Plan a safer document workflow.

Map the path through approved systems.

Map where documents are requested, received, reviewed and kept under the approved process. Name the role at each step and who can answer access questions. Describe the workflow without copying borrower details into a new planning record.

Look for extra copies made because someone cannot find the original. Check if each copy is needed and allowed. A quick workaround can leave conflicting versions. It may also put details in places your usual controls do not cover.

Make access questions visible.

CISA’s Secure Our World guidance covers phishing, strong passwords, multifactor authentication and software updates. These are starting points for learning. FTC Safeguards Rule guidance covers a broader security program for covered institutions. Ask your security and compliance owners which duties apply to your business.

In a fictional handoff, a backup processor cannot open the approved record. Ask who can approve the right access. Do not share someone else’s login or move documents to an unapproved place. Resolve the access gap through the approved process.

• Identify the system and access owner.
• Confirm each receiving role has authorized access.
• Keep document locations in the approved record.
• Know how to report a suspicious request.
• Follow the organization’s retention and disposal instructions.

Decide how exceptions are handled.

Agree when a team member should pause and ask for help with an unusual request. Urgent messages still need the normal checks. Use a trusted contact route to check a suspicious instruction. Do not rely only on the message that raised the concern.

The handoff planner helps name roles and show where records belong. It does not assess your security program or certify a tool. Ask the right specialist about unresolved access, retention and sharing questions before changing the workflow.