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Document management for small (which can include midsize as well) businesses can pose a challenge- due to the size of your business, you may be operating with a combination of paper and digital files (usually a little more paper than you should be). Smaller businesses need to operate within resource constraints and you may be thinking that you shouldn’t invest in a document management system (DM). A DM combines your digital and hard copy documents and with the right system, you can cut costs and increase your office productivity and convenience. Today we will explore 3 things that you need to know about document management for your small business.
What is document management?
We’ve explored document management before. It is the use of a computer system and software to store, manage and track electronic documents of hard copy based information captured through a document scanner. DM organizes your electronic documents while incorporating documents and content capture with information retrieval systems. DM systems are used to store and control documents, which is crucial to businesses in today’s digital age.
What you need to know
- You’re not too small to succeed with document management
- DM is a common feature in big businesses and by not participating, your business is falling technologically behind. You also run the risk of failing to access the right information in a manageable time. Take a look around your office: Are you storing papers in your office? Do you have time to search through papers to find the document that you’re looking for? Running a successful business is difficult- don’t make things harder for yourself by thinking you’re too small to streamline your paper use.
- Increase productivity and reduce costs
- By scanning your documents, you are reducing paper management systems and are also preparing yourself for document loss. A safe keeping of documents is essential for the success of your small business. You no longer have to search through paper files, once you’ve scanned the document and converted it into a digital copy, you can use full text search to track down specific documents in a flash!
- Create a team system
- Document management systems key features support and bolster a “team” environment. They include an audit trail; a reconstruction of who did what to a document during the course of its time in the system, version control; how to the document came to be and how it differs from previous versions, and a check in/check out feature, which coordinates simultaneous editing so changes do not overwrite each other.
If you are a small business owner rethinking the amount of paper in your office, a document management system can provide you with a more efficient office. Document management can help you prepare for the growing digital and technological demands, but proceed in small amounts, don’t dive right into those overflowing cabinets!
