Document management for workflow
01/09/2010
Document management systems can dramatically improve workflow processes and cut costs within an organisation or business.
Most businesses have a lot of paperwork, or online files which are sent from one person to another, and a huge amount of time and cost is spent in ensuring bits of paper or electronic files get to the right place. This is an inefficient overhead, preventing staff from getting on with the real work of dealing with the documents or other activities.
A document management system can manage business documents and drastically improve workflow processes. These systems allow anyone with the correct authority in an organisation to access the documents they require, often from any location. These document management systems give the impression of a centralised document store, although in reality distributed technology might be used as the most robust technical solution.
Enterprise document management systems are generally web based or able to be used from any Internet connection, allowing efficient work to be carried out from any location in the world with access to the Internet. This provides a very efficient workflow process, particularly for multinational businesses or large organisations with staff in multiple locations.
Almost any function of an organisation can benefit from using a document management system to improve their workflow. Examples include:
- The Finance department with improvements in invoicing or purchase to pay
- The HR departments with improved processing of employee records
- The Postroom with more efficient handling of inbound post
- Customer services for improvements in handling queries and complaints
But some whole businesses can benefit by using a document management system for their operational business:
- Insurance companies or Lawyers for dealing with claims
- Healthcare organisations for dealing with patient records
- Project management companies for dealing with the project paperwork
FileStore EDM is one example of an online document management system which can be used to improve workflow processes.
