Why archiving emails is important for Canadian SMBs
For many small and mid-sized businesses in Canada, email is a critical communication tool that contains valuable information—contracts, customer details, invoices, and more. Archiving emails means securely storing copies of all your emails in a way that they can be easily searched and retrieved later. This is different from just backing up data; archiving focuses on long-term retention and compliance with legal or regulatory requirements.
Without proper email archiving, businesses risk losing important records due to accidental deletion, system failures, or cyberattacks like ransomware. This can lead to costly downtime, damaged customer trust, and difficulties meeting compliance obligations related to privacy and data retention.
A typical scenario for a Canadian SMB
Imagine a 50-person consulting firm based in Toronto using Microsoft 365 for email. One day, an employee accidentally deletes a batch of emails containing a signed contract. Without an email archive, recovering those emails could be difficult or impossible, potentially delaying a project or causing legal issues. A managed IT provider familiar with Microsoft 365 could set up an email archiving solution that automatically retains all emails in a secure, tamper-proof system. If deletion or data loss happens, the firm can quickly search and restore those emails, minimizing disruption.
What to consider when thinking about email archiving
- Compliance requirements: Understand if your industry or contracts require you to keep emails for a specific period.
- Retention policies: Decide how long emails should be archived and when they can be safely deleted.
- Search and retrieval: Ensure the archive allows quick, easy searching by date, sender, keywords, or attachments.
- Security and access controls: Confirm that archived emails are protected from unauthorized access and tampering.
- Integration with Microsoft 365: Check that your archiving solution works seamlessly with your existing email system.
Practical checklist for your IT discussions
- Ask your IT provider if they offer or support email archiving solutions compatible with Microsoft 365.
- Request details on how archived emails are stored, how long they are retained, and how you can access them.
- Verify if the archiving system supports compliance with Canadian privacy standards and any industry-specific rules.
- Check if the provider includes regular testing of archive accessibility and data integrity.
- Review service-level agreements (SLAs) for guaranteed access times and support response related to email recovery.
- Internally, confirm who in your organization has access rights to archived emails and that strong password policies are in place.
Implementing email archiving is a practical step to protect your business from data loss and compliance risks. If you're unsure about your current setup or what's best for your company, consider consulting a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can assess your needs, explain options in plain language, and help implement a solution that fits your business size and industry requirements.