There are many companies that seem to still rely on the aged paper filing systems contained in filling cabinets. Some have have stayed with filing cabinets because they seem to promote a lifestyle that is not so heavily based on technology. Filing cabinets are a part of the old regime of office furniture that makes them more patient and not prone to panic attacks during power outages or lost Internet connections. Others are hanging on to file cabinets because they just have not been able to see the benefit of a document management system, or DMS.
Time and Space Management
Almost anyone who has worked in an office environment can remember seeing a document in a file but not knowing where to find it when a work team needs it. No one wants to go cabinet surfing through folders when he needs the information right at his fingertips. Storing files this way is both costly and time consuming. Once a large number of files have accumulated, extra storage space may be required to keep them. If this storage space is off-site, it will come with a monthly cost as well as a time cost in minutes it takes to get to the storage site. A DMS saves a lot of time.
Based on regulatory requirements, there are some files, particularly those in the medical industry, that still must be stored as paper files. Perhaps placing all other documents in a DMS would leave ample room to keep these special files in a filing cabinet. Once the other documents have been loaded or scanned into a DMS, they are easily retrieved and searchable. Employees spend far less time searching paper files in order to conduct a business transaction.
Better Security
Although some companies have found sufficient ways to lock filing cabinets with a standard lock and key, this does not necessarily keep files safe. These locks are easily broken with the average nail file or anything sharp. They simply do not offer the most secure system of file management.
With a DMS, you can always control who has access to the files, and depending on the kind of access procedure in place, you can also track when someone accesses a file and for how long. This kind of information is especially important when investigating breaches and other file infringements. An electronically systematic way of storing and retrieving files keeps important, sensitive information from being exposed on desktops or falling before the wrong eyes.
DMS also offers another kind of security. Storing files that are saved in a cloud keeps them from being demolished during a natural disaster or when a computer irreversibly crashes. It also keeps files from accidentally being tossed in the trash or misplaced as they do when they are paper files. The DMS is a system that has as its best benefit centralizing documents. System users can always get a copy of a document without any fear of losing the original.
Improved Operations
Imagine how much a paper system would impact cash flow, if this were the only means of taking payments from customers. A DMS expedites cash transactions without the need for handwritten or rubber stamp confirmations. Invoicing, debt collection and accounts payable can all be centralized and remove the delay for payments of any kind.
Of course, being able to accept and make timely payments has a huge influence on customer relations. According to Global Document Solutions, “A customer base may begin to have a lesser opinion of a business that is solely paper-based. A DMS, then, has the power to affect a company’s reputation with clients and partners. It could mean the difference between people seeing you as a good match or a probable risk.”
A centralized DMS also enhances operations in other ways, too. Employees can more easily share information and collaborate on projects. They can track the progress of tasks without having to call a meeting. This bodes well for employee morale and keeps a company aligned with the same offerings as its competitors.
Image: http://abovethelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/file-cabinet.jpg
