As your company creates documents, they need to go somewhere. If there isn't a place for you to store your documents, then papers will end up disorganized, wasting your employees’ valuable time. This is why you need a document storage solution to handle your paperwork. There are multiple document storage solutions to consider; before you choose which one is right for your organization, you should compare the benefits of each.
Office storage of paper documents
For most organizations, this is the among the first document storage solutions chosen. It seems like the most obvious way to store documents, because your office likely has enough free space to squeeze in a few filing cabinets. With the exception of having to physically sift through filing cabinets, this starts out as a fairly efficient document storage solution. However, storing documents in your office severely cripples your information security capabilities.
If a disaster like a flood or fire strikes, countless records will be destroyed; anybody with a crowbar and a bit of determination can break into your facilities and steal your data from your office. In addition, your office space is more limited than you realize. The average office worker creates about 10,000 pages of documents each year; this volume will quickly have you scrambling for extra document storage space in the office, even if you only have a few employees.
Warehouse storage of paper documents
In an effort to expand your storage space for your documents, you could look beyond your office. To this end, you may have considered a warehouse, storage unit, basement or attic. However, document storage solutions like these present unique challenges on their own. First, they face the same security vulnerabilities that office storage includes; warehouses and storage units specifically are often targeted by criminals. Second, they expose your documents to destructive elements such as mold, mildew, moisture, fungi and pests.
Storing documents as digital flies
Converting your documents from paper to digital files removes many of the document management challenges that you would normally face. For example, space stops being an issue, because digital document storage solutions allow you to retain millions of documents on a device the size of a human fist. Without any document security procedures and resources in place, however, you leave your digital documents vulnerable to hackers and accidental deletion. A lack of digital security also leaves you vulnerable to physical theft, because someone who breaks into your office and steals your hard drives will have access to your documents.
Digital file management can be difficult to manage manually. This is because the sheer document volume can become overwhelming. Even when you try to create a folder filing system, document management can become confusing, because even well-organized digital folders will end up numbering in the thousands.
Storing documents via a document management solution
Although digital storage has its challenges, these can be overcome. An effective document management solution will address all of the document storage issues that digital storage solutions face. This begins with enhanced document management capabilities. Documents can be efficiently indexed, shared, accessed and protected from accidental deletion. Many actions can also be automated, so that your document management will become more efficient.
A document management solution will also improve document security. A good solution will encrypt your documents at multiple levels, so that hackers cannot steal your data; you can also store data off-site to protect your data from disasters and break-ins.
Your document storage should be efficient and secure
Remove the hassle and vulnerability associated with document storage by choosing the most effective solution for your organization's needs.
