Document Management Defined
by Rourke Mace
[salesforce form=”10″]Document management is how you store, manage, and share electronic files and images of scanned paper documents.
Document management consists of the strategy and established business processes for managing the life cycle of documents, along with the software that controls and helps organize those documents. It incorporates document capture, workflow, document repository, as well as the processes used to manage and share files.
Some of the key features in document management include:
- Security: to grant or deny access and editing capabilities based upon need
- Encryption: to ensure documents and the data contained in them are protected
- Searching: to help find files within moments, saving huge amounts of time
- Check-in/check-out: to coordinate the editing of a document so one person’s changes don’t overwrite another’s
- Version Control: to differentiate how a document differs from the versions that came before
- Audit Trail: to keep track of what happens to a document during the course of its life in the system
Security, version control, encryption, and audit trails play significant roles in an organization’s ability to maintain compliance with standards such as SEC, FINRA, HIPAA, etc.
Document management systems range in size and scope, from small, standalone systems to large, enterprise-wide configurations. Many document management systems provide a way to standardize document handling best practices electronically.
Why Should I Care About Document Management?
The Gartner Group says that the implementation of document management by businesses and organizations, because of its positive impacts, will become as common as email. It will become an essential capability that your workers require in order for your company to be efficient and competitive.
Aside from the array of features and functions of Document Management Software (DMS), one of the most important considerations of choosing a solution for your organization is ease of use. Many document management projects fail simply because the solution they have chosen is difficult to manage and use. This can result in being a devastating loss of your time and investment. On the other hand, with the proper solution, the returns can dramatically improve efficiencies, time, and cost savings, and it can help increase your capacity for growth and change.
For more information and to learn just how easy it can be, fill out the form on this page to request a demo, or contact Rourke Mace, Paperless Consultant at eFileCabinet. rmace@efilecabinet.com