of work processes, and company histories: The publicly accessible Wiki of diesdas.digital will totally inspire you (https://www.diesdas.digital/wiki). While it is not unusual to present a company with references and general insights, the openness with which this agency offers it’s Wiki to everyone reveals an entirely new and personal level.

For partners, new employees, or interested parties, the look behind the scenes is honest and likable. The transparency suggests that the founders have nothing to hide. All processes are structured and described in detail without divulging company secrets. The question of an open and collaborative company culture no longer arises. Instead, the reader is invited to participate. It undoubtedly reflects the community value of the company, from which everyone wants to join.

The disclosure of the company's internal Wiki is an incredible stimulus for collaborative work. New data and essential changes are carefully maintained to make the latest versions available to external parties. An accumulation of duplicate documents, unnecessary lists, or unfinished texts would paint a bad picture of the company. Thus, the open corporate culture is the drive to maintain an exemplary wiki.

Set the Course Early

Organizations have to make sure that every employee is familiar with the official data management – and complies with it. Even small inaccuracies or wrong versions can lead to errors or unnecessary extra work in the long run – or even bring down the whole system. So next time you welcome a new teammate, make sure you also introduce him or her to your data policies.

Bonus: Backups Save Lives

Even the best data management will come to nothing if an appropriate backup is missing. Data backups are indispensable and should be automated at a set interval. It is recommended that backups be made on external servers and devices to protect security in the event of failures or possible cyber attacks. The separation of original data and backup copies should be strictly separated. Otherwise, the complex security structure is an aid without effect.

When setting up the backup system, IT departments should ensure that the overwriting uses the current versions. If in doubt, duplicate storage of documents or databases not only leads to chaos, but also overcrowded storage spaces. From this point on, costs, preparation, and service make the work even more difficult.

Don’t worry: When you use Skara for your internal Wiki, we make sure you never have to face with missing data again. Our daily backup routine takes care of the entire app and all data.