Very few businesses in Canada manage to operate without some kind of documentation. There may be financial transactions that need to be archived, invoices issued, reports written and submitted, or even expense account entries that need to be reviewed, approved, and processed. Whatever the case, most businesses generate a lot of documents that need to be preserved and accessed. Document management software is an essential solution to keep things in order and here's why.

We’ve come a long way from documents needing to be organized and accessible strictly in the physical sense. While there will be a need for filing cabinets, shelves, and archival storage rooms for actual, printed matter, it's not always necessary for every single document. Document management software has stepped in to help ease the sheer overflow of data, but even here, the software itself continues to improve. Here are some of the changes that are helping to make this useful software even better for businesses.

According to a recent study, over 80 percent of organizations feel that a digital transformation is necessary to prevent upcoming disruptions to their business models. One of the main keys to digital transformation is adopting business process automation, but not everybody knows how to get started with this. Today you'll learn how enterprise content management (ECM) software can help you tackle business process automation and help you safeguard your organization against future disruptions.

Can you imagine what it would be like if all business correspondences—both internal and external—still took place via snail mail? Not only would your offices be overrun with even more paperwork, but communication and decision-making would also take at least three times as long. It seems silly to even consider that organizations would still be using such an antiquated communication method in a modern workplace when there are far better and more efficient options out there, right?

Effective and efficient document management in the twenty-first century necessarily means digitizing and automating processes, but not all organizations are on board with this. In fact, many are still using manual business processes, and there are many ways you can cut operational costs by adopting a digital document management strategy instead.

Invoice automation can be a complicated process given that you'll have to learn how to employ it as well as understand its terminology. Some companies fail to understand the different invoice automation solutions that exist or are satisfied with their current invoice processes as long as they function. Others also don't have the IT staff capable of conducting it. However, the benefits are extraordinary and worth looking into. Your organization can automate each step of the invoicing procedure include invoice scanning, data capture, processing, and payment, helping it grow without the need to add staff. Here's how your company can conquer invoice automation and make it a useful tool.  

Enterprise content management (ECM) is a vital tool to employ when your organization is seeking the most efficient document management setup possible. With so many systems available, choosing the best one that can manage your increasing volume of documentation can be a challenge. Finding ECM software that is affordable while also meeting everyday demands is critical, and these features should take precedence when you explore your options. 

As an employer, you want staff to have a clear understanding of what you expect of them in this position. After all, time is money. The more time your employees spend trying to figure out what they should be doing, the more money-making opportunities are being put on hold. Businesses have lost billions due to employees failing to understand their tasks and, as a result, short-term career transitions have increased. An effective onboarding process involves providing employees with the necessary tools to prepare them to start, and it also reduces the time spent filling out paperwork.

Content services are advanced measures that are transforming the enterprise content management (ECM) industry. These are a set of services and micro-services that are separate applications sharing common APIs or repositories. Content services have added a more holistic approach to solving content-related problems. Businesses can capitalize on their investments while extending their capabilities to remote workers, partners, and clients making the content process more transparent. Various elements make content service more reliable so that they will improve organizational productivity.

Why Is It Important?

Though more companies are embracing content management practices at varying levels, some still fail to understand the terminology. Some companies also struggle to take a comprehensive strategic approach with these practices. It speaks to their lack of understanding of ECM – a centralized platform used to consolidate digital content storage – and how it functions.

You may have been asking for an automated document management solution for a really long time, or perhaps, you’re just starting the conversation. Either way, if you’re having these conversations with executives you’ll need to be prepared to present a solid business case for the transition. Any major change has the perception of complexity, high costs and disruption for the sake of disruption. While the benefits may be clear to you and your team, often you’ll face some opposition from leadership if you don’t communicate the need properly.