What is Document Management, and What Are the Benefits?

Document management systems involve the design of an entire system of workflows. The system enables the efficient and systematic creation of electronic documents. The purpose of this re-build of office systems is to store, and effectively catalog, documents for later use.

Once documents are digitalized, logic-based applications in the system can assemble and reassemble original documents to order. This is achieved by combining cataloged sections of stored documents.

New names and destinations can be programmed into the documents. Mailing lists can easily be specified for documents with little or no human support.

The first step in systematic document storage management is to take stock of the types of documents that are actually used in your business.

Most small businesses, for instance, have to deal with mixes of old-fashioned data on paper and electronic files. Often, there is much more paper than digital files.

So what is document management? It’s a way to revolution the way you store important documentation, and is something you should look into immediately.

What is Document Management Format?

Automating a mixed office may involve converting all of your business documents to digital form. The technology is available to do this, but expenses could be high. For storing documents, you may need more than one system.

Most documents written on computers and stored in computer files are in completely compatible formats.

They include:

• Images in bitmapped or faster format files.
• Images in line-geometric or vector files. store shapes as mathematical notations, enabling shape modifications
• Basic notebook files in ASCII format, which means that each character has a code in the operating system of the computer.
• Re-sizable characters (like letters used in word processors) stored in sets of resizable outlines.

Documents on paper that are printed from a computer in standard print formats can easily be digitalized. They are stored as word processor readable files using a scanner and conversion software. Often, some correction is necessary to assure the accuracy of the translation.

Hand-written documents or documents containing signatures can easily be stored as graphic files or Portable Document Files (PDF files) that can be recalled and easily read, but can't easily be modified.

What Kinds of Documents Are You Handling?

As you move forward with this step, it's important to understand the answers to these questions:

• How many documents are confidential or legal documents?
• How many documents need quick referencing and how many can be archived?
• How useful are your documents for market research or necessary historical study?
• How many documents have a time limit (e.g., 12 months) and are no longer active?

How to Store Documents?

You should keep many of the original paper documents. Physical signatures and original physical documents are often necessary for contracts and other legal transactions. When documents are digitized, the physical locations can be stored as indexes on the document files.

Make it a regular practice to scan and store printed and paper documents in the best available format.

Automating Document Storage

Standardize any new documents created on computers. Create templates for new inputted documents. Documents can be set up with variable fields so that new names or other data can automatically be inserted and edited into them.

Form tools software can be used to develop forms that can be entirely filled out on the computer and stored as PDF files or modified text files.

Form tools can be used to develop forms that can collect data online, and standardize procedures for creating and storing new documents. You can use an easily readable index and titling system.

Follow the Process

Each document storage management system has the same objective of encouraging office efficiency through management of information in a secure environment. The depth of security will match the industry standards of confidentiality. Certain parts of the process are common to every document.

Scan the physical document to create an online file. Use a filing system most beneficial to the industry, and the company, under conversion. Only certain individuals with clearance for each level will be able to access documents secured at their level.

Benefits of Document Management System

When you search the internet for document management you will find a long list of document management "solutions." Most of these solutions are all-around applications. They are built around the relatively simple form of document management in a more or less "paperless" office.

However, what are their benefits?

Reduced Storage

Storing some files in the cloud will significantly reduce the amount of storage a business needs on its own servers. Additionally, files can be stored digitally. They can be scanned and integrated into the cloud, saving space for documents that need to remain in paper form.

Indexing

Automatic indexing means that you will never lose a file again. Files can be indexed with metadata, allowing them to be sorted and retrieved quickly.

This lets users categorize their files making it easy for them to find the data they need. They can search by document type, names, dates and more.

If they need to find all files that share one trait, such as being modified on a specific date, they can do so thanks to the high variety of index fields.

Security

A cloud DMS provides excellent security for sensitive documents. Many services allow access to certain files to be controlled, allowing business owners to select who can open or modify any document.

On top of that, the files will also be protected by outside threats such as hackers, protecting sensitive data for both the business, and their clients.

Storing documents in the cloud also offers the benefit of being protected from natural disasters such as fires or flood.

Compliance

Not following compliance regulations can result in fines or audits. A DMS makes it easy to meet the requirements placed on your business as you will be able to easily present past documents. The security benefits help to guarantee that stored files will always be where they should be.

Bottom Line

Document management services are able to provide businesses with the means to keep their files organized and secure. By combining the convenience of the cloud, with the benefits of a document management systems (DMS), users are able to get the most for their money.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or to understand more clearly how document storage management can benefit your company.