Sometimes when you have a problem, it's not always easy to see the resolution. Especially when it comes to how things are done in the office with technology. There will always be people who are willing to embrace change and people who prefer how things were done in the past. Neither of these people are wrong. But, the people who prefer how things used to be, may be surprised at how easy technology can make things. This scenario rings true to when it comes time to adopt an electronic content management (ECM) or Document Management solution for your office. Many common problems and inefficiencies can be alleviated by implementing safer, more efficient document workflows.
1.) Problem: Paperwork processes that require paper documents to be physically transferred from one person to the next can take too much time.
Solution: Electronic documents can move instantaneously through your different departments resulting in quicker processes and leaving you with more time for other aspects of your job.
2.) Problem: If a key person in our document process is out of town, that document workflow is stopped until they return to work to sign off on the record or update it.
Solution: With an electronic content management system, paperwork can even be approved or updated by key personnel while they’re in a meeting, on an airplane, or even on a beach.
3.) Problem: There are time and labor costs associated with manual document filing due to potential loss or misplacement.
Solution: When executed properly, there should be no issues with digital files being lost or misplaced, and even if someone deletes a document you will still have the ability to recover it.
4.) Problem: Manual processes have outdated or no security measures - filing cabinets are rapidly becoming outdated.
Solution: Your documents and file types will become more easily searchable and accessible to the people with proper permissions to your documents.
5.) Problem: Paperwork is also not easily editable and must be reprinted if there is a mistake somewhere in the document process.
Solution: Any necessary editing of your documents can happen instantaneously for those with the proper permissions to your documents. This process allows you to cut back on any frustrations or wasted time that may have been spent trying to recreate an already existing document.
6.) Problem: I never know whether I have the most current version of a document during its editing process.
Solution: Version control gives every person with permissions to access the document has the ability to know whether they have the latest version of the document or not. Leaving each person worry free of missing any critical changes that may have been made to the document.
Bonus: If you've noticed a theme from the above problems and solutions, document permissions are a big deal. Document management software is highly secure, and greatly values the integrity of your important documents. When using cloud-based document management systems, the owner of the file can set special permissions on who can access and edit the document.
If your business hasn't yet adopted a document management system, chances are you can relate to some of the issues listed above. The good news is, there are answers to your records management problems. Technologies exist that can remove these inefficiencies. An electronic content management system is a great solution for breaking through the cluttered mess of paperwork processes.
Many organizations wonder what they are supposed to do with their current paperwork that they have stored. The right solution depends on the scale of paperwork you have stored, how long you need to store these documents, and how often you need to retrieve them. Transitioning from paper format to digital doesn’t have to be a full-on, all at once, approach. It often starts out in smaller phases, sometimes within a department, so that the process isn’t overwhelming and disruptive to your business. Moving to document management is a process meant to solve workplace frustrations and not add to them.
If you're looking for a way to improve your document processes, contact SumnerOne to help ease the transition and get your organization on track to getting paperwork blockages out of the way of your everyday process. Our document management experts are ready to help you and your business to get things on the track to efficiency.