Mudiad Meithrin (MM) is a leading provider of Welsh-medium early years education and childcare across Wales. Faced with challenges around data storage, document retrieval, and GDPR compliance, MM needed a more efficient and secure way to manage sensitive information.
By partnering with Sharp and implementing Filestar, they streamlined their document management processes, improved accessibility, and ensured long-term data compliance.
The challenge
- Issues preventing storage of important documents.
- Inefficient search functionality.
- GDPR compliance requirements.
The old system had limited storage capabilities, making it difficult to manage the organisations large volumes of data. This was particularly problematic given the need to store various types of documents, including membership forms, registration forms, accident forms, and financial records. The previous system’s search capabilities were restricted, making it hard to locate documents quickly and efficiently.
This inefficiency often led to delays and increased the workload for teams, who had to spend considerable time searching for the required information. “The search function is better with Filestar. You can search for a first name, surname, date of birth, that kind of thing,” noted Lowri Gore, the Deputy Administration, Business, and Membership Manager.
Compliance with GDPR regulations was a significant focus. The organisation needed a system that could automate the retention and deletion of documents to ensure that data was handled in accordance with GDPR requirements. “We needed to use it for storing children’s details and things like membership forms, registration forms, accident forms, any forms that they use in the nurseries and needs to be kept for GDPR purposes until they’re 25 years old,” noted Lowri.
The solution
- Enhanced storage capabilities.
- Advanced search functionality.
- Automated GDPR compliance.
Sharp worked with MM to understand their challenges and requirements, proposing the implementation of Filestar, a comprehensive data management solution that could be tailored to MM’s specific needs.
Filestar provided a robust cloud-based storage system capable of handling large volumes of data. This feature was particularly important for MM, given the extensive amount of data they needed to store and manage.
The advanced search provided by Filestar allowed users to search by various parameters such as first name, surname,
and date of birth. This made it much easier for team members to locate specific documents quickly and efficiently, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.
Filestar allowed MM to set rules for the automatic deletion of documents after a specified period, ensuring compliance with GDPR regulations. This automation reduced the manual workload for staff and minimised the risk of non-compliance.
The result
- Efficient data management saving time.
- Employees can access systems from any location.
- Significantly improved data protection processes.
In the six months since implementing Filestar, Mudiad Meithrin Cyf has saved over 7,000 documents.
The ability to manage and retrieve documents more efficiently has also improved the overall productivity of the team, allowing them to dedicate more time to providing high-quality childcare and early years education.
The partnership between Mudiad Meithrin Cyf and Sharp has been highly successful. The implementation of Filestar has addressed MM’s data management challenges, improved efficiency, and ensured compliance with GDPR regulations.
As Lowri Gore stated, “It’s quite an easy system to use, which is good. And yeah, works well for us as far as we’ve been using it.” The positive impact of Filestar on MM’s operations highlights the importance of having a robust and efficient data management system in place, and the organisation looks forward to continuing its partnership with Sharp to further enhance their technology.
