File Digitization Service and Offsite Records Storage in Vancouver
In an increasingly digital workplace, businesses across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland are recognizing the need to convert paper-based files into secure digital formats while ensuring their physical records are stored safely offsite. Simple Moves offers comprehensive file digitization and offsite records storage services designed specifically for businesses that need to modernize their document management without disrupting daily operations. Call (604) 398-4680 or contact us for a consultation to discuss your document management needs.
Table of Contents
Updated for 2026 — this guide reflects the latest professional moving services and pricing in the Greater Vancouver area.
Whether you are a law firm with decades of case files, a medical clinic transitioning to electronic health records, a real estate office managing thousands of transaction documents, or a small business drowning in paper invoices, our file digitization and storage services provide practical solutions that save space, improve accessibility, and protect your critical business documents from loss or damage.
Document Scanning and Digitization Services
What We Digitize
Our scanning services handle virtually every type of business document. Standard letter and legal-sized documents, contracts, invoices, receipts, employee records, client files, architectural drawings, engineering blueprints, medical records, legal discovery materials, financial statements, tax records, and historical archives are all within our capabilities. We process documents in any condition — from neatly organized filing cabinet contents to decades-old boxes of mixed papers that have never been sorted.
High-Volume Scanning Capability
Our scanning equipment processes large volumes efficiently, handling hundreds of pages per hour while maintaining consistent quality. For businesses with thousands or tens of thousands of documents to digitize, we develop a phased scanning schedule that processes your files systematically without overwhelming your office or disrupting your team’s access to critical documents during the transition period.
Quality and Resolution Standards
Every document is scanned at a resolution appropriate for its content type. Text documents are captured at 300 DPI, which is sufficient for clear readability and text recognition. Documents containing fine print, detailed graphics, or technical drawings are scanned at 600 DPI or higher to preserve every detail. We perform quality checks on each batch to ensure scans are complete, properly oriented, and clearly legible before returning your originals or transferring them to storage.
Optical Character Recognition
Our digitization service includes optical character recognition processing that converts scanned images into searchable text. This means your digitized documents are not just images — they are fully searchable files that allow you to find specific words, phrases, names, dates, and reference numbers instantly. For businesses managing large document libraries, searchable digitized files transform document retrieval from a time-consuming manual process into a quick keyword search.
File Organization and Naming
We work with you to establish a logical file naming convention and folder structure for your digitized documents before scanning begins. Whether you want files organized by date, client name, project number, document type, or a custom taxonomy, we apply your preferred structure consistently across the entire scanning project. This upfront organization ensures your digital file library is immediately useful from the day we deliver the completed scans.
Secure Digital Delivery
Digitized files are delivered in the format you specify — PDF, TIFF, JPEG, or other formats as needed. We deliver via secure encrypted file transfer, dedicated external hard drives, or direct upload to your cloud storage platform including Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox Business, and other enterprise cloud systems. All transfers are conducted using encrypted connections and secure handling protocols to protect your confidential business information.
Offsite Records Storage
Why Offsite Storage Matters
Many businesses are required by law or industry regulation to retain physical documents for specified periods — seven years for tax records, ten years for certain employment files, and longer for some legal and financial documents. Storing these required-retention documents in your office consumes valuable workspace, increases fire and water damage risk, and creates organizational challenges as volume grows year over year. Offsite records storage transfers these documents to a secure, climate-controlled facility while maintaining your ability to access them when needed.
Secure, Climate-Controlled Facilities
Your documents are stored in a climate-controlled environment that maintains consistent temperature and humidity levels to prevent deterioration of paper, ink, and binding materials. Our storage facilities feature fire suppression systems, security monitoring, controlled access, and pest management programs that protect your documents from every common threat. Your records are safer in our facility than they are in a standard office storage room or basement.
Organized Retrieval System
Every box and file transferred to our offsite storage is catalogued in our inventory management system. When you need to retrieve a specific document or box, you submit a retrieval request and we locate and deliver it to your office within a defined turnaround time. For urgent requests, we offer expedited retrieval that gets critical documents back in your hands quickly. This system ensures that moving documents offsite does not mean losing access to them.
Retention Schedule Management
We help you establish and track document retention schedules for every category of records in your storage inventory. When documents reach the end of their required retention period, we notify you and, upon your authorization, provide certified destruction services that comply with privacy legislation including PIPEDA and BC’s Personal Information Protection Act. This lifecycle management ensures you are not paying to store documents you are no longer required to keep.
Scalable Storage
Whether you need to store ten boxes or ten thousand boxes, our facilities accommodate your volume. Storage is priced by the box on a monthly basis, and you can add or remove boxes as your needs change. There are no long-term contracts required — you store what you need for as long as you need it, with the flexibility to scale up or down as your business evolves.
