Four Tips on How to Get Started with Document Management

Take time to plan document management needs.  Ask yourself these questions: What problem is being solved?  Does the business need to provide remote access to branch offices or clients? Does the company want to reduce costs for paper filing?  Or, are company stakeholders concerned about security of information? Are there compliance issues or regulations involved?

1. Categorize documents:  Creating categories for documents makes information retrieval easier. For example, company W-2s could be contained in one category.
2. Utilize Existing Electronic Documents:  Text files, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other important files should be incorporated into the document management system.  Focus on the documents relevant to the problems being solved.
3. Formal Review of Documents:  If company approval is needed before documents can be posted, put an appropriate system in place. Make a decision about which documents are dynamic and need to be edited. Decide which documents need to be permanently archived.
4. Start Slow: Some clients eventually want a comprehensive, company-wide system. Try implementing a solution for one application one department first.  Tackling one problem at a time makes conversion to digital document management less disruptive.  Obtain management support for other departments by showing a return on investment analysis for one department, and build from this foundation.