Reduced overhead costs, anywhere and anytime access, more security and storage capacity are some of the advantages of knowing how to perform a good document management which, in turn, requires a real administrative effort and organization.
Effective data management must be one of the biggest concerns among contemporary companies. Understand why management is so important and check out the 7 tips on how to manage your documents efficiently that we've put together for you.
What is document management?
Document management encompasses a series of practices for organizing, storing, coordinating and tracking documents. (whether printed or digital) to properly preserve company-owned information.
It is well known that a corporate environment generates a large number of roles. Organizing all these records effectively is undoubtedly a big challenge, but the results will be very beneficial for your business.
Knowing how to perform good document management will bring more agility in the search for information, legal certainty and cost reduction with centralized storage and simplified search and retrieval options, among other benefits.. In contrast, neglect around document management – even on a small scale – can bring serious risks to any business.
Why is it important to understand how to perform good document management?
Thanks to the integration of a wide range of sources, such as cloud storage for personal and professional use, flash drives, among other resources, the need to manage information of all kinds in terms of structuring and administration has grown dramatically.
While most organizations still have physical filing systems for paper documents, they are becoming less common as the path now takes the opposite course: data is usually produced digitally before being printed on paper.
Thanks to the use of metadata (that is, the information that gathers the title, description and storage date), knowing how to perform good document management promotes:
- easy indexing for search and retrieval, which shortens the time it takes to find the right documents;
- more security because of access control and document editing to protect confidential information;
- increased collaboration with the possibility of multiple users working on documents at the same time, while a suitable system can monitor changes and store history;
- tracking with the feature that allows users to inspect the validity of a document over time, and much more.
The most common mistakes in document management
When compared to managing physical data, digital document management systems reduce costs, the risk of human error, retrieval issues and provide virtually unlimited storage space.
Here they are 5 common mistakes made by companies that still don't know how to perform a good document management:
Lack of a central management system
Failing to control documents in a standardized way can lead to the loss of files and seriously impact your business in several situations, such as an audit. Invest in automated management and use, for example, the feature to create automatic requests and reminders. The feature saves time and will help you avoid the next common mistake in businesses.
Failed to control due dates
Many documents, especially supplier-related certificates and product records, have an expiration date. Losing control of these deadlines can lead to the maintenance of outdated certificates and harm an entire business if an important title is not renewed.
Inaccurate or incomplete information
It is important to ensure that everyone knows how and where documents are being stored and tracked to prevent them from being processed multiple times, which would make the control process inefficient.
Missing scanned files
Scanning files allows you to access information quickly and allows you to store and manage documents more securely, reducing the likelihood of them being lost.
Non-existent digital backup system
Know how to deal with unexpected or emergency situations, such as data recovery, ensuring your data is protected in backups.
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7 tips on how to perform good document management
De Small business for multinationals, it is common to have to manage a series of papers and files such as administrative forms, contracts, reports, purchase orders, receipts, etc., which makes adequate document management difficult.
Even with the tendency to Scan, the company's day-to-day operations still depend to some extent on paper documents. Can you imagine how many resources will be saved with a more efficient filing system for your physical and electronic documents?
If you want to know how to perform good document management for your company and increase the productivity of your business, keep reading this article to check out the seven tips listed below!
Establish a periodic organization routine
First, get in the habit of organizing your business regularly. Determine which documents you need for legal purposes, which are still in use, and which are no longer needed. Keep and archive what's important to the business and destroy or discard unnecessary files that are just gathering dust. Try to do this at least once a month.
Prioritize some online processes
While we are used to recording important data on paper, it is a good idea to move some of your processes to the digital realm. Contracts are one of the areas that require a lot of file space, which is why more and more companies choose to use specialized software to simplify their electronic document management.
Furthermore, while physical media may appear secure against hackers who aim to steal information managed by a company, there are also risks in leaving confidential information on paper, as the document can be left in the print trays, for example, or just get lost. By converting confidential documents into digital files, you add a level of access control and security.
Gather your files in one place
Try not to leave your documents scattered around the office or space in digital. When you organize your records in a dedicated location for such activity, you can maximize the practicality and efficiency of the process. In this sense, it is worth noting that this practice guarantees that you will find what you are looking for quickly, but also that other people not directly involved in the organization process will also be able to find what you need.
Standardize the filing system
Do you already know which files will be kept and where they will be stored in physical and virtual space? Then it's time to put into practice the management system for your company. Here, it's important to keep it simple; anyone should be able to browse digital documents case, find in physical files and implement it easily.
although there are many software to manage your files, one idea is to subdivide each topic into specific folders, for example, marketing, financial, IT, products, customers, work orders, etc. For such an organization, think about what is suitable for your business. Create a standardized naming format and, if necessary, include a color code.
Keep your employees informed
At the same time, be sure to update your team on any steps you will be taking in regards to optimizing your filing and management system. After all, they are going to use it and refer to it daily, so training them and making them master this as well as you are is important. Encourage comments and suggestions on how to improve the process of management of company files.
protect your files
When we talk about how to carry out good document management, we cannot exclude data protection, especially in the virtual sphere.. For companies that work with documentation in digital, information security is a top priority.
In addition to losses financial Immediately, data breaches can lead to compliance issues, damage brand reputation and negatively impact customer relationships. Whether you use a cloud-based system or a hybrid system, It's important to implement best practices for document security to avoid being held hostage by cyberattacks.
Keep everything up to date and make regular backups
Update or reorganize your good document management practices regularly to ensure optimal performance as well as business continuity and avoid potentially costly oversights.
One of the advantages of storage systems cloud-based is that they enable companies to protect valuable information in the event of system failures, data breaches, and natural disasters. But many companies make the mistake of assuming that their cloud provider automatically backs up all company data. So try to keep an eye on regular checks and make sure the documents you need are being backed up.
Finally, you may be familiar with some (or all) of the most common mistakes of how to do good document management. Now, however, it will be easier to optimize your business processes. For that, save these tips listed above and check now the article we wrote about what is organizational process management and how to put it into practice.
