There are many reasons why organsiations use electronic document management solutions.

These include:

1. Time lost filing, retrieving & replacing: Manually filing and re-filing of paper files is an extremely time consuming process. Unproductive time costs money, money that can be saved by having instantaneous access to all relevant documents, file and records.

2. Low staff productivity retrieving & distributing documents: Productivity (and profit!) is seriously eroded when staff must physically search for and distribute copy documents. Using document management software means productivity gains will be both immediate and significant, all information is available to fax or e-mail directly from the users desktop.

3. Insufficient Storage space: Most organisations have limited storage space and some may need to reclaim storage areas for more productive use. Scanning documents can materially reduce the need for costly storage space and also help reduce offsite storage costs; all documents can be stored electronically eliminating the need for paper mountains in the office or offsite.

4. Slow Customer Service Response: Having to gather and collate necessary information can delay responding to important customer queries.  An electronic document management solution minimizes response times and where possible enables immediate query resolution to the benefit of any business.

5. Poor Cash Flow: Paper systems lead to slow resolution of queries which in turn means missed payment deadlines. Improve debtor days and cash flow by eliminating manual retrieval, copying, collation and distribution of documents to verify payments due. Automated distribution of key documentation facilitates faster payment from customers & better cash management.

6. Difficulty achieving standards & compliance: Paper based systems make tracking of processes cumbersome, difficult to control and therefore make Quality Procedure requirements hard to attain. Electronic document processing systems provide complete control over processes and as well maintaining complete audit trails over procedural revisions, re-issues, etc.

7. Inconsistent filing structures: All files in a document management system are stored in a uniform structure. Therefore individuals can easily file and find files, provided they have security access, in a structured and centralized documents repository. It also makes training of new staff and succession much easier. Furthermore, when staff have immediate access to ALL relevant information they can make faster and better decisions.
   

8. Mislaid and misfiled documents: Regularly organisations mislay or misfile documents resulting in lost time, customer dissatisfaction and significant costs to find and replace files. Employing Electronic Document management eliminates this risk by enforcing security of storage combined with the ability to back-up and/or archive all documents – no more mislaid or lost files.  

9. High operational costs: Cost reductions copier paper, printing, storage, distribution (as documents can be faxed or e-mailed directly from document management system) are all direct cost savings. Increased productivity, greater efficiencies, costly office space released back to staff are all material in-direct cost savings.

10. Manual paper processing: Organisations process paper records at significant cost to the business, e.g. physical passing of invoices for approval. Such costly, cumbersome and inconsistent processes are difficult to control, resulting in inefficiencies, documents loss and irate suppliers. By automating some or all processes (that best suits your business) will significantly reduce costs and increase profit.

11. Inability to Access files from remote sites: The requirement to share documents across different offices or sites is an extremely costly and wasteful challenge. By using a document management system users can be granted access to appropriate documents, irrespective of their location, without the need to engage in costly replication and distribution.

12. Inadequate document tracking: Traditional document management systems can make the tracking of documents very difficult and sometimes impossible. Document management systems enable each document, e.g. a piece of post, to be tracked by dates or status so it never gets lost and can always be traced to an individual, department or team.

13. High Risk Exposure to Document Loss: Water and fire destroy paper files! Recovery from a significant loss of documents can prove impossible for most businesses. Document management software will eliminate the need to store paper files as well as remove the issue of staff transporting confidential client information in paper files, on laptops or key fobs all of which expose a major risk in the event of loss.

14. Increased cost of processing paper: Only by automating document related business processes will the costly movement, filing, matching and handling of physical paper be eliminated. Document management solutions will automate processes such as incoming post, purchase invoice processing, distribution of sales documents (invoices and POD’s), acknowledgement of job requisitions from clients, allocation documents to staff, application and claims processing, etc.
    

15. Inadequate document security: Many important documents in a physical environment are difficult to secure. Restricting access rights while maintaining powerful search and retrieval capabilities to authorized users is a challenge. Document management systems provide stringent tables of authority ensuring tight security yet allowing immediate (audited) access to key users.

16. No e-mail policy: Growth in e-mail correspondence is difficult for any business to manage. Filing e-mails (& attachments) correctly is time consuming and unwieldy. Often no policy exists on how to file business e-mails correctly. Document management systems provide e-mail integrated solutions to enable structured & effective indexing of e-mail correspondence.

17. High Carbon footprint & paper waste: Many organisations have to consider the costs associated with poor usage of resources and an inherited carbon footprint. Document management systems like Adest can assist in dramatically reducing the need to generate paper internally or distribute paper externally and therefore can lead to reduced costs and a better greener environment.

18. Less than professional office image: The physical environment in any organisation portrays how the owners or managers think about their own organisations. Clean environments, well organised with clean desk policies and little paper in evidence portray a professional, efficient image to all visitors. Document management provides the platform for a clean, green image.