Most small businesses don't. That's where trouble starts.
Think about this. Your shop has customer phone numbers in a register. Your staff has resumes in a WhatsApp chat. Your accountant has Aadhaar copies in a folder. Do you know where ALL of it is? Most small business owners don't. And that is the first big problem. The new data law asks you to know exactly where people's information is kept. If you don't know, you can't protect it.
Start by asking yourself: where does customer or staff information live? It could be in a WhatsApp group with phone numbers. It could be an Excel sheet with salary details. It could be a Gmail folder with Aadhaar or PAN card copies. It could be with your CA or delivery vendor. Write all of these down in one list. This list is called a data inventory. It is the first step to following the new law. Without this list, you are walking blind.
Write down every place where customer or staff info is stored.
Ask your staff which WhatsApp groups or folders have people's info.
Check if your business is ready. Takes 3 minutes. Visit saralprivacy.com/assessment
“A data inventory is the map before the journey.”
Free — takes 3 minutes
Answer a few simple questions. Get your free Readiness Score — sent to your email or WhatsApp.
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The Complete DPDPA Compliance Guide
Plain English. Everything your business needs to understand the DPDP Rules 2025 — written for founders, not lawyers. Now in 7 Indian languages.
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