Choosing the right document management system for seamless integration and enhanced productivity isn’t the easiest task out there. With so many possibilities to pick among, company owners and data managers may find it difficult to come up with an adequate selection.
Ensuring smooth integration is all about a few essentials and these include the selection of the right system. The following steps should be followed to simplify the task, regardless of company size or document volume.
Do a Bit of Planning Prior to Integration
Planning is the key to integrating the system into your company’s database. Being aware of the hardware’s specific features and technical requirements can reduce downtime significantly or eliminate it altogether.
You don’t need a wide array of features and you don’t need to implement everything. Make sure that you’re familiar with the program’s specifications and you have a good idea about the functionalities you’ll be using and the ones that can be ignored.
It’s also very important to make sure that the document management system you’ve chosen is compatible with the software already being used. For many companies, the integration will involve a document creation program. Depending on the specific needs of organization, there could also be email integration, compatibility with an invoice program and several others.
If you’re not certain, contact the vendor to figure out whether the system is compatible with the rest of the software that your business uses.
Compatibility with Current File Indexing
The next step involves creating an archive or a database using the new system. Every company has a way of indexing documents. When a new system is implemented, it’s crucial for the database to become even more user-friendly and readily accessible.
Before integration starts, you should become familiar with the way in which documents are created and organised through the use of the new software. Are there templates for different kinds of documents? Would the documents be dated and time-stamped? How will they be sent to folders and how will different departments access this information?
Good solutions allow for locking and unlocking of documents in different folders, bulk uploads, the selection of default storage folders, the creation of personal documents for each user, easy document searches and activity logs.
These settings should be tweaked upon the introduction of the system. Once the default document storage settings have been chosen, indexing will take place consistently and minus confusion.
Integrating Faxes and Emails
As already mentioned, a document management system isn’t just about file and folder uploads or organisation. Very often, additional integration will be required.
Most contemporary solutions in the field of document management have specialised settings for email and fax control. Use these settings to automate the process even further.
Figure out whether you’d like to have emails indexed automatically, whether there should be directories for email attachments and if you’d like electronic fax routing rather than having every single one printed out.
A quality solution will typically come with a wizard or a setup guide that will take you through the process. By following the steps, you can set the degree to which you’d like the company’s emails and fax messages to be integrated.
For proper integration, you should assess the requirements of every single department and the software already being used. Modern data solutions are typically created to work together and offer comprehensive document management throughout the company. Communicate with the different departments to understand their needs and the business applications that they rely on. Such information can be invaluable for eliminating obstructions and enjoying seamless document management
