From Boxed Files to Automated Storage: The Benefits of a Document Management System

DM systems are software applications that allow organizations to manage their documents electronically. Implementing an effective DMS enables companies better manage their digital assets by centralizing all relevant material into one place. This would warrant a system that is easy to navigate, secure against unwanted changes or loss of important files, collaborative among team members working together on projects and connected with third party services where applicable. This results in improved productivity gains due to reduced time spent searching for lost items and faster turn-a-round times thanks to enhanced collaboration capabilities. Some of the key features of DMS include: 

Let’s look at the above list in more detail so that we know exactly what each feature and benefits does, and if it is something that you require within your organization.  

Looking at these features will help to assess what requirement is necessary for your company or organization. Realistically, most companies need these features, and it would be beneficial if they could be automated within a product and release your staff from having to do these actions manually. 

Each of these features includes benefits which would be ideal for your organization. When getting a DMS, an organization would require their documents to adhere to compliance and control regulatory statutes. Depending on the location, industry and time retention period needed, specific regulations govern how long certain documents must be kept before being archived or disposed of properly. Also, when being disposed of, a certain protocol would need to be followed to ensure that they are not intercepted or used incorrectly. Having a DMS can help keep a schedule of when these documents must be moved and provide timely reminders which will reduce the legal risk. 

Implementing a DMS within your workplace or organization can save you costs. This is due to the reduced need for physical storage space, while minimizing the use of paper and therefore reducing your carbon footprint. Having a DMS would aid in improving overall efficiency in document processing and management. This cost saving would catapult in saving money on printing supplies, office space costs, offsite storage fees, and courier services. Automating workflows within a DMS can lead to a reduction of manual labor tasks which would translate to a return on investment for your organization.  

When looking for specific keywords within large collections of text-based content like contracts, having an advanced search function built into your modern DM system enables you to quickly locate relevant information without wasting hours sifting through pages manually. This benefit alone frequently leads to momentous time saving across organizations that adopt such technology solutions. Therefore, effectively streamlining day-to-day operations in conjunction to improving overall efficiency levels over traditional methods whilst relying solely upon human effort for searching amongst vast quantities of data stored physically elsewhere, like looking through filing cabinets scattered throughout offices.  

Disaster recovery and backup management can be eliminated since files are now stored in a cloud-based system. This would protect your documents from physical disasters such as floods and water damage. In the event of a flood or other type of water damage, electronic devices and digital storage media can be ruined if they encounter water. Paper documents, on the other hand, are less susceptible to water damage and can be dried out if they get wet. For example, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many people's digital photos and documents were lost due to water damage, but their paper documents remained intact. However, drying paper documents would not be practical and would also lead to confidentiality breaches.  

During extended power outages and grid failures, electronic devices may not function properly at all or eventually run out of power. With modern technology and malware upgrades electronic files can be encrypted. However, this is not a fall safe equation as cyber-attacks by hackers deleting your files or demanding ransomware can be an issue. It is therefore important to have multiple backups of your most critical records and in different formats like using cloud storage in conjunction with external hard drives. A DMS can help your organization to maintain up-to-date accessibility for relevant individuals and enforce maximum security for your documents.  

Introducing new software does require the buy-in from different stakeholders who may be affected by the change, including individuals who are accustomed to the existing processes or file structures. Effective change management strategies can help mitigate resistance and ensure successful adoption. This would involve doing proper training for your staff to implement a successful roll-out of the new system and assist users to fully understand and know the capabilities of the DMS. Providing ongoing training and readily available support will also facilitate widespread acceptance among staff members who might otherwise feel frustrated trying to learn everything independently.  

Depending on an organization's IT infrastructure setup, integrating additional applications like workflow tools or e-signature capabilities into existing systems could present technical obstacles requiring complex expertise outside regular IT support personnel familiarity. Third parties might need help because some APIs aren't easily accessible, making things more complicated and costly over time. Implementing a DMS supported by Graviti AMS can eliminate all the above challenges for your organization. Graviti AMS provides ongoing support and accesses your current IT infrastructure to ensure a smooth transition not only for your staff but also for third party stakeholders. Having everyone's buy-in can improve the adoption rate and everyone will embrace the change quickly.  

By facilitating effective communication strategies should emphasize benefits and address potential concerns to minimize resistance amongst end-users thereby increasing chances for successful use across the entire organization. It's important to carefully plan out the migration process with minimal disruption to daily operations while ensuring all relevant information gets transferred accurately without loss or corruption during implementation. This step demands careful planning & execution along with adequate testing beforehand, so nothing falls through the cracks after the go-live date has passed.