6 Tips To Streamline Data Transfers Across Your Organization

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January 10, 2022 Business

Data is one of the most valuable assets in an organization. Managers can use it to track sales, productivity levels of employees, expenses, and the company’s general performance. They can also use data to study the nature of the market so that the company produces goods and services that better satisfy customers.

Data can also be used as a decision-making tool. For starters, patterns in past data are studied to inform future business operations decisions. Besides that, when data is used to track the company’s performance, immediate changes can be made where necessary.

Since both employees and management depend on data to determine their next cause of action, it pays when this data is transferred within the organization seamlessly. Traditionally, data was in paperwork and documents stored in file cabinets. Therefore, the transfer of information was done physically. Today, modernity has digitalized data, which comes with more demands for enhanced file transfer.

If you’re looking to streamline data transfer within your organization, you have to consider the speed, security, efficiency, and reliability of the transfer method. Keep reading to learn more about tips for ensuring effective data transfer.

What Is Data Transfer?

Data transfer is the process of collecting, replicating, and relaying large files of information between systems or organizations. The focus of this piece will be on the transfer of data within an organization.

For example, after working on a digital marketing campaign, the sales department and marketing department have to repeatedly share files and data to determine if the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were met and the campaign’s impact on increasing sales.

Generally, if data isn’t exchanged within a business or organization, its operations are stalled. On the other hand, if the information is transferred effectively, the business will thrive. Here are tips to help with data transfer

1. Use Cloud Computing

One of the best ways to streamline your data transfer is to automate the process. To do that, you need to invest in cloud software such a managed file transfer and Google Cloud, among others.

After introducing the internet, experts invented a set of rules and protocols on how the information would be transmitted between computer networks. This set of rules is known as the File Transfer Protocol (FTP).

For example, if you’re looking to transfer unusual file types like large files of data or legacy data, all you need to do is specify the source and destination of the data. Then you need to run the FTP action command through a window or a user interface so that your data can be transferred.

With continuous technological advancement, professionals have continued to build on FTPs to create a more sophisticated and successful data transfer process between computer networks. This has led to the introduction of the managed file transfer.

Managed file transfer is a cloud computing software that offers a more advanced, secure way to simplify, centralize, and automate your inbound and outbound data transfer in an organization. The software builds on FTP to provide strong encryption, integration, scalability, auditing, and management of high volumes of sensitive file transfers between the management, employees, and customers. So, how does managed file transfer work?

Step 1: Uploading Of Data

The software authenticates an inbound user who wishes to store the data on the cloud. Managed file transfer allows the uploading of data based on the permission given to the user of that specific account.

Step 2: Storage

The data is stored in a secure way that uses end-to-end encryption.

Step 3: Authenticating The Data Transfer

The software authenticates the account user before releasing the data to make sure that it’s only released to authorized people. Once authentication is complete, the information is transferred to the recipient.

Step 4: Auditing

The software self-audits all the actions and processes that have taken place in the specific account.

2. Use Peer-To-Peer (P2P) File Transfer

P2P is a file transfer software that helps share data with a small group of people. Unlike managed file transfer and FTP, P2P works by removing the need for a central server that hosts the data. With this software, individuals are connected as a network of peers who can share data directly over their own network. This file transfer method is also best suited for sharing information that isn’t available in the public domain.

3. Use Specialized File Transfer Tools

Suppose your organization deals with more sophisticated data or huge files that require more longer time to transfer. In that case, you can use specialized file transfer tools to shorten the time spent on transferring data.

There are tools designed to migrate complex data and large data sets. Using these specialized tools helps speed up the data transfer process, which is crucial if you’re looking to make the process seamless.

4. Enhance Security

Data is a gold mine for any organization. When it’s in the right hands, data such as tax returns, contracts, business plans, and payroll can be used to improve a business’s performance. However, it can easily bring a multinational company to its knees if it falls into the wrong hands. Therefore, the priority of every business is to ensure that their data is protected, especially during sharing.

While cloud services offer robust security features for data, it’s recommended that you look for specific cloud security functions before deciding on the software of choice. These include:

End-to-end encryption: This function helps to protect your data from external hackers and ensures that the cloud computing service provider can’t view the data.
Audit the organization’s files: Run regular audits to check who has access to which files. In the case of any authorization changes, it’s necessary to implement them. Additionally, you’re advised to remove data and files from the cloud if they’re no longer helpful to the organization. This helps to control the type of information available to the public and to know who has access to specific data.
Check the permission settings: When transferring data, always double-check the permission settings before pressing share or send. In the settings, you can limit who will have access to the information so that only the allowed people can open the files.
Choose a cloud system with backup: Data protection doesn’t end with preventing unauthorized access. A good backup system is also a security feature. Choose a cloud software that offers backup should the primary data be breached. Backup ensures that the company’s operations aren’t delayed based on a lack of information or data.

5. Set Up Offline Access To Your Data

While digitalization has come to make data management more effective, you should always factor in the rainy days of digital hitches. There may be an internet connection problem, or you may need to access the data while in a remote area.

If your data settings are only reserved for online, you may delay important business actions. That’s why you should consider turning on the offline settings in your files so that you can still access the data at any time.

6. Educate Your Team

Doing the five tips would mean nothing if you didn’t educate your team on the new data transfer technologies. Set up seminars on how to use cloud services and any other data transfer tools so that each employee can transfer data independently and when needed.

Educating your team also helps emphasize the need for security of the data and how to maintain it.

To Sum It Up

Streamlining data transfer starts with moving from physical documents to digitized files. The six tips discussed above are an excellent place to start ensuring your data transfer within your organization is smooth and efficient.