Document management has become an initiative that many businesses across all industries are implementing, for many reasons:
● Secure storage of documents
● Ease of retrieval
● Cost savings overprinting and storing paper documents
● Automated distribution of documents
● Integrated workflow for approvals and other communications
There are undoubtedly many document storage and document management products and services on the market today. How can a business determine the platform that will benefit their business?
Business Requirements for Document Storage
When considering document storage solutions for any business, the first step is to determine the primary business goals of implementing such a system:
● Storage – can the system replace rows of filing cabinets and storage boxes – possibly even eliminating the need for off-site storage?
● Distribution – does the document storage system provide for a more efficient distribution of documents?
● Security – where confidentiality is a primary concern, will the system provide the necessary safeguards?
Having addressed these benefits desired from a business perspective, compare various systems for additional considerations:
● Ease of use – how quickly can employees become proficient in using the system?
● Functionality – what features are included – storage, search capabilities, retrieval, distribution?
● Workflow – a primary benefit of a sophisticated document storage platform and should be a critical element in selecting a product.
● Automation – seamless capture of documents and automated distribution boost productivity and make offices more efficient.
● Integration – can information be readily shared with other business applications?
● Training and support – does the vendor stand behind the product, and is support readily available when needed?
Benefits of Enterprise Content Management
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems provide businesses with many valuable tools that make employees more productive and businesses more efficient and profitable.
Square 9’s robust enterprise content management offers every business the following strategic advantages:
1. Organization
Square 9’s GlobalCapture streamlines document storage and simplifies both retrieval and distribution. It captures documents at the source, such as a multifunction printer, then classifies and manages distribution quickly and efficiently.
GlobalCapture can even be trained to recognize standard formats such as emails to organize your data, and even generate custom forms that integrate with other Square 9 functionality such as GlobalForms.
Quickly migrate paper documents to a digital format that can be shared, edited, distributed, and searched at electronic speed.
2. Reliability
Eliminate lost paperwork or misfiled documents with automated storage that can be backed up for extra security and reliable availability. Collaborate with other employees and business partners efficiently with immediate access to all types of documents – purchase orders, email, invoices, product designs, or sales proposals.
3. Security
Every kind of business requires secure document storage. This includes financial records, employee information, customer data, and healthcare records. Many of these documents are subject to retention and protection regulations. Security concerns include:
● Significant penalties for regulatory violations
● Access by unauthorized parties
● Accidental loss or destruction
With a robust document management system from Square9, documents are stored and retrieved securely, with customizable document policies. Complete audit trails are also available to track who has reviewed or modified documents.
4. Workflow
Customizable workflow is a significant feature of a complete document management system. With workflow in place, everyday office tasks are accomplished consistently and reliably. An optimized workflow ensures stacks of paper are not waiting for review and approval on an employee’s desk.
Once a purchasing request is created, the automated workflow routes the document to the required individual for approval, then to a purchasing department for final review and creation of a purchase order. These are all accomplished without a single paper document and with full tracking capability.
An optimized workflow also makes sure company policies and procedures are followed by creating an automated workflow that manages business processes.
5. Integration with Other Systems
Workflow within a complete document management platform has even more features than routing documents to the appropriate destinations. Square 9 GlobalSearch provides efficient integration with many popular business applications and third-party software, including:
● SAP
● DocuSign
● Office 365
● PC Law
● Sage
● Oracle
● QuickBooks
● Tyler Technologies
In QuickBooks, for instance, seamless integration improves productivity and significantly reduces error thanks to the ease of data extraction when creating invoices and distributing them electronically.
6. Remote Access
Today’s workforce is often on the road, working from home, or conducting business at customer locations or job sites. With document management, project information or customer quotes can be created anytime, anywhere, then routed immediately for review and collaboration.
This eliminates the need for office paperwork, improves ease of access to essential documents by other employees and fosters collaboration, customer service, and boosts the morale of employees.
XMC Document Management Solutions
XMC’s document management team of consultants and analysts exploit various document management tools and software solutions, including Square 9, to optimize document management and document costs of large enterprises and small businesses to improve office productivity.
Contact XMC document management professionals today to streamline your business with robust document management solutions.