There is only one place to begin when it comes to ECM trends, and this is with Artificial Intelligence. We have already started to see that companies are introducing AI into their document management software so that it is more powerful and has more capabilities. AI will make office automation easier, allowing professionals to focus on their tasks at hand rather than searching for the documents they need. This enables a much more efficient workflow, and it is something that is only going to get more and more powerful over time.
For many years, the industry was plagued with one-size-fits-all document management solutions. However, slowly but surely these solutions have been phased out. Adjustable document management software has become affordable to all. These platforms are now adapted to suit the needs and size of the business in question.
One thing we have definitely noticed in 2019 is that more social and collaboration features are being incorporated into document management software. After all, when working on a document, people tend to collaborate via different platforms, including Slack, Skype, email, and traditional phone. This can lead to things getting a little bit confusing, as you can easily lose track of the correct version of a document or changes that have been made. This is why you need one space to collaborate on a document, ensuring everyone has access to the right version of the file. This is something that has played a huge role in document management in 2019 so far.
Of course, security is a massive concern for all businesses today. After all, you only need to turn on the news and you will hear details of the latest company to be in hot water because their customers’ data has been stolen. This is something no business can afford, and a lot have had to close down indefinitely because of situations like this. This is why you need to invest heavily in security, and this is something that plays a key role in document management today. A lot of companies are investing in cyber security training for document management, as well as cyber security products. This is because employee mistakes are one of the biggest causes for data breaches today.
There is no denying that 2019 is the year that we have seen multi-channel documentation management really be cemented. People in your business are going to be using a whole host of different devices. This could be anything from smartphones and tablets to laptops and PCs. this is why they must be able to access the document database at any time and on any device. Now, documents are being formatted automatically so that they have the right resolution and format based on the screen size in question. This ensures that no one has to spend time struggling to read a document and trying to zoom in on their phone, which we all know can be a bit of a nightmare.
Aside from the trends that have already been mentioned, we have also seen an increase in compatibility when it comes to the use of different formats. Needless to say, TIFFs and PDFs are the most popular formats, and this is something that probably will not change. However, companies tend to use other formats as well. Document management solutions are enhancing their ability to deal with various formats without the original file being damaged in anyway.
As you can see, there are a number of document management trends that have had an impact so far in 2019. It is likely that we will only see these trends grow and develop further as we get closer and closer to 2020. In today’s digital world, staying stagnant is simply not an option. Businesses need ECM software that is scalable and enables them to adapt to the latest trends.