From Paper to Digital– Revolutionizing Association Document Management, with Trish Mackie-Smith, Co-Founder of Inndox

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Documenting the condition of your association property has become crucial to comply with new legal requirements as well as to maximize your insurance claims post casualty.  Transparency, accessibility, and digital organization also play the critical role of helping to protect resident safety.

Digital documentation pioneer Trish Mackie-Smith joins host Donna DiMaggio-Berger for this episode of Take It To The Board to discuss how technological solutions are revolutionizing the way associations store and access their most important maintenance and repair records. After witnessing buyers making uninformed decisions due to lack of transparency, Trish co-founded Inndox to create a comprehensive digital repository that tracks building maintenance, warranties, and safety inspections throughout a building’s lifecycle.

Donna and Trish explore why independent document storage creates essential continuity for associations and assists management companies when they onboard new clients. This independent storage portal helps associations maintain compliance with increasingly strict legislative requirements while ensuring critical information isn’t lost during transitions.

Beyond simple document storage, Donna and Trish explore how modern systems can alert boards to upcoming inspection deadlines, insurance renewals, and warranty expirations—transforming static paperwork into dynamic tools for proactive management. Perhaps most fascinating is the emergence of structural monitoring technologies that use accelerometers to detect building movement, potentially preventing tragedies like Champlain Towers by identifying structural issues before they become catastrophic.

Whether you’re a board member struggling with disorganized records, an association manager seeking better technology, or an owner concerned about building safety, this episode offers practical guidance for bringing your association’s documentation into the digital age. The message is clear: well-maintained digital records aren’t just good governance—they’re essential to protecting lives and property values.

Conversation Highlights Include:

• The many benefits of converting paper records to digital formats
• How digital document repositories can help prove maintenance history to local Code Enforcement and support insurance claims post casualty
• The importance of maintaining organized records to comply with increasingly strict legislative requirements
• New technologies including structural monitoring systems that can detect building movement before failures occur
• Practical implementation strategies including forming “scanning committees” to digitize historical documents
• How proper documentation can strengthen a building’s value and potentially reduce insurance premiums
• Key documents that every condo or HOA should maintain digitally
• How to address concerns from board members or managers who may not be tech-savvy

Related Links:

• Article: New Requirements for Condominium Association on Inspections of Official Records
• Online Class: Record Keeping for Associations

About Take It To The Board

Think you know what community association life is all about? Think again. Residents must obey the rules, directors must follow the law, and managers must keep it all running smoothly. Take It To The Board explores the reality of life in a condominium, cooperative or homeowners’ association, what’s really involved in serving on its board, and how to maintain that ever-so-delicate balance of being legally compliant and community spirited. Leading community association attorney Donna DiMaggio Berger acknowledges the balancing act without losing her sense of humor as she talks with a variety of association leaders, experts, and vendors about the challenges and benefits of the community association lifestyle.

If you’ve got a question, Take It To The Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger – We Speak Condo & HOA!

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