electronic document scanning management storage

What is an enterprise document management system?

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Enterprise document management systems offer an effective, secure solution

Enterprise document management system (edms) is basically a system which is designed to oversee the electronic and paper documents used by an organisation, ensuring that they can be easily retrieved as soon as they are required.  The term edms was originally used to refer to paper documents which had been scanned into a digital format or electronic documents which had been created using a computer. Edms has now been broadened and can include multimedia, instant messages, emails and PowerPoint presentations.

To ensure regulatory compliance, an edms system must ensure that a range of issues are addressed; including how long documents should be kept and where they should be stored and how documents will be recovered in the event of a disaster.

Document storage solutions from Pro-Doc

Here at Pro-Doc we offer a range of document management solutions, with options to suit businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes. By using one of our easily accessible and searchable storage facilities, we can help you make significant improvements to your existing document storage systems. Modern edms systems mean that the storage, display and security of all types of document is far more efficient and can help you streamline your systems and improve efficiency.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you improve the way you manage your documents, please get in touch by calling 01274 883459 to talk through your requirements.

Documents and their evolution

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A document is a written, drawn, presented or recorded representation of thoughts. Originating from the Latin Documentum meaning lesson – the verb doceō means to teach, and is pronounced similarly, in the past it was usually used as a term for a written proof used as evidence.

Traditionally, the medium of a document was paper and the information was applied to it as ink, either by hand to make a hand-written document or by a mechanical process such as a printing press or, more recently, a laser printer.

Through time, documents have also been written with ink on papyrus, starting in ancient Egypt or parchment; scratched as runes or carved on stone using a sharp apparatus, such as the Tablets of Stone described in the bible; stamped or cut into clay and then baked to make clay tablets in the Sumerian and other Mesopotamian civilisations.

The paper, papyrus or parchment might be rolled up as a scroll or cut into sheets and bound into a book. Today short documents might also consist of sheets of paper stapled together.

In the computer age, a document is usually used to describe a primarily textual file, along with its structure and design, such as fonts, colours and additional images.

The modern term ‘document’ can no longer be defined by its transmission medium (such as paper), following the existence of electronic documents. ‘Documentation’ has more meanings than a written or drawn presentation of thoughts.

Modern electronic means that storing and displaying of documents is more efficient. Typically using the Portable Document Format PDF storage methods include:

  • Desktop computer
  • Laptop
  • Tablet PC
  • PDA
  • Smart phones
  • Dedicated e-book device
  • Digital audio players
  • The Cloud

PDM can vastly improve your systems by offering an instantly accessible and searchable storage facility for documents in a secure environment. This can be any and or all the methods above.

To discuss moving forward call 01274 883459

Email andy@pro-doc.co.uk

 

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Document Archive Storage

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Storing and retrieving hard copies of documents can prove to be problematic for many companies, offsite storage is an expensive operation and storing onsite occupies large amounts of valuable office space. In both scenarios searching for documents is time consuming.

PDM can vastly improve the archive processes by offering an instantly accessible and searchable online storage facility for archived documents.

We can scan your current archive in many formats and continue to manage and add to it as and when required.

Furthermore, the use of OCR technology allows documents to be quickly searched for relevant words and phrases.

Keeping data safe and private is of utmost concern to us. At PDM we have utilised a range of security and encryption techniques to ensure that data and documents are secure.

We are trusted by many organisations, including many well know corporations and PDM’s archive scanning and indexing services are a cost effective, efficient means of document storage and retrieval.

To discuss any requirements, you have please contact 01274 883459 or andy@pro-doc.co.uk

Regulatory Compliance

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Regulatory compliance is when a company obeys the laws, rules, and regulations that have been created for that company’s industry, but when you hear “regulatory compliance”, what do you think of? Rules? Annoying paperwork? Repetition? Stress? Expense?

The truth is, good regulatory compliance is of critical importance. How a company’s records are controlled, can make all the difference for the organisation’s welfare and future.

When regulatory compliance is specific to filing and record-keeping, it means that all files, records, and paperwork are documented properly under those rules and regulations.

The benefits to a company from keeping compliant records is huge. It will it help with any legal issues, but the company will also benefit from improved measuring / information standpoint, which can result in reduced product / service liability.

The information in a company’s files can be anything from records of illness and accidents, to how their machinery works, to simple HR paperwork. Generally, these records tend to be things such as payroll and personnel info, contracts, permits, leases, licenses, insurance, and copyrights.

Office administrators and filing clerks should be very well-prepared and trained to ensure compliance when filing. It’s also important that they understand not only the penalties for non-compliance, but the even bigger threat of the damage it can do to a company, even if that company is thriving.

As you might imagine, regulatory compliance varies from industry to industry, but the principle is still the same. Firstly, there are a few practices that record keepers and office clerks should be sure to always abide by, no matter what the industry:

Practice the appropriate legal policies and procedures to ensure a company’s audit ability, because should the situation arise, an audit should be made as smooth as possible by having all records and information in place.

Practice methods that will deliver record information in a quick and convenient way, and keep records documented and filed so that they’re convenient to access and in a format, that’s easy to understand.

Practice maintenance of records, considering legal, regulatory, fiscal, operational, and historical requirements.

From the biggest companies to the smallest, it’s crucial to file correctly and review records to make sure everything is conforming with regulations and laws. Having correct records can help prevent potential liabilities. For example, with HR records for recruitment, employee pay, benefits, policies and procedures, performance reviews, and employee discipline and termination, the correct and compliant records would help greatly in any HR dispute.

PDM put systems in place that not only conform with a company’s obligations and compliance, but make these systems paperless.

PDM are experts in content management for businesses.

