If there is one truth of business that you can count on, it is that you will generate a huge amount of documentation. Whether you are maintaining billing statements, shipping manifests or tax records you will eventually run up against the fact that there is a limit to your capacity to maintain these records. Countless man hours are spent sorting, collating, relocating and purging these documents. It may seem that there is no other way to keep reliable records than heavy filing cabinets and countless long boxes practically bursting from the ever-growing surge of documents straining against their capacity.
While there is much to be said for maintaining hard copies for a certain period of time, electronic storage and conversion to digital records can go a long way toward not only making space in your office but also freeing up your staff for essential tasks.
Scanning Means Saving
Electronic document management always starts with preservation of hard copies. While scanning used to be a very unreliable low-resolution way of copying documents the technology has come a long way in the last few years, High-resolution digital copies maintain the fidelity of the original document in a variety of file formats. While some documentation may be best to store in a picture format such at JPEGs others can be stored in a DOC or PDF format that will make them easily storable and shareable. Scanning documents as they are stored ensures that there will always be an electronic copy available even if the hard copy is misfiled or otherwise becomes unavailable when you need it. It also makes purging of aged documentation a less daunting task as another essential hard copy is never farther away than your nearest printer.
Data Retrieval On Demand
Sometimes you need a document immediately, and the file room becomes a frustrating chamber or horrors for whoever is on the phone with an angry client. Having that document in black and white, right in front of you in an instant, doesn't need to be more than a few keystrokes away. A reliable document management system can be a godsend during a busy work day, helping you juggle multiple tasks on your desktop and even allowing access on mobile devices for associates who need information when they are on the move or out of the office.
Document Management To Meet Your Needs
Your business is unique and it has specialized needs that off-the-shelf software might not always meet. A customized document management system can ensure that your electronic documents are stored securely and are only accessible according to the best practice guidelines of your industry. Even if you are storing confidential or even classified information on your servers it is possible to match the level of electronic security to the requirements of the maintained documents. Ensuring that the magnitude of necessary security is balanced with equivalent accessibility can be indispensable when you are striving to get your employees the information they need when they need it.
Take the Plunge
There has never been a better time to leverage existing technology to improve your company's management of high-volume documentation. While it may seem to be a daunting task as you look at all those rows of filing cabinets, it will be a quicker and easier transition than you can imagine. A comprehensive document management solution begins with the decision to begin the digital conversion process with your existing documents and a plan for scanning of future documentation.