Skip to Main Content
Back to Resources

Document Management: Why It’s Important and How to Implement a Process

Published: February 27, 2019 (Updated: January 3, 2022)

Document Management

When did you last evaluate your document management process? Is your business still stuck in the desktop age where every document is stored on a personal computer, drive, or server? The problem with this approach is that as your business grows, the volume of data you manage increases. Let’s explore a few reasons why you should ditch the traditional file management system and opt for a more dynamic solution.

 

Why Not Use Your Server for File Storage?

Most companies use file management on personal drives and servers. While it’s true that a shared company drive offers many advantages when compared to a paper-based system, they are still inferior to more sophisticated solutions.

One of the biggest concerns with shared drives is that they have limited indexing capabilities and limited security. While it’s possible to restrict access to particular files or folders, there are still ways that data can be compromised.

Within shared drives, files can easily be misplaced. For instance, if a user moves a file into a different folder, saves a file using a different name, or accidentally deletes a document, the process of retrieving the file can be cumbersome and time-intensive.

 

Document Management Software as a Solution

To solve the challenges associated with traditional file management systems, you can implement a document management solution in your organization. A document management system (DMS) is designed to streamline workflows and organize the document collaboration process. Don’t know where to start? Try learning more about business process mapping.

With a good DMS in place, your employees can collaborate from wherever they might be stationed without worrying about the loss, misfiling, and security of the documents they’re working on. A survey done by IBM and Ponemon Institute indicates that a data breach costs organizations about $148 per compromised record.

With a DMS, you can see the audit the path of those that edited and viewed a file and the date and time when the file was edited or viewed. While DMS options offer a variety of unique tools and features, they do come at a costly price. What if you need solutions for just a few of these pain points? There is a way to integrate more features into an application you already use – without the hefty cost of implementing a new software and training your staff on a brand new solution.

 

Tools for Building a Great Document Management System

Companies such as Accusoft have developed tools that integrate into applications you already use. This way, you can start organizing your workflows more efficiently without the headaches of new systems. What solutions do these integrations offer?

  • Documents Viewing and Annotation

Content processing tools such as PrizmDoc Viewer and PrizmDoc Editor enable users to collaborate with extensive customization capabilities. Annotate, comment, redact, and even edit documents within your current application.

  • Content Conversion and Compression Technology

ImageGear enables you to integrate a viewer for a variety of file types and convert those files into PDFs. With this technology, your application can enable end users to capture and convert content.

  • Automation

Workflow automation tools such as OnTask help you organize and streamline your business processes. These tools enhance productivity and streamline the document approval process.

  • Form Processing

Forms processing technology such as FormSuite for Structured Forms identifies structured forms from a preset library and captures the data within recognized form fields. Developers can then build a way to extract that data into your CRM.

  • Image Cleanup

Image clean-up tools such as ScanFix Xpress improve content recognition through features like binarization, color drop, smoothing, and line removal.

Depending on the nature of your organization, there are a number of add-on tools that you can procure for your organization. DMS can be a great asset for businesses looking for a rigid solution. However, customization is not often available with these SaaS tools. If you’re looking to solve specific problems with your document workflow, try integrating an SDK into your current application.

Augment the software you already use with tools that will make it more relevant to your needs. If you would like to know more about how our content processing, conversion, and automation tools can add value to your organization, contact us today.