To learn more about our services please call 01274 883549 or email andy@pro-doc.co.uk

Does HR really need another Filing Cabinet?

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Does HR really need another Filing Cabinet?

In almost every company, the department that requires the utmost security and coordination is Human Resources. Without a proper system in place, HR Departments are lost and unable to work to the best of their abilities.

Human Resources Managers generally deal with any of the following; recruitment, performance management, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, training and probably more. That’s a lot to tackle.

Some Companies have hundreds or even thousands of workers, and combining this with the number of tasks going on each day, can become overwhelming.

Many HR Departments have not realised that there is help available from utilising a document and content management system (DMS). They are missing out on many benefits for their team and for the future of the company including improved productivity, robust data protection, and better communication.

The following are some ways in which DMS can make a huge difference in organisations.

It cuts down on paperwork

When organisations take on new staff, there are contracts to be signed, tax forms that need to be filled out, induction routines and handbooks that must be distributed. They may be wasting vast amounts of paper when an employee starts, not only is physical paperwork a big drain on any budget, it takes a lot of time to fill out forms by hand.

When a DMS is utilised, all documents are kept on the system, new staff can review files on their computers and sign documents electronically. It is easy for employees to review documents, even when they’re on the go via their mobile devices, all without the need to print them out.

All files are in one place

Using DMS, organisations can forget about those endless rows of filing cabinets and save time trying to find documents. Within a DMS, the HR Department can locate documents by the file name, part of the file name, the date it was last modified and even by words and phrases within documents. This means that they can store and easily find documents for all employees, and general company policy information with the click of a button.

It allows the generation of employee files

HR staff can easily create file structures based on each employee. These structures will include their offer letters, contracts, handbooks and all new staff documentation. Along with ongoing paperwork like holiday requests and any correspondence with HR.

When employees leave, their files can stay in the system, which means that it is simple to easily verify their employment.

It’s secure

When paper files are used, they are at risk of being stolen or lost. Email and other software that is susceptible to hacking can be putting the whole organisation at risk. DMS is much more secure than the cloud or paper documents because it comes with multi-layered encryption and user-based access.

This means that if a hacker tries to access HR files, all it would be possible to see is scrambled data that can’t be deciphered. With user-based access, employees at different levels are given varying types of access to the documents. Password controls can be set on certain documents to make sure that sensitive HR information always stays confidential.

There is a workflow

If an organization has a large HR department, or numerous departments that are dealing with new staff, the recruitment process can be managed through a workflow.

In an DMS, workflow is tracked so HR staff always know the up to date scenario on any project. If a manager sends information to HR for clearance to employ someone, HR can review it and then pass it onto payroll, any other relevant administrative staff, and finally back to the manager. All of this can be done within the system and without any of the paperwork.

Within this workflow, the HR department can establish who viewed and modified documents, and receive alerts when they need to work on a project.

Are you ready for DMS?

Want to transform your HR department and your whole organization in general? Then it’s time to sign to speak to PDM.

To get started with DMS, call or email us. We’ll find a solution to meet your business’ needs.

 

 

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Could document scanning help you discover the hidden content in paper documents?

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Digital document scanning offers an effective solution

It’s all too easy to get lost in data and when data is being quantified in petabytes and zettabytes, it can be very difficult to uncover the important information hidden behind huge numbers. Digital document scanning offers the solution but what’s the best way to make a start?

Huge amounts of data are still stored in the form of paper files and it’s unlikely that this information is being fully utilised. To start making sense of data on paper, these documents need to be scanned into a digital format so that information management solutions can be applied.

Alongside uncaptured documents, there’s often a wide range of unstructured or semi-structured data which can be found in a wide range of resources including: system logs, social media sites and call detail records.

Integrating paper documents into digital systems

However, effective document management in this age of digital transformation means so much more than working towards the goal of a paperless office. The data that’s held in paper documents must be integrated into business processes so that it doesn’t end up being overlooked, just as it did in its paper-based format.

So what can you do to unlock the undeveloped, potentially valuable mine of information your business is sitting on? Investing in the most effective tools, moving from decentralised to centralised scanning and streamlining your business processes using automated systems are all productive steps you can take.

Using the right tools and document scanning solutions will enable you to unlock information which might be hidden in digital and paper formats, helping you to understand and extract valuable insights from the contents, before delivering the correct information to the correct people at the right time.

However, whilst the right tools and solutions are undeniably important, businesses must also ensure that they implement best practices to help them get to grips with what can seem like an endless stream of important information and content hidden away in documents.

Making the most of document scanning solutions

The information stored in documents can depreciate quickly and the data contained inside is likely to have a ‘best before date’. With this in mind, it’s vital that the information is extracted as quickly as possible by transforming the document into a digital format.

Document scanning solutions can either be distributed or centralised and the most suitable option for your business will be determined by which fits best with your processes and existing infrastructure. Centralised document scanning involves documents being routed to a mailroom before they are digitised, classified and then forwarded into the relevant process or to an employee.

Distributed scanning is, in contrast, most suitable for organisations and businesses that have offices and employees who are scattered far and wide. Distributed scanning offers the capability to capture documents quickly, whilst improving security and reducing the cost of storage.

Document capture is just the start

Data capture is just the start of the data storage journey and the faster, securer and more accurately the data flows, the more effective the document scanning solution will be. To capture and then extract information in the quickest, most cost-effective way depends on your business choosing the most appropriate solution.

Contact Pro-Doc

Here at Pro-Doc we offer a range of document scanning solutions with options to suit businesses of all shapes and sizes. To find out more about how we can help you streamline your business processes and reduce document storage costs, why not get in touch today?