Combined Digitization and Storage Solutions
The Scan-and-Store Workflow
Many of our Vancouver clients combine digitization and offsite storage in a single project. The typical workflow involves our team picking up your documents, scanning everything to create your digital library, and then transferring the physical originals to offsite storage for retention compliance. You receive immediate digital access to all your files while the originals are preserved securely offsite. This combined approach clears your office space, modernizes your document access, and maintains regulatory compliance — all in one coordinated project.
Phased Implementation
For businesses with large document volumes, we recommend a phased approach. Priority documents — frequently accessed files, active client records, and current-year financial documents — are scanned first to deliver immediate productivity benefits. Older archives and retention-only files are scanned in subsequent phases. This approach spreads the project cost over time and delivers usable results from the very first batch.
Industries We Serve
Move stress-free with Simple Moves. Call us at (604) 398-4680 or get your free quote online today.
Legal Firms
Law offices generate enormous volumes of paper — case files, discovery materials, court documents, correspondence, and contracts accumulate rapidly. Our legal document scanning preserves the integrity of case files while making them instantly searchable and accessible to attorneys and paralegals from any location. We maintain strict chain-of-custody documentation for legal materials, ensuring the evidentiary value of scanned documents is preserved throughout the digitization process.
Medical and Dental Practices
Healthcare practices transitioning to electronic health records need reliable scanning that maintains patient confidentiality and complies with health information privacy requirements. We handle medical records with strict confidentiality protocols and deliver digitized files in formats compatible with common electronic health record systems.
Accounting and Financial Services
Tax records, financial statements, audit workpapers, and client files require long retention periods and frequent access during tax season and audit cycles. Our digitization service makes these documents instantly retrievable while offsite storage satisfies retention requirements without consuming expensive office space.
Real Estate and Property Management
Transaction files, lease agreements, property inspection reports, and tenant records accumulate rapidly in property management operations. Digitizing these documents creates a searchable library that improves response times and reduces the risk of lost or misfiled paperwork.
Construction and Engineering
Large-format drawings, permits, inspection reports, and project documentation require specialized scanning equipment and careful handling. We process oversize documents alongside standard files, creating a complete digital project library that is easier to share, search, and archive than physical drawings.
Non-Profit Organizations
Non-profits often operate with limited office space and tight budgets, making offsite storage and digitization particularly valuable. Donor records, grant applications, program documentation, and compliance files can be digitized for easy access while physical copies are stored affordably offsite. Our pricing for non-profit organizations reflects our commitment to supporting community organizations.
The Business Case for Digitization
Space Savings
A single filing cabinet occupies approximately seven square feet of office floor space when you account for drawer extension and access room. At typical Vancouver commercial lease rates, that filing cabinet costs hundreds of dollars per year in rent alone. Digitizing the contents of that cabinet and moving the originals to offsite storage frees premium office space for productive use, often paying for the digitization project within the first year through reduced space requirements.
Disaster Recovery
Physical documents stored in a single location are vulnerable to fire, flooding, earthquakes, and other disasters. Digitized documents stored on cloud platforms and backed up across multiple data centres are virtually immune to physical loss. For businesses in the seismically active Lower Mainland, digital backup of critical documents is an essential component of any disaster preparedness plan.
Remote Access and Collaboration
In today’s hybrid and remote work environments, team members need access to documents from any location. Digitized files stored on cloud platforms are accessible from any computer or mobile device with an internet connection, enabling seamless collaboration between office-based and remote team members. This accessibility was previously impossible with paper-only document systems.
Frequently Asked Questions — File Digitization and Storage
How much does document scanning cost?
Scanning costs depend on document volume, condition, and any special requirements like large-format processing or intensive quality checking. Contact us at (604) 398-4680 for a customized quote based on your specific document inventory.
How long does a digitization project take?
Timeline depends on volume and complexity. A typical office with several hundred files can be completed in one to two weeks. Larger projects involving thousands of files are scheduled in phases over several weeks to several months. We provide a detailed project timeline before beginning work.
Are my documents secure during scanning?
Yes. We maintain strict chain-of-custody procedures from pickup through scanning to storage or return. All staff involved in document handling have signed confidentiality agreements. Our scanning facility has controlled access, and digital files are stored on encrypted systems throughout the process.
Can you scan documents at my office?
For clients with security requirements that prevent documents from leaving their premises, we offer on-site scanning services. Our portable scanning equipment is brought to your office and operated by our trained technicians. On-site scanning is ideal for highly sensitive legal, medical, or financial documents.
What happens to my original documents after scanning?
You choose the disposition of your originals. Options include return to your office, transfer to our offsite storage facility, or certified destruction after a verification period. We recommend retaining originals in offsite storage for at least ninety days after scanning completion to allow thorough verification of the digital copies before any destruction.
Modernize your document management today. Call Simple Moves at (604) 398-4680 or contact us online to discuss your file digitization and offsite storage needs.
Ready to make your move? Call Simple Moves at (604) 398-4680 or get your free quote today.
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