Benefits of Document Management Software in the Office

Since publishing the article, 'Why All File Clerks (and Other Office Workers) Should Learn to Use Document Management Software' , I have been met with complements as well as questions from those who work in offices or those looking to make their businesses run smoother. They feel that the process is just another marketing ploy to get the conusmer to spend more of their hard-earned money. Unlike computer software that you buy at an off-price discount store, this is not a gamble. Here are just a few answers to common questions I received.

1. What's wrong with just saving documents in Microsoft Word? Nothing except for the fact that not all documents may be Work documents. There are some companies that have gone with the software competitors (mostly for the lower price of the software) like Corel-who over time have made their products more and more compatible with the Microsoft. Or while the rest of us were using Windows 95 or 98, certain companies may have used Windows 3.1. My former employer still distributes documents that were typewritten many moons ago. Depending on the version or software, a hard copy may be all a company has to its name and since the purpose of having a computer is being able to save and update as many documents as possible. So it's really just a small measure to know that it's not only safe but can be retrieved easily with the indexing features that are included.

2. My company already has a flatbed scanner, is a high-speed scanner really necessary? Maybe. As stated in the last article, this benefits mid-to-large companies most. An exception would be a bookkeeping or accounting firm where the busiest period is tax season and their upkeep of client documents is crucial to business. Also, the high-speed copiers now have multi-functional features that allow top-load scanning. A flatbed scanner can be used but is sort of like fixing up a Yugo, it can be done but really shouldn't. A possible alternative would be to rent a high-speed scanner to scan and index old paperwork and then use the slower flatbed for maintenance.

3. Does this process work well with images? If you're looking to scan checks and other forms of currency where serial numbers are important, this may be ideal. Even with checks that have intricate designs that may not photocopy well, the software would recognize this and pause so that editing can be done. If you are running a stock image library, the best method would be to take advantage of the free software trials each company may offer and see which package may suit your needs best before investing and signing a long-term contract.

4. This seems like a lot of work, is it really necessary? Unless your documents always remain in a place where they are free from theft, vandalism, yellowing or fading and your company does not want for the extra space taken up by file cabinets and like furniture. It's like the old saying goes "A stitch in time saves nine". Besides, some programs are compatible with Internet servers which can reduce the scanning time.

5. But my company has one of those microfiche/film machines. Not only are these bulky (and serve only one purpose) but those little pieces of film can be hard to read (especially if they have fingerprints on them - which is usually the case), the film can be easily destroyed and if its used to store data, it will need updating on a regular basis.

If you are in charge of your company's documents, this is going to be a little arduous if you cannot delegate this to a co-worker with fewer responsibilities. Yet, being able to retrieve a document with a few clicks of a mouse as opposed to doing a keyword search on your common drive or scrolling for what seems like forever (and passing it because all the pages will look the same by the time because of constant staring) will save you time and energy in the long run.