Today, having knowledge is having power. But how can we disclosure this super force hidden inside multiple and exponentially growing data, files, and devices? Document management is the answer.
The fact is there is more content available than ever before. And the sources are also uncountable. Inside and outside an organization there are large amounts of documents and images (digital and physical) that need to be managed so they can be a source of value to the ones who need them.
Did you know that IDC has estimated that the typical enterprise with 1000 knowledge workers wastes mostly $2.5 million to $3.5 million dollars per year searching for non-existent information, failing to find what they need to perform their daily activities better? Actions must be taken!
Transforming data into information, turning information into knowledge.
This is what everyone wants, right? It’s simple. We just need to easily get the information we need, when we need. We just need to reduce the manual work associated with the content preparation, organization, registration, classification, and integration. We just need to ensure data integrity and accuracy. And, more importantly, we just need to quickly search and access to whatever boosts our knowledge.
Another Tool? We have enough already, why do we need this one?
You need it to gain productivity. You need it to deliver knowledge to users where and when they need it. That is the basis of a document management system. Document management, often referred to as document management system (DMS), is the use of a software and a Business Process Outsourcing service to store, route, retrieve, secure, share and track documents and images. Document management is how your organization manages its documents and make them accessible through the digital business ecosystem or the shared services provider you use on your daily activities. Or, as we like to call it – it’s how your organization leverages knowledge!
The great challenge here is not only the digital-native documents but also the paper-based documents still used in several business processes. This paperwork needs to be captured, validated and entered on a workflow so that the documents can all be organized on a unique digital location where everyone can easily access, with the respective compliance, security and admission credentials. A document management system combines paper and digital files into a single hub.
The advantages of a document management system are clear:
- Faster search and access to accurate information wherever it is (per-si or integrated on existing apps)
- Better document version control
- More reliable content
- Simplified collaboration
- Easy management of structured and unstructured information
- Increased document security, control, and compliance
- More consistent backups, disaster recovery, and business continuity policies
- Less costs with document and storage practices
Regarding the first bullet, integration is a sine-qua-non condition for the success of a document management system. It must allow customized and transparent integration with existing tools that need that (validated) information to efficiently work and provide the expected business value (information silos elimination), such as CRMs and ERPs. The convergence between easy access to information and its accurate incorporation into enterprise solutions is the greatest value of a document management system. It’s the power to improve decision making, to design more efficient strategies, to collaborate in real-time and to better control results.
What items does a document management system usually include?
- Capture (logical files, electronic forms, e-files, emails, scan and import from several physical sources like structured and unstructured paper forms, for example).
- Organization (auto-classification, metadata extraction, business rules, workflow).
- Collaboration (user access, version control, taxonomy, security, and policies).
- Store & Search (e-discovery, records management, retention schedules, storage).
- Publish & Deliver (reporting and alerts, third party plugins, content management system).
A document management system ensures process dematerialization, automation, and efficiency. And that is a time and cost-saver. Count on us to help you on this digital transformation journey.
To Dos:
– Would you like to see a document management system in action? Ask us for a demo!
– Know more about Papersoft Platform and discover our SaaS Plans & Packages.
– Subscribe to our blog to receive valuable insights about document management and paper-free processes.
– Download the Free eBook “Digital Transformation of Document Workflows” from IDC and Papersoft and discover what you need to becoming more agile in the current digital economy.
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