There are so many uses for online document management that it’s hard to know where to begin. One thing is for certain: Online document management will help you become more organized and efficient, as well as more interactive with colleagues, friends, and family. Here are 7 specific ways it can help you:
1. Filing tax and business documents
Relying on paper documents for tax-related statements can be annoying, confusing, and costly. On top of that, it can leave you vulnerable to audits by the IRS. You can scan and save receipts, rebates, tax forms, health care expenses, mortgage forms, and any other materials you need to file your taxes. You don’t want to be caught empty-handed, and filing the documents frequently and accurately can relieve a lot of pressure when tax season arrives.
2. Working on a team project
Online document management offers unsurpassed opportunities for work collaboration. You can turn any location into a virtual workplace where you can exchange ideas with any colleagues around the world. Using document tracking, you can keep a record of when changes are made to a given document and who made the changes. The ability to have coworkers edit the same document at the same time can save countless hours, while enhancing mobility and workplace communication.
3. Storing HR documents
When you’re managing many types of information for many people across many departments, you need the added convenience that online document storage provides. Whether they are medical files, insurance forms, legal notes, traveling/expense documents, or work reviews, online document storage provides security and accessibility to make your job easier.
4. Reducing paper costs and space
Some people just want to clear clutter, and online document management can help you make big steps in that direction. We all have papers that would make us feel guilty if we threw them away, and those papers pile up quickly. The cost of the paper itself and the space it takes up can be reduced simply by transitioning to online storage.
5. Backing up personal files
It’s not enough to use a physical file cabinet for citizen records, keepsake documents, and other irreplaceable files. They can be stolen, damaged, or destroyed by a natural disaster. Online storage gives you peace of mind because a highly capable tech support team is maintaining the equipment used to store your data. Almost all of us have lost documents where there was only one physical copy, so online storage will help you avoid that in the future.
6. Organizing documents
Say goodbye to the permanent marker and hello to your keyboard and mouse. Who really wants to mark countless CDs and file folders only to have them smudge and become illegible? Hopefully you aren’t one of those people. It’s easier than ever to sort your files on your technological devices, whether it’s a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Additionally, you can sync them so you don’t have to bring every device everywhere. Your physical cabinet simply can’t provide that kind of portability, and it never will.
7. Storing photos
This is one of the most entertaining and valuable ways to use an online document management system. The financial value of using online storage for your photos can be enormous. By cutting the potential costs of an external hard drive, flash drives, and film, you can save hundreds of dollars each year. Even better, you can share those photos instantaneously with friends and family around the world. After all, what good are memories if you can’t share them?
