If you are here, chances are you want to change the way you manage your documents. Maybe because they are taking up too much of your time or maybe because they are proving to be too expensive or tedious to manage. Whatever your problems, the most ideal solution for you would be investing in a document management software (DMS). A document management software lets you shift all your document processes online. It organizes all your documents into identifiable groups, provides plenty more document search options, gives you complete control over access to your documents and much more. But which DMS should you invest in? So to help you make the right choice, here are a few tips on how to identify the best document management software for your business.
1. Understanding your needs:
Probably the most important step to identifying your ideal document management software, is understanding what you are going to be using it for. Sit down with your employees and ask each member to list down business areas that need changes – document processes that need an upgrade, departments that could benefit from automation, etc. While listing down your requirements, make sure to include future requirements as well. This will help you identify a DMS that not only provides solutions for your current requirements, but one that can be an asset for your future plans as well.
2. Researching options:
There are plenty of DMS options available on the internet. But how do you find the one most suitable for you? Simply look at the DMS’s features. Almost all document management software provide some organizational & search features, document indexing & archiving, enhanced security & document tracking, but a select few also provide additional features like workflow automation, automated OCR, document encryption, scheduling & billing management, and much more. All you need to do is find the DMS that fulfills your requirements.Other than a DMS’s features, you also need to look for its cost, availability of free demos & trials, customer reviews, security updates, storage & scalability options, etc, to help you narrow down your choices to the best few.
3. Cost/benefit analysisDMS
Providers usually offer subscription based costs. More the number of subscribers, lower the per subscriber cost (similar to group discounts). As a business owner or subscriber, you need to make sure you get the best solution for your business, within your budget. Analyze the different options based on the benefits they would provide to your organization and their cost, and leave out the options that are simply too expensive as per your needs. Please note: If you find a DMS that is ‘slightly’ more expensive but is the perfect fit for you, we’d suggest reaching down your pockets and shelling out a few more bucks. It will be worth the investment.
4. Taking a trial
Most DMS providers either provide free in-person or video tutorials, or let you try the software for free. It is very important that you include this step in your decision making process because it helps you get an in-depth understanding of the software’s functionalities & design, and helps narrow down your list of potential DMS candidates to the top two or three.
5. Making a choice
Try out your top picks and see which one is the most user-friendly, cost effective & scalable. Speak to the service providers and see if any of them are willing to offer a discounted price, depending on the number of features or users. And once you have undertaken all these steps, the only one remaining is making the best choice for your business.If you are looking to switch to a completely paperless office, or automating day-to-day workflow tasks, or gaining more control over access to your documents, check out our document management software GLOBODOX. GLOBODOX has been a digitization & automation partner for more than 2500 brands worldwide, including NASA, Hutch, FDA, Westin, and many more. GLOBODOX’s easy to master on-premise & cloud based document management solutions have helped it become one of the top rated document management software in countries like the USA, UK, UAE, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Rwanda, Canada, Netherlands, etc.
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