All forms of documents are an essential part of managing any company. The management of business information can be a daunting task. A documentcontrol solution that accepts, stores and then retrieves electronic documents can provide a number of different benefits to any type of organization.
Paper documents have fallen by the wayside and have been replaced with better digital documents that can be stored and maintained by management systems. This enables, employees to access the documents from anywhere in the world where they have Internet access. As many employees are now working from home this is essential in today’s business environment.
Some of the benefits you can expect to receive include the following:
● Version control
● Easy retrieval
● Enforced periodic reviews
● Company cost reductions
● Compliance to regulations
● Document security
● Better workflow
● Offer templates and rules
● Disposal and archiving systems
Document Management Software Version Control
There are often times when various versions of a document must be created and maintained. All of the versions must be clearly labelled in order to easily identify the last version. The versions should be sequenced in order to keep everything organized and to prevent any complications when trying to retrieve the latest version available.
Easy Retrieval When Using an Electronic Management System
Documents must be able to be stored with the goal in mind of easy retrieval. There must be user-friendly ways to categorize documents so that they can be pulled out quickly when needed. Trying to retrieve a certain document when there is a large volume of documents stored can be complex and time-consuming if a robust electronic management system hasn’t been put in place. Document control software will take the complexity out of retrieving documents.
Company Cost Reductions
It can take a lot of time and effort to manage a large base of documents and the process can become very costly for companies. When using a system that is paper-based, more staff is required to keep up with the filing and more physical equipment is needed as well such as filing cabinets, file folders etc. With an electronic system for document control in place these costs can be significantly reduced. Electronic documentation has become the norm in today’s business world and if you haven’t made the switch over from storing documents on a shared drive to a document control software system this is something you need to transition to soon . The cost savings can be very significant.
Compliance to Regulations
Many companies have regulatory compliance guidelines that they must follow to remain in business. Different forms of documents and data must be kept and maintained when there are government regulations in place. Some of the requirements handed down from government agencies can be quite complex in nature. A document control system can take all the complexity out of the equation when dealing with compliance rules. Look for a document control software system that provides automatic organization or standard forms, checklists and other document types that are related to compliance reporting standards.
Document Security
Any company that has documents that contain confidential information must be using a document control solution that offers the highest level of security. Even the personal details of employees should be locked away in a secure digital environment. If there is any unauthorized access to confidential data contained in company documents, it can result in a damaged reputation to the business or may even lead to a legal problem. Make sure that you choose a document control system that only allows authorized persons to access certain documents.
Better Workflow
A company survives based on its ability to organize the workflow from one employee to another, to third parties or between teams. There may be documents that require several people each associated with different roles to access them. For example, one employee may create the document while another reviews and approves it. There may still be another individual that must dispatch the document. Use a document control system that has been designed to work with all types of workflows within a company. If the document management system can’t match the workflow, it will slow down production and cause disruptions in the flow of work.
Offer Templates and Rules
A robust digital system for document control can provide permissions and rules regarding the creation and the authentication of various forms of documents. The system should also be able to provide an outline regarding procedures that need to be followed in terms of documenting along with templates with standard formats. This can keep a consistency within the documents and all employees and team members will know exactly what is expected of them at all times.
Disposal and Archiving Systems
There should be an easy system in place that allows administrators to archive or dispose of documents as needed. There should be a standard way to archive older documents that allows for easy retrieval at a later date. There must be a way to set permissions so that employees do not have the ability to dispose of or archive documents. A disgruntled employee could easily dispose of necessary documents if given access to all of them.
With more and more people working from home, there has never been a more important time to invest in a document control solution that works. These types of systems keep everyone connected wherever they may be. If your company still relies on paper documents and hasn’t upgraded yet to a digital form of document management, now is the time to take the next step forward. It’s a small investment to make and one that will provide the benefits listed above and much more.
Visit interaxgrp.com for more information about the Paradigm 3 document control software that provides the benefits you need to keep your company competitive. In today’s digital landscape, it’s important to keep up with the latest developments to give you a fighting edge over the competition.
