Every business, company, organization and government body of any description has to deal with the serious issue of document management and how best to deal with such a complex issue. Frequently the main concern is only how to file the information. However, a user friendly filing system must allow easy retrieval of all documents or files at any given time.
Retrieval is the key reason why documents must be stored in the first place. Some material has to be kept for a certain period of time for legal reasons. Other files need to be accessed regularly so that more documents can be added or amended. On some files, you will simply take action and then shred or delete them.
A classic case is a hospital. If you were a patient in a particular hospital and only had to go there twice in a five year period, you would expect the doctor to easily access your records the second time and then add current information to that existing file. He wouldn’t create a duplicate file.
There’s no reason to have a filing system that doesn’t tell you where the relevant file has been stored whenever you need it. Society revolves around legal hard copy documents for everything from birth certificates to business licenses and legal contracts for major companies. Because computers are a major part of today’s lifestyle, it’s only logical to utilize options that can now be offered to help reduce the clutter that current paper filing systems create.
You may have an office with 200 staff that all carry out different duties. They still need access to the same document management system to retrieve vital information to carry out their specific work. Many staff members may even collaborate on some files if that’s what their duties dictate. Using specialized filing system software to record the location of all files within the company will enable faster retrieval and increased efficiency.
Documents can be added to files as time passes and, if you currently use an alphabetical system, it can become very confusing and cumbersome. This is because everyone thinks differently. One person might use a business name as the title, while another uses a person’s name, and therefore duplicate files can get created and as history of that “file” grows, so does the confusion.
To avoid such problems, it’s essential to have very user-friendly document management software. Establish set criteria for the naming of files and make that a standard right through the company. Then filing, retrieval, additions to and re-filing processes will become much more streamlined and save countless hours and thousands of dollars. The staff will be more productive and your business will achieve its goals a lot faster.
If your business doesn’t use an efficient document management system, documents can be created in a variety of different formats. Apart from hard copy paper-based documents, you’ll have faxes, audio, DVD, CD and PowerPoint files. There will also be emails that may be quite lengthy and have been viewed by numerous people. These may need to be added to specific files as well.
Using document management software, you can record the location of each item and the file in which it’s stored. If any of these various formats are needed again, simply access the file by checking your computer for the location. Then you have all the relevant information in one place.
Quite often there might be regular reviews of material contained in some of the files. Instead of trying to remember them or write them in a diary that only you can see, utilize the filing system software to set reminders so that anybody can access the information and action the necessary work. This means that even if the relevant person is away sick, the work can still be carried out.
When all the files are stored and labeled correctly as per the filing system guidelines you implement, you have the added benefits of knowing who and when files have been accessed and/or action taken. Compliance with all regulatory bodies is much easier when you have tighter control over your document management system.
In addition, using an efficient document management system will enable you to reduce the office clutter. The desks that used to be piled high with files waiting to be worked on will become a thing of the past. Staff simply retrieve the relevant information they need only when they need it. They’re not confronted with that depressing pile every single day.
No matter what decision you make, remember that a user friendly filing system must allow easy retrieval or it just becomes another time waster that your business shouldn’t have to deal with.
The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system that will totally revolutionize the relationship you have with your filing cabinet. The filing system works just like a search engine for your paper files!
You can start with as few, or as many, of your files as you like by simply creating your index into the software’s database and printing the accompanying labels. Then, as you add new files, simply add them to your database and you’re on your way to a more efficient and cost-effective document management solution.
Tags: document management software, document management system, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
