According to AIIM, Document Management Process, is categorised as “the use of a software application to track digital documents from creation through approval and publication”.
More than this, it provides a structured framework which allows otherwise cumbersome, time-consuming tasks to be replaced through automation, to make you more efficient whilst saving time, space, and money.
To bring maximum benefit to your organisation through the adoption of document management process it is crucial to plan properly and in doing so you are certain to benefit in the following ways:
- Instant access to your files
- Significantly reduced operating costs
- Compliance peace of mind
- High level data security
- Error free processes
In making the move to automating your business using electronic document management process, there are things you should consider in making the transition straightforward and hassle free.
Our top tips to create and implement a document management process strategy:
- Nominate a project lead
To avoid a free for all, it is important to appoint someone in charge of the overall project. This person will be responsible for the project delivery and will ensure that all the businesses current documents and processes are properly taken into consideration.
The project lead will also be responsible for assembling a project team who collectively represent all aspects of the business, with knowledge of the documents they hold and work with, and how their various processes operate, for good and bad.
- Avoid viewing the business as a single entity.
One common mistake is to consider the business as a single entity when considering and deploying a document management solution. This seldom, if ever works and can result in the crowbarring of departments and their working into an environment to which they are not suited and won’t buy in to.
From our experience it is far better to consider each department, their documents, and processes on merit, to ensure that the solution fits the working.
We would recommend beginning with a department which is typically heavy with filing and undertakes regular processes such as finance or HR as these will likeliest deliver quick and significant results and will serve as an inspiration to others.
- Review your existing filing processes and consider strategy requirements
Once your project team has been appointed, they will need to:
- Carry out a review of all the current filing by department and how this is currently retained – be it in either paper or electronic form.
- Consider how your documents are currently received, processed, reviewed, stored and updated.
- Prioritise which department(s) can serve as a trial. This will develop your skills in establishing how each department operates and handles its documents.
- Carefully document each process within the department, from each document’s arrival in the business through every stage of process until completion and storage. Processes will obviously vary between departments.
- Identify and interview external organisations to help the project team with scoping and delivery. It is likely they will have more experience than those within the business, will be objective and can be a valuable source of expertise.
- Look at this process as a great opportunity to review existing processes to establish if they are still fit for purpose. Often work arounds have built up over years and can be eradicated through better working methods and greater efficiency.
- Understand your documents
Right now, it is possible that your documents reside in numerous locations and in a variety of different formats. Once you have established in detail how the business processes its documents departmentally, it is time to complete a full and detailed inventory of each document type, its location and format.
Creating a detailed inventory of your filing by department will be helpful in identifying the types of documents being processed daily within the business, which require immediate attention, and which do not.
- Document your procedures in detail
Once you have identified and listed each document you need to establish:
- How and where documents are currently stored – are they centralised in one location, stored departmentally or at individual workstations.
- How are documents currently handled in the business.
- Which system will you use to manage and store your documents – a physical file system, an electronic one, or a combination of both.
Electronic document management solutions manage documents securely in a central location and automate workflows. Being fully customisable they can be easily configured to mirror your existing processes both internal and involving those from outside the business.
- Agree your strategy
Once the project team has established the document types by department within the business, the purposes they serve, and where they are currently held – they can begin putting together a strategy. This strategy will outline:
- How documents will be received, processed, reviewed, stored, retrieved, and removed from the system.
- Will processes be standardised across the business or which are specific to each departments’ working.
- Which processes are shared by more than one department or possibly those outside of the business. For example, HR and payroll may share certain working.
- What becomes of documents once each process is completed.
- How documents are handled when no longer needed in the office, are they archived or can they be destroyed/deleted.
- Remove any unnecessary documents
Once the overall strategy is drafted, it’s time to tidy up those documents which are superfluous, and frankly just taking up valuable server or floor space. Any unnecessary documents highlighted during the inventory should be communicated to the relevant departments to consider whether they need to be retained in archive or may be either destroyed or deleted from servers.
Electronic document management systems can automatically archive documents or flag them for deletion, this can be invaluable when working with documents of statutory limitation.
- Implement your strategy
If you are choosing to work electronically, documents will need to be uploaded to your chosen system. Accurate indexing at this point ensures the efficiency of future retrievals, documents are typically OCR’d at point of entry to allow a full search of the contained text.
All this point, there is an opportunity to consider if files held in paper form can be digitalised as part of your strategy. If so, these will need to be scanned and similarly uploaded to your document management process.
Once your files are successfully uploaded to your platform, it is critical to introduce a policy whereby new protocols are followed and that these are clearly communicated to all potential users. This ensures good order is maintained and the benefits associated of working electronically are quickly realised and continue.
Your document management solution provider will work with you in configuring those workflow processes identified and documented as part of your departmental inventory. This will deliver seamless automation of your working practises and with these enormous increases in efficiency and very measurable savings of time, space and money.
To ensure your system keeps delivering don’t forget to:
- File and upload all new documents as they arrive.
- Restrict access to only those who require it.
- Use your version control tools to be sure you are always working with the most up to date copy.
- Manage document retention periods to prevent the risk of litigation and noncompliance.
Electronic document management systems will without doubt bring huge benefits to how your business operates but must be delivered properly.
BPMS have decades of experience in delivering and supporting electronic document management solutions, working with a multitude of clients across a wide range of sectors.
If you would like some help in the planning, preparation and implementation of your solution please get in touch to book a free consultation and let us guide you in your journey of improvement.
