GDPR - Where to Start? A Practical Starting Point

You’ve decided to get your GDPR compliance in order

That is already the most important step. Many business owners postpone it because it seems complicated, but the truth is it’s manageable when you approach it systematically. You don’t need to be a legal expert and you don’t have to do everything at once.

Step 1: Know what you have

Before you can organise anything, you need to know which personal data you process. Make an inventory:

Customer data - who are your customers, what data do you have, where is it stored? Employee data - employment contracts, payslips, sick leave records, evaluations Suppliers and partners - which external parties have access to personal data? Website - which cookies, trackers, and forms collect data?

The quickest way to start: let GDPRWise scan your website. Within 2 minutes you have a concrete overview of what is happening on your site.

Step 2: Document your processing activities

The GDPR requires you to maintain a record of processing activities. That sounds complex, but it is essentially an overview of:

• What data you process
• Why you process it
• On what legal basis
• How long you keep the data
• With whom you share it

GDPRWise helps you build this register automatically through three dossiers: customers, personnel, and third parties.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

You need several key documents:

• Privacy policy - informs your customers and website visitors about how you handle their data
• Data processing agreements - contracts with parties that process data on your behalf
• Internal policy - rules for employees about handling personal data

GDPRWise generates these documents automatically based on your dossiers.

Step 4: Secure your data

Take appropriate security measures:

• Strong passwords and two-factor authentication
• Keep software up to date
• Make backups
• Limit access to those who need it

It doesn’t need to be complicated. Start with the basics.

Step 5: Keep it up to date

GDPR compliance is not a one-off project. Your business changes, your tools change, regulations change. Schedule periodic reviews:

• Check your dossiers at least annually
• Update your documentation when things change
• Keep track of regulatory developments

GDPRWise helps with compliance monitoring and regulatory alerts.

Start today

The most important thing: start. You don’t have to finish everything today. But the longer you wait, the greater the risk. Begin with the scan, build your dossier step by step, and work towards full compliance.