Document Scanning Blog

If there is one acronym you learn this year, it should be EDMS. What is EDMS, you may ask? Technically, it means Electronic Document Management Solutions, designed to support the life cycle of a document and/or document-based information. In today’s digital world, a “document” often refers to more than just a sheet of paper; it can also include images, medical records, test results, confidential customer information, email correspondence and much more. There are several systems already in place to manage the movement and storage of documents as they travel into and out of the work flow. These include CDs, optical storage, laser discs, groupware, intranets, etc., and each of these can be indexed, classified, searched, secured and retained using various functions. When these technologies are integrated to create integrated systems for data manipulation and management, it is known as EDMS. EDMS can often utilize a number of different software applications to make record-keeping easier for employees. An outside consultant can be very helpful in determining the best strategy for enterprise-wide document management. Keeping in mind that documents serve a purpose - conveying information – it is important for a any EDMS solution to be manageable and accessible for the average person. Whether a company is using spreadsheets, vector data, moving images, graphics, or just plain text, a smart document management program will address all needs of the company upfront, and will be implemented only after ongoing consultation between the client and the document management provider. The most important challenge will be deciding on the technologies that make the most sense for your organization.

These days, we don’t push paper anymore, but we do push digital files, documents, spread sheets and quotes through a series of internal and external networks. In highly confidential work environments, such as doctors’ offices and law firms, there is always a concern about maintaining control over who can access each document. As documents move through an office environment, they can be converted into PDFs, reformatted, recalculated and edited. They can also be emailed, printed, mailed and released to the public. But because each document is essentially a “corporate record” it is important to retain each one properly throughout every stage of its existence. Whether you choose to use a document scanning company or handle your document management process in-house, it is wise to come up with a company-wide protocol for the movement of digital files through corporate networks. Most companies will also want to use off-site online document storage for instant retrieval of important records from any PC. For those who choose the do-it-yourself method, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server has features that will help you implement a fully functional document management system. All aspects of the program work well with familiar applications from Microsoft Office, such as Word, Outlook and Excel. Larger organizations, and those who require more security features, should consider outsourcing their document management system to an outside vendor. Not only will this free up your employees’ time, it will also ensure that the project is managed properly, all documents are archived, and system updates are maintained on a regular basis.