The EU has been working on updates in data protection regulations ever since 2012. The new rules are finally a reality and they’ll come into full effect in 2018. What does the new EU data protection policy mean for entities dealing with digital documents? There are several important specifics to examine.

It is expected that small business have to go without some of the services that medium and large businesses enjoy. Often, whether you can have a special service it all comes down to the cost. When it comes to managing your documents, it is just as important for small businesses to have a document management system as it is for any other company.

Due to the sophistication of modern information technology, it is now possible to have a completely paperless office. Obviously, going paperless is a far more environmentally friendly option compared to the offices of yesteryear that used numerous reams of paper on a daily basis. However, it is important to consider a few factors such as the difficulty of truly eliminating paper from the office. Going completely paperless will be very hard for most businesses and all but impossible for others. If you are thinking about doing away with paper, consider the following challenges of a paperless office:

Your company needs to start using electronic documents right now. This type of document is less expensive, more environmentally friendly and more efficient than its physical alternatives. The key to making the switch from physical documents to digital ones is your team. Your employees are the ones who will be using your newly digitized documents, so it's imperative that you prepare them for this change. To this end, you cannot assume that your employees will effectively adapt to electronic document management. You must make this happen. Here is how:

Electronic records management has come a long way since the advent of the computer. While being able to store and access documents on a computer was a huge advancement for document management, recent years have seen an incredible explosion in technologies that directly impact how document management works. Today’s document management systems are highly efficient and powerful, resulting in increased productivity, less wasted time and great cost savings for businesses in nearly any industry.

There are a lot of document management systems on the market and not all are created equal. Whether you are looking to implement a new system from scratch or wondering what other options are available, you need to know which features are too important to live without. When managing a team of tens or even hundreds of employees, the right system that will allow your team to work effectively and without problems becomes even more important.

Now that you’re paperless, how do you measure the success of the initiative? On a high level, have you achieved your goals and fulfilled the mission of going paperless? On a day-to-day level, has the paperless office improved your employees’ work life and job satisfaction? To assess the system installation and setup, start by looking at how well you’ve digitized those three areas discussed at the outset: capturing, routing and retrieving information.

Recent advances in document imaging have allowed historical records, photos, books and many other types of significant artifacts to be preserved for future generations in digital form. Today, there are countless initiatives worldwide working to digitize and catalogue important information not only to prevent its deterioration, but to make it accessible to a larger audience.

Interactive document software is the next logical step to peruse after you digitize your document. Being able to interact with your image, not having it as just an image, can make your job incredibly easier. Consider these unique benefits of interactive document software, and learn why so many people already choose to use this revolutionary system.

Information technology resources are powerful, flexible and intuitive. This means that they will help your business a great deal, especially once you start integrating your documents into your IT infrastructure.