As your company grows, so do your client’s expectations, and with so many new customers it can be hard to keep track, manage or access their information. Not to mention the time and manpower it takes to maintain a true document management workflow. That’s why investing in a robust document management platform, which is managed by a service provider can increase workflow efficiency, drive productivity, and reduce costs.
There are many advantages of having the ability to easily retrieve information fast, collaborate efficiently and securely with your colleagues. With all these assets, they ensure complete documents security. And automate a wide range of documented related processes.
Retrieving Data Fast and Efficiently
First, by document capture through either a camera, downloaded file, or a scanner you can create metadata that will be attached to your documented records. This step requires a configuration when the first system is started. The administrator or user will show you which index field is required for each document.
Each invoice will include the index fields for each vendor, all account numbers, invoice amount, etc. As each document capture is inserted its pertinent index values get entered as well.
Methods of Data Entry
- Manual indexing
- Easy one-click highlight indexing to move it to fields
- Zonal OCR (system can be set to OCR portion of scanned or imported document)
- Full-text indexing (OCR processing engine adds all words to index database)
- Database lookup. The system will store all files on cloud documents and be able to retrieve them instantly through the search
The reoccurring input of metadata enables users to allow them to retrieve files through search. Depending on the specific function of each document management system a variety of search functions will be performed.
- Search within your search results
- Auto filled search (very similar to your smartphones automatic fill in words)
- Proximity search (searches for words that relate or close to other ones)
- Full text search (easy search for a phrase)
- “Looks like” search (search for type of word rather than exact value)
One of the main improvements of document access is the advancement of employee collaboration. Different users work on each document throughout its entire lifespan. There are many times where documents are opened and worked on multiple times. Many new features keep documents up to date by a check-in and check-out method that prevents you and other workers from editing old versions of the doc simultaneously.
Important Aspects of Document Control
- Identifying all changes and edits
- Tracking the sources of all documents and accessing who updated it
- Retiring all documents when they are finished and no longer needed
- Reviewing documents before allowing access to them to employees
Workflow
All enterprise content management platforms are growing in numbers and offer a sustainable pre-programming workflow. The advancement of the program allows branching logic where all expense reports get sent over to the chief financial officer if going over the limit. They could do numerous actions such as:
- Sorting all files in the archive folder
- Move working document versions to accounts payable folders
- Bringing attention proper staff members that documents need attention
Overall, there is an increasing amount of new applications and advanced abilities. They come with either built-in document distribution or external managing systems. This allows document access to be routed exactly everywhere it’s been making your work life more efficient for everyone.
Contact an expert
Ready to learn what managed document services are and how it can help your business? When you choose Docutrend, you are partnering with a top managed document service company that will provide a big-picture strategy, consistent service and support, creating a reliable print infrastructure.