An unmanaged mountain of paperwork is a liability for your organization. You can’t access information when you need it. You lose track of vital documents. You waste hours and hours trying to locate the work you’ve already done — not to mention the time it takes to re-create the work. The consequence can be at best wasted time, and at worst legal trouble.
Fortunately, keeping track of documents has been simplified in recent years because of more efficient document management systems that cover document scanning, file conversions, tracking, storage, and secure destruction. Such systems and services give you tighter control over information and help you run a better organization. They also reduce the need for expensive (and not always easy-to-use) storage space.
Below are a few common business issues, and how proper document management solves them.
1. You can’t locate the documents you need right now.When you’re up against a wall, every minute counts. You don’t always have the days (or possibly weeks) it takes to sort through a pile of paper documents. Document management systems can store existing electronic files and make electronic copies of printed documents so that they can be indexed and easily found on short notice. The alternative is to assign staff to do your hunting or simply dig in yourself — which leads to the next issue.
2. You’re not maximizing employee time and manpower.You have better tasks for your employees than having them search for documents. The hours they might spend hunting for a lost document add up and can cost your business thousands of dollars and countless lost opportunities. Document management can boost productivity by significantly reducing the document hunt. Many document management programs can be used simultaneously with other applications, meaning your employee isn’t limited to the search itself.
3. You are running out of storage space.Businesses spend a lot of money on physical storage space, from file cabinets to storage facilities. To comply with regulations, many businesses don’t have the option of trashing old documents. As server space is much less of a burden, document management systems significantly reduce the need for storage of printed documents. In fact, some document management systems store documents offsite, meaning you don’t need to have space for a server, either. For the documents that must be kept as paper, document management systems often help you consolidate and index them so that you don’t use as much floor storage.
4. The security of your business is at risk.When paperwork piles up, you run the risk of losing track of valuable information. It can fall into the wrong hands, or a disaster could ruin it all. Document management services keep all documents and data safety stored in electronic form. Some services have capabilities that allow different levels of access to specific documents and keep track of who has viewed what, further ensuring that sensitive information stays safe. Services that store electronic documents offsite provide assurance that if a building is damaged by fire or flooding, for example, all documents remain safe.
In a world that’s going paperless, document management is the next logical step for organizations looking to improve efficiency.
Author Bio:
Denny Hammack, President of FileSolve, has more than 25 years of experience in the record management industry. FileSolve is a leading provider of document management services for businesses of all sizes, including scanning, management and storage.
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