What to look for when choosing software/online services for document management? What features are essential?
1. Why companies should use the software to manage documents? What specifically it provides benefits – what to translate? Whether for example. Thanks to gain more time on other tasks? If Yes, how many% (more or less) may increase productivity?
One would need to look at this issue with several levels. For example, for an organization the greatest benefit will be an increase in overall efficiency and productivity (estimated to be approximately 15-30%), control expenditure and improve the wider corporate communications. Benefit for executives will improve the timeliness of the work team, better control and quick access to information. In turn, employees will experience the greatest benefit from the automation of daily activities, reduce the time the performance of the tasks and the Elimination of frequent mistakes and errors.
2. If you can give a hypothetical example to illustrate the need to use the software to manage documents? For example, the company XX does not apply software and stores documents on an in-patient basis in the cabinets/folders, while the company YY is used for software. What benefits can expect company YY, and what loses the company XX?
Classic document management paper carries a lot of risks in relation to this and generates additional costs. Misplacing or loss or destruction of, the only version of the document which is the original may entail huge consequences, let’s not forget that the binder storage and expenditure on maintaining and improving the security of the archives do not belong to the low. What’s more the duration of access to contracts or writs involves additional people in the company, absorbing valuable time to find, hire and return of documents.
Completely different shows a situation of companies which have implemented software to manage documents. In this organisation each document has its own a digital copy, and proper access matrix allows individual employees access to archives in a way that ensures comfort and safety. Electronic circulation of documents, in contrast to its classic counterpart, generates incomparably greater benefits in the form of time savings, eliminate mistakes and control mechanisms are built into the program itself.
It is worth noting that the storage of electronic documents opens us the way to move a paper archive for the outside of your organization. Specialized companies retention can significantly reduce the cost of storage while increasing their level of security. In certain cases, the originals are delivered to the company on request.
3. What to look for when choosing software/online services for document management? What features are essential?
Above all, our attention should be paid to modernity, functionality, flexibility and security of such a solution. Professional system should give us the ability to modify and create new process templates without having to engage the manufacturer. Web-based interface or a mobile is practically a standard in the market so you don’t need anyone to explain what help it brings with it.
It is worth mentioning here that the customers really appreciate any additional functionality that does them with everyday, routine. To that directory we can OCR (text recognition on documents), collaborate with print/scan, components for the registration email directly in the program and finally integration with external CRM/ERP.
In practice, the implementation of a Document Management System is only the beginning, because the appetite is growing as food. A professional software should have a much greater range of opportunities than just the registry and document circulation. Companies increasingly seek to centralize its services and data sets, so more and more often choose to modular solutions that open the door in front of them to manage other areas in your organization. I am here referring to areas related to budgeting, procurement, implementation of staffing processes and sales support in terms of offer and invoicing. For such a solution appeal largely lower maintenance costs and training and a guarantee of the consistency of the data found in the program.
4. How much is a good quality software to manage documents?
You must count the cost of the order of 50 thousand. Gold in the high jump for basic solution DMS class/E-archive. In turn, more powerful systems DMS + Workflow is no longer a one-time expense row 100-200 thousand. Gold with the implementation. Of course the price is largely dependent on the complexity of the Organization, the amount of processes, as well as end users. Then there are the costs associated with the care of a service contract after deployment. fees update (upgrade).
For smaller companies at great rates seems to offer a system of circulation of documents in the cloud for 50-100 PLN/m-c per user. You should reckon with additional fees for the space provided on the scans of documents.
5. How to implement a strategy for the transition from paper to digital files? Where to start, and if there are any valuable advice, so that you can save yourself frustration?
First of all let us go to the theme of the design, the powołajmy team and opracujmy list of business requirements along with selection criteria the right solution. We focus not on the current needs and problems, but let’s think about where our business will be for 3-4 years and what we will be after this time, expect from the system.
From a practical point of view, it pays to compare different solutions providers noting the deployment experience, ergonomics and functionality of solutions as well as the conditions for maintenance, without which the implementation of this class system misses the target.
A simple transition from paper to digital files is not the issue problematic. Typically, the selected service provider shall transmit to the appropriate how-to and knowledge in this regard, the basics, and physically help in carrying out the process of digitisation. Do not miss us but need to develop internal instructions and procedures associated with the change of the existing management.
Piotr Musiał
