Every business faces some kind of document management problem. They can be something as simple as the time-consuming process of organizing documents into their respective folders or something slightly more complex like retrieving & disposing of expired or unwanted documents. But most of these document management problems can be avoided with a simple document management systemA document management system helps convert all your physical documents into digital documents, and provides features that let you organize, store, retrieve & track all your documents in one place. Document management systems eliminate all the problems that arise due to unorganized document processes, thereby reducing document management costs & time.
Here are 8 document management problems and their solutions:
1. Organization: | |
 | Problem: Organizing a few documents is not too big an ask, but imagine having to segregate & file thousands of documents every day. It doesn’t sound as easy anymore, does it? Organizing documents is extremely time-consuming & error-prone, which can reduce the productivity of the entire organization & increase document management costs. It is estimated that every misplaced or lost document amounts to nearly $400 in increased costs. Solution: Convert physical documents into digital documents using a document management system. Digital documents can easily be segregated into their respective groups depending on the type of document & its content. Moreover, document management systems also provide document tracking features that ensure none of the documents are misplaced or lost. |
2. Search: | |
 | Problem: Finding an old document from a filing cabinet full of documents can sometimes prove to be an impossible task. Paper documents, if not organized & stored correctly, can be extremely difficult to find. And even if they are organized correctly, they can only be found by someone who understands the organizational system. For example, a new employee will find it difficult to locate a 5-year-old invoice if he/she doesn’t understand whether the invoice is filed as per the date, client name or amount. Solution: Digital documents contain metadata, which acts as a search keyword for document management system. Multiple keywords can be used as multiple search conditions to narrow the search even further.For example, the same 5-year-old invoice (if digitized) will contain metadata (client name, amount & date), which can all be used as keywords to find the document faster. |
3. Storage: | |
 | Problem: Just a few thousand paper documents will take up more space than millions of digital ones. Paper documents also require supporting infrastructure like filing cabinets, folders, stationery, etc which are all additional costs to the business. Solution: Switch to on-premise or cloud-based digital storage. Digital storage servers are a lot cheaper & conducive than physical storage units. They can be set up on the cloud (saving office space) & can be easily expanded to meet the needs of a growing business |
4. Security: | |
 | Problem: Safeguarding employee & client information, and other business documents from potential threats is one of the primary responsibilities of any business. Using insecure third-party apps to share business documents can result in thefts & leaks. Solution: Document management systems provide an array of security features like document encryption, access control, two-factor authentication (2FA), etc that grant you complete control of your documents |
5. Accessibility: | |
 | Problem: Paper documents can only be accessed in person. This causes delays in document transfers, document approvals, and client & vendor payments. Solution: Document management systems provide 24*7 access to your documents from anywhere with an internet connection. Most document management systems also offer IOS & Android-based mobile apps and are supported by all operating systems like Windows, Mac & Linux. |
6. Data Collection: | |
 | Problem: Collecting & segregating data like important dates, project plans, payment amounts, etc is an important part of document management. Extracting this information from paper documents can be extremely boring & difficult. Solution: Automate data extraction with a document management system. Most document management systems automatically extract key information from every uploaded or scanned document. This information can then be further bifurcated into different groups or exported to other business apps like Tally, CRM & ERP for integration. |
7. Document Approval: | |
 | Problem: Unorganized document approval processes are prone to delays and errors. This is mainly because most documentation apps do not provide an end-to-end document approval mechanism. Solution: Document management systems are equipped with a built-in workflow automation feature that lets you design custom workflow patterns, select the no. of approvers at each step, auto-stamp and auto-sign the documents, provide feedback and notify users about pending tasks, all within the same app. |
8. Archiving Documents: | |
 | Problem: Archiving protects essential documents from accidental deletion, whereas securely disposing of old documents protects sensitive business information from falling into the wrong hands. Failing to archive the wrong document or using insecure disposal methods can have grave consequences for the business. Solution: Document management systems let you select a date on which your document will automatically be archived or deleted, as per your choosing. This automation doesn’t just save time, it also reduces the chances of errors. |
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