Cloud Document Management – Enhancing Responsiveness

Ask most business owners and heads of organizations why they use cloud document management services and they will tell you it frees up space in the office. While this is certainly true, it is just one of the peripheral, short-term benefits of using this technology. The main advantages can be seen in overall operation cost management and efficiency of processes. If you delve deeper you will find that these organizations enjoy mobile solutions, electronic forms and workflow automation, features that were hitherto only accessible to companies that had huge IT budgets.

Cloud based systems bring down investment cost. Digitech System vendors such as ImageSilo and FileBound have provided document management services that are affordable. These systems are superior to earlier versions because they offer the following advantages:

• Lower Investment Cost; No need for IT infrastructure and servers.

• Speedy Deployment; Most features do not require a lot of training as they are point and click.

• Rich in Features; Majority of productivity features are available in the base software.

• Flexibility: Migrating from a maintenance/license model to a monthly fee makes the costs predictable and flexible.

Organizations and businesses that have used cloud document management services have noted that the features offered drive majority of process improvement capabilities. In addition to accountability of processes and speed processing, other benefits include;

• Mobility; Instead of just accessing processes and documents at their desks, people can work from anywhere.

• E-forms; People can use online forms that flow smoothly into processes for approval, instead of filling them out on hard copy. Therefore, transactions are fast and easily accountable.

• Workflow; Instead of manually moving documents for signatures, they can be routed automatically, thus reducing the workload and improving accountability of processes.

Once the technology is set up, the applications occur across your business or organization. Document management technology can be configured to suit the needs of specific departments and processes. Some of the common areas where many organizations have experienced considerable improvement in processes include;

• Engineering; Simplifying engineering change orders and improving visibility of connected documents.

• Customer Service; Enables salespeople to easily access all relevant customer information while in the field.

• Human Resources; Eliminating overnight paperwork, automating employee on-boarding and preventing non-compliance issues during audits.

• Invoice Processing; Automating invoice approval processes, therefore allowing you to maximize on early payment discounts etc.

To sum it up, while the most apparent (at least in the physical sense) benefit of cloud document management systems is more space where filing cabinets used to be; the most important benefits are cost reduction and improved efficiency of processes. You can serve your customers better, interface with your suppliers more efficiently while reducing the workload on your employees. Companies offering cloud based solutions can be found online by performing a simple Google search or using online directories. A little research on your part will reveal the immense value of this technology on your business with respect to giving you an advantage over your competition.

Karen Zecy is the author of this article on document management. Find more information, about mobility here