The Importance of Effective Document Management

The long-term success of your entire organisation depends on the quality of your document management systems. For certain industries this reliance is greater than others, but all must stand up and pay attention when it comes to being sure that their document management systems are effective.

A lot of organisations around the world still house their documents in a very unorganised and frankly unsafe way, leaving potentially sensitive data in random file cabinets strewn across the office, or arguably even worse – in a Dropbox folder. This leaves the organisation vulnerable.

Adopting modern solutions will not only assist you to remain secure but could also help reputationally – clients knowing that their sensitive documents are safe and secure is a key driver for some when it comes to return business.

The problem is that many organisations have no idea of when or how to streamline their documentation process, and this can cause a lot of confusion and in turn problems overall – leading to team members having and maintaining documents on their hard drives. If they aren’t stored in the neatest of fashions, and no opportunity to share files is permitted, this will stifle modern business.

This method isn’t, as yet, procedural enough. It is apparent that some think formal document management processes and procedures will slow down processes, but the truth is, if your document management system is built into the foundation of your organisation, then the opposite is more often the case.

When a document management system is appropriately structured in a way that suits your organisation it can help encourage growth, increase levels of security, and – instead of impeding opportunities for innovation and growth – it can actually encourage it. Having good quality document management processes ensures that everyone in your organisation, regardless of their department, have confidence that the sensitive data they have responsibility over is housed safely. They also know where it is housed, which stage the document is at, what alterations still need making to it, and whether any other actions need to be taken. It is this that allows your document management system to improve the levels of collaboration your team are able to achieve in the workplace, and it is through this collaboration that you can push projects across the finish line on time or even ahead of schedule.

For every business in the world there are situations that arise where the absence of a document management system could even hinder your business operations. This will then result in the loss of precious time, resources to make up that time, and, in turn, money.

So, how do you tell if your organisation needs a new, modernised document management system? Let’s look at that now.

How to tell if you need a new modern document management system

There are many companies out there (both new start-ups and successful established organisations) that don’t know whether they need new document management systems. The answer is probably ‘yes’ if you haven’t looked into your document management systems for some time. You may wonder how we can make such a claim without knowing your systems or business personally – and that would be a good point. But what we do know is that, in the technological landscape of the world, and bearing in mind the rate at which it advances, new document management tools are released all the time, and each has better features than the last. So, the odds are that if you haven’t adopted new tools recently it may be time explore.

It may seem like a long-winded exercise but implementing stronger, longer-lasting processes that can help your team work smarter and faster will only be a positive to you in the wrong run.

Let’s take a look at some of the situations that may warrant the adoption of new document management systems.

Are you still storing documents in various file folders like Google Drive?

The majority of organisations in the world start off with paper-based management solutions – basically, they put everything in big filing cabinets on premise. But, in the modern age, it isn’t productive or safe to have copies of data in paper format. Companies often look for ad-hoc electronic ‘solutions’ to solve the problem themselves in the most cost-effective way possible.

The problem with the structure of this method of document management is that things aren’t automated, once a document is placed in the ‘drafts’ folder, for example. There’s no way to track online reviews and approvals whilst working in this haphazard way. These manual edits, changes, and approvals will continue to pile up over time, so it is inevitable that eventually they will cause problems with workflow.

Are you facing an ISO 9001 Audit?

If you are in the preparation phase of an ISO audit, the best way to remain compliant is with a modern, formalised, structured documentation management system for all of your records.

If your auditor receives documentation that is outdated, your company could face serious legal ramifications for not adhering to your compliance obligations. Once you have failed the audit, you will also need to remedy the situation, so why not just purchase the tools in the first place if you know you are going to have to anyway?

You must have the latest document management systems in place, because not doing so puts untold amounts of pressure on your team who have to navigate the mess that is your current system. You likely have selected team members in charge of managing those systems, and they do a good job of it – right? But what will you do when they aren’t in one day, or leave for a new job? Your entire organisation will suffer consequently.