Many of today’s computer applications are plug-and-play; one-size-fits-all solutions that are ready to go right out of the box. Electronic Document Management, however, requires a more nuanced approach. Your Document Management System (DMS) should be developed with a strategy in mind—one that maximizes efficiencies and balances the needs of your teams. Read on to learn how to create a DMS that works for your Indianapolis-area business.
Be Selective
Digitizing 100 percent of your documents won’t give you the best bang for your buck, so think critically about the systems and functions that are most essential for your business. If you evaluate your systems carefully, digitizing a limited portion of your documents—if it’s the right portion — can give you a more significant return.
Prioritize
Focus first on major workflows that span multiple departments, looking for systems with a few major benefits that will provide a big impact. What would be nice to have, and what is essential? How can you do more with less?
Be Holistic
Movement to a DMS may initially be driven by a single department, but be sure to take a wider perspective. Centralized records management policies—naming and numbering conventions, retention policies, and disposition policies—are useful across the organization. Consider the entire document lifecycle, from creation and capture to processing and archiving. Keep various document types in mind, from paper to email and PDF files to social media content.
Find Balance
Comprehensiveness usually comes along with a trade-off of ease of use, so find a happy medium: systems should be customized enough to be effective but simple enough to encourage adoption by end users. Take growth and future needs into consideration when customizing a framework to best suit your business.
Design for Different Users
System administrators and daily users have different needs. Make sure each of them have an interface that’s designed for the functions they’ll need. Administrators will be making rules and implementing policies for naming, retention, and interaction, while end users will need to easily search files, find linked documents, get notifications, and share files.
Document Management is a powerful tool for streamlining workflows and bringing your team’s efficiency to a new level. Following a smart strategy for your move to a DMS will help ensure that you get the best results from your investment. Contact Braden Business Systems today for help designing a document management strategy for your Indianapolis business.