Document management is the process of putting a system in place to organize, classify and managing files throughout their lives. The aim is to make documents easily accessible and accessible by all employees. This includes establishing an appropriate central location for files, implementing naming conventions for documents, using tags and metadata to increase speed of retrieval and accuracy and providing instructions and guidelines on managing files.
Many companies struggle to manage their information including the files they create and the data they use on a regularly basis. And it becomes difficult to locate data quickly, which slows processes and hurts productivity. The result can be missed opportunities, compliance issues, and financial liabilities. Document management software assists in overcoming these issues by creating one central repository that allows all documents to be accessed, stored and utilized.
Once the files are scanned or imported into a document management system, they can be categorized and tagged with access control and sharing security rules, embedded with workflow automation instructions and then archived in accordance with industry standards and regulations. This ensures that only the appropriate people have access to the information they need and helps maintain data integrity.
Document management benefits are more than reducing the cost of labor and downtime. Accessing documents on demand helps employees, improves customer service and sales results, boosts employee morale, and enables faster decisions. This can lead to greater revenues, better outcomes for patients and much more. All it takes is a successful implementation, which includes training and communication with all teams.