Is It Time To Modernise Your Document Management Processes?

As your business grows, so does the volume of data and content that you need to store. From contracts and financial documents to employee data and customer records, there are many different types of content to keep track of within a business. Along with the growing volume of data, businesses are also facing increased pressure to ensure that documents and information are secured. With new legislation coming into place around data security and compliance, businesses must secure their data and documents.

All businesses have different ways of managing and securing documents, content and data. Some may still be managing paper documents, others might be embracing the cloud and some might be operating a hybrid approach. Whatever method of document management your business is currently using, is important to ask if it’s delivering optimal operational efficiency, security and productivity.

For those who are unsure, we have compiled some of the key signs that it might be time to modernise your document management processes.

1. Difficulty Retrieving Documents

Do your employees waste time searching for documents? According to an Adobe Acrobat survey, 48% of employees say they struggle to find documents efficiently. With many companies embracing digital processes, information has never been more accessible. However, this does not mean that documents are easily retrievable– often they are more scattered than paper documents with employees wasting time shifting through folders and repositories to locate information. Having a robust document management system in place can help streamline document retrieval. A well-organised document management system with advanced search features, indexing and metadata tagging can help employees find what they need quickly, reduce frustration and improve overall productivity.

2. Limited Remote Access

In today’s increasingly remote working environment, the ability to access documents securely from anywhere is crucial. If your current system doesn’t support remote access, this can be a telltale sign that it is time to modernise your document management processes. Zero or limited ability to work remotely may be holding your business back, hindering your team's flexibility and productivity. Modern document management systems offer cloud-based access, enabling employees to retrieve, edit and share documents securely from any location. Not only supporting remote work but facilitating collaboration across geographical locations.

 3. Collaboration Through Email

Another tell tale sign your document management processes need to be updated is a heavy reliance on email to share documents and collaborate. Collaboration through email can lead to long threads of document changes and suggestions that can be difficult to keep track of leading to version control issues. Email collaboration can also pose security risks and is simply inefficient. Many document management systems have strong collaboration functionality and can eliminate the need for email-based collaboration. Features like real-time editing, secure sharing options and version control ensure that all team members are working on the most up-to-date version of the document.

4. Employees Finding Work Arounds

If your employees are finding workarounds for your current document management processes or system, it is a clear sign that change is needed. If employees are working around a system then it is not meeting their needs and potentially making basic daily tasks more difficult. Employee workarounds can also lead to shadow IT exposing your business to unnecessary security risks as well as data inconsistencies and silos leading to errors and reduced data accuracy. Soliciting regular feedback from employees ensures your business can pinpoint any user frustrations and ensure you maximise value from technology investments and business processes. A modern user-friendly document management system can help reduce the need for workarounds and provide a more consistent approach to document management.

5. Security Concerns

With a rise in cyber threats and information security breaches globally, it is more important than ever to have secure document management processes. Additionally, recent changes in global and local data security and privacy regulations, further drive the need to ensure your business’s document security is up to date. If your business has any concerns surrounding document security or compliance, it is time to review document management processes. Modern document management systems have advanced security features such as access controls, audit controls, compliance management and access controls. This helps manage sensitive data and ensures businesses can comply with the relevant regulations for their industry. It is critical to continually apply the necessary updates to your document management system which may include new security patches and other security features. Businesses should also complete frequent security audits to help mitigate risks and keep data protected.

Having robust document management security processes and leveraging a modern document management system can help your business enhance operational efficiency, improve security and support a flexible work environment. However, it is important to note that modernising your document management processes is not just about adopting new technology, it is about creating a more streamlined, secure and effective approach to managing your business information.

At Storm, we take a functional approach to document management system implementation. We recommend working with our team of Business Analysts to review and map existing processes and identify opportunities for optimisation with the new system. Our team of technology specialists then work with your organisation to build a sustainable document management system to support your business now and into the future.  

If you would like to learn more about implementing a modern document management system for your business, get in touch today to speak with one of our experts. 

Conall O'Kane, Practice Manager - Modern Workplace Sep 16, 2024