Beyond spreadsheets: banks seek clarity in reporting--not because of SOX, but for business reasons

One document retention consultant recently put it this way: "To run a public company these days, you need to have proactive, strong document-management practices in place for a variety of risk-management reasons."

As reported in Wall Street and Technology, the consultant was, in part, referring to the more stringent data verification requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley.

He went on to describe the range of preparedness in U.S. industry from the clueless--and concerned--to the admirably ready and unflappable.