An unorganized office is enough to drive anyone crazy, and can be dreadful for companywide productivity, not to mention employee morale. No one enjoys collaborating in a messy workspace. So, if your desk is chalked full of papers and there heaps of files lying about, it’s time you started taking efficiency a little more seriously!
Consider this the wake-up call; your business needs to jumpstarts its profits. There will always be a need for physical copies; despite the sheer magnitude of the digital revolution, hard copy is going to be around for years to come. However, that does not mean every document you make has to be stowed away in some dusty filing cabinet in a back office storage room.
Going from desk to digital
Document management systems (DMS) are a suite of computer software created for the sole purpose of organizing online content. This can be anything from files to images to videos. Any type of information your business may use in its day-to-day operations. Most of the files found here originated from hard copy.
Once uploaded to the DMS, all documents can then be updated, modified, and distributed by the user. There is no better way to organize your business’ files. The need for user-friendly, efficient content management is only greater for larger companies with multiple clients and extensive documentation needs.
How exactly can a DMS benefit your company? We have already noted the popularity of digital document storage, but what about the specific areas of interest for business owners? For starters, making the virtual shift is a major space-saver. Regardless of the size of your office, you can never have enough room.
Aside from freeing up square footage, transferring heaps of old files to digital folders minimizes the risk of data loss. Online filing systems are much easier to navigate and access; the information is readily available and can be instantly sent to corresponding parties. With deadlines always on the horizon, it pays to use a dedicated DMS.
As far as the implementation process is concerned, the two options are to either take matters into your own hands or hire a professional, outside consultant to do the work instead. Make sure to pick a DMS that is multi-functional and which supports various file formats. Keep tabs the amount of storage you have available and any legal issues (outlined well by AIIM and ARMA).
