21.8 hours are wasted each week on tasks that contribute little or no value to a company. Time wasting activities vary from low-value interruptions to unproductive meetings to mental health breaks.
Another huge time waster is the time spent searching for documents. And that’s despite all the new technology available to help us waste less time and increase productivity.
That’s because many businesses still haven’t implemented an effective document management system. There are myriad benefits to having a document management process and it’s easy to create one.
If you’re interested in learning how to create a document management strategy, keep reading. We’re sharing with you an easy to follow, step-by-step process.
Benefits of a Document Management System
Having a good file management system in place doesn’t just help increase office productivity. There are several other benefits to a document management strategy.
First, a well-managed filing system reduces office clutter. Used effectively, you can use the system to declutter both physical documents and e-documents.
Reducing storage space makes it easier to find everything more quickly and easily.
Increased Security
Securing your documents is vital to any business. Having a document management plan allows you to control all your documents at the folder level.
Now only specific groups and/or individuals have access to certain documents. And, you’ll also have an audit trail to view when documents were accessed and by whom.
Better Collaboration
Using business document management allows you to capture documents from different sources. You can also access these documents from multiple locations.
This increases visibility to processes as well as improving workflow monitoring. Also, if you need to access older versions of a document, they’re still recoverable. A great asset if changes were accidentally made.
Safe and Secure
Also, all your documents are backed up regularly. Should a disaster such as a flood or fire happen, your documents are safe and secure. And, should someone mistakenly misfile a document, it’s easier to locate with cross-indexing.
Increased Regulatory Compliance
If you need to follow certain compliance requirements, you need a document management plan. Otherwise, you’re vulnerable to fines, criminal liability or having your license revoked.
A good document management process greatly reduces your risk.
Identify the Types of Documents You Have
Start by creating categories for the types of documents you have. You may wish to sort documents by which office they belong to such as:
- Human resources
- Finance and administration
- Sales and service
- Legal
- Marketing
Then, within those categories, you can sort documents even further so they’re easier to find. Possible categories include:
- Confidential documents
- Legal documents
- Quick reference
- Archived documents
- Documents with time limits
Don’t go too crazy with categorizing but sorting documents into general sections help ensure everyone knows exactly where to find what they’re looking for.
Keep it Simple and Consistent
Do not overcomplicate your filing system or it won’t work effectively. One way to keep it simple is to keep the number of file formats to a minimum.
Create a list of rules for everyone to follow such as only converting files to PDF, DOCX or PPTX. Base your decision on what your company needs.
Next, create a rule regarding how to name files. One easy solution is to use a date stamp on the file name to help make searches easier and more descriptive.
Create a System to Store Documents
For paper files, dedicate an area where you want to keep your documents. Perhaps there’s a central filing room where everything is kept together. Or maybe each office division has its own centralized area where all paper documents are kept.
For both e-documents and paper documents, organize the folders in a simple manner. You can choose to store all documents on an in-house server. However, make sure to schedule routine backups to keep everything safe and secure.
Another option is to store all e-documents using cloud storage. Do some research to find out which cloud service company has the best plan for your needs.
Use a Simple Authentication and Authorization Method
Most offices have documents that are private and confidential except to authorized personnel. It’s vital to set up a simple authentification and authorization method to ensure only select personnel can gain access to these documents.
Using this method also enables your organization to share relevant documents with your clients. You’ll end up saving time because there’s no longer a need to makes phone calls back and forth to ensure they have the documents they need.
Consider Scanning all Paper Documents
Most companies can’t afford one of their employees mistakenly shredding or misplacing an important document. One way to safeguard against that is to scan all paper documents so they’re now on whatever electronic document management system you chose to use.
You may also want to consider converting all your files to “read-only” so no one mistakenly makes changes. Your other alternative is to find a system where you can access earlier versions of a document.
Continue to Maintain the System
Just because you’ve implemented a document management process, that doesn’t mean your work is done. Part of organizing is maintaining the system so that it continues to work effectively for a long time.
Also, continuing to maintain your system allows you to find where you can improve upon whatever system you’re using. At least once per year, go through all of your files.
Reorganize as Needed
Delete any files you no longer need to keep for compliance or other reasons. Archive any files you no longer need immediate access to but do need to keep for compliance or legal reasons.
Make sure all documents are in their proper category. Create new categories as needed or make changes to any existing categories that aren’t working effectively.
Keep everyone on staff up-to-date with how to use, store, and maintain the company filing system. It only works effectively if everyone knows how to use it properly.
Include Rules for Smartphone and Other Devices
Don’t forget that your document management system should include rules regarding document tracking and safety when using a smartphone or another type of device such as an iPad.
Employees creating new documents using alternative devices should know how to properly save the document and convert it properly. Click here to learn how to create a PDF on an iPad.