18th December 2008, How to explain document management simply? How about an electronic box! "I've been thinking about boxes. It's topical I suppose, around Christmas time, but we use the humble box to store all kinds of things."
I've been thinking about boxesIt's topical I suppose, around Christmas time, but we use the humble box to store all kinds of things all through the year. Invented in England in 1817, cardboard boxes are cheap, readily available and simple to use. A box keeps the contents together and protected from light and dust. It can be stacked and labelled.
But what if the contents need to be more
secure, such as documents and archives? If you need to get to them
frequently to find a particular item? What if you don't have enough
space to put boxes?
The 'electronic box'
Compared to the relative simplicity of storing documents in a cardboard box, managing information and documents in electronic format - on computers and CDs - appears on the surface to be highly complex, and expensive. So why are so many people and organisations switching from the good old cardboard box to electronic document management systems (EDMS)?
Making use of an EDMS involves your documents, files, records or any other paperwork being scanned and saved in electronic format. You can then keep them on your computer, in a back up location, or on CD. So instead of a pile of boxes in the corner, you have a couple of CDs or access to online information.
Compared to the relative simplicity of storing documents in a cardboard box, managing information and documents in electronic format - on computers and CDs - appears on the surface to be highly complex, and expensive. So why are so many people and organisations switching from the good old cardboard box to electronic document management systems (EDMS)?
Making use of an EDMS involves your documents, files, records or any other paperwork being scanned and saved in electronic format. You can then keep them on your computer, in a back up location, or on CD. So instead of a pile of boxes in the corner, you have a couple of CDs or access to online information.
When you want to find that invoice or report, you can find it in moments, so efficiency, productivity and customer service are improved. It may make you more competitive and improve your cash flow.
Electronic files can't be lost or damaged by physical effects, such as water or fire. In terms of disaster recovery, your records are vital, and access to them immediately will minimise disruption at a crucial time.
Electronic files can't be lost or damaged by physical effects, such as water or fire. In terms of disaster recovery, your records are vital, and access to them immediately will minimise disruption at a crucial time.
There are some key facts we must know to make a business case for an EDMS over our cardboard boxes; these include both the hard and soft benefits that will be achieved, the real costs of implementing the solution, and finally a cost/benefits analysis. If you'd like to bin the boxes, the first step is to ask an expert to explain how an EDMS could fit into your situation, the benefits you would see and what it would entail.
SWM would be happy to give you a free consultation; to find our more please call Don Ford at SWM Document Management on 01752 690169 or drop me an email me at don@swm-group.co.uk