secure document management

Is your business-critical paperwork protected from the elements?

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Safe and secure document management solutions from PDM

Winter is fast approaching and with this in mind it’s important to ensure that your business-critical elements are protected from adverse weather events such as flooding. Many businesses still rely on paper documents and whilst this can feel secure and comforting, it can result in significant problems if the worst happens and your business premises suffers catastrophic damage.

Protect your documents with our archive management solutions

The latest digital document archive management systems are highly secure and designed to enable access to documents and information at the touch of a button. Unlike traditional paper-based archives, digital archives are fully secure and protected from the elements, whilst helping to reduce the amount of storage space you need.

A number of options are available following document scanning or data capture. We have the expertise to provide documents to our clients through a huge range of media types whilst we also provide a fully secure online transfer service. Whichever system you decide to use, we’ll ensure that it’s managed within your existing systems, making it straightforward for you to add new digital documents.

We also offer a range of document management and archive systems which can be tailored to suit your needs. Ranging from free basic document archive applications on your own network, through to comprehensive cloud-based document management systems, we’ll provide you with a system designed to meet your individual requirements. Our document management and archive systems have been designed with security in mind, offering you peace of mind and the capability to access your business-critical documents whenever you need them.

Contact PDM to find out more

If you would like to find out more about how we can provide you with secure solutions, designed to protect your business-critical paperwork, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for further information.

data capture services from Pro-Doc

GDPR regulations will still apply – even after Bexit

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Document management services designed to help you meet GDPR requirements

The new GDPR regulations surrounding data protection came into force in May this year and although Brexit isn’t going to happen for a while yet, when it does the GDPR regulations will still apply.

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and has been designed to reform the law surrounding data protection in the EU. Here’s a very quick reminder of some of the changes GDPR has brought into effect:

  • Data subjects’ rights have been strengthened with increased accountability for data controllers who are now required to be able to demonstrate compliance by documenting their data storage and usage activities.
  • Data protection authorities have been given more power.
  • Public authorities and businesses performing certain data operations have to have a Data Protection Officer.

These are just a few of the changes brought in by GDPR and as anyone who’s been involved will know, there’s a lot more to it than this!

However, although the UK is leaving the EU and GDPR came into effect on 25 May 2018, until the date Brexit becomes effective, European law – including GDPR – will still continue to apply. What happens after Brexit is a little more uncertain, with various models for the flow of data between the UK and Europe under discussion.

If an agreement on data isn’t reached, the UK will be considered a ‘third county’ when it comes to GDPR. GDPR will still apply to UK businesses which have an establishment in the EU, or who process personal data, sell goods and services or monitor behaviour in the EU.

GDPR regulations have a direct effect in very EU member state. However, because it is up to each state to add or consider additional provisions, the UK Government has introduced a Data Protection Bill into Parliament. This means that GDPR will be implemented into UK law after Brexit.

Contact PDM for advice on data management and storage

Here at PDM we offer a range of cost-effective secure document management storage solutions, designed to help businesses and organisations meet their data protection obligations.

If you’d like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to speak to one of our team.

document management and storage solutions from PDM

The paperless office: just a dream or close to reality?

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Move one step closer to the paperless office with document storage solutions from Pro-Doc

There’s little doubt that a paperless office would offer a wide range of advantages. Converting paper-based file storage systems to a digital system is a highly effective way to solve a number of issues; from inefficiencies in workflows, through to poor productivity and the costs associated with buying paper and printer ink. Despite the fact that a paperless office seems like a no-brainer, it is surprising how many businesses still rely almost entirely on paper.

Is going paperless a realistic goal?

The answer to this is a resounding ‘yes’ as thanks to the huge range of paperless systems now available, it’s easier than ever to ditch the filing cabinet! If you’re planning on switching from a paper-based system to a digital one, you’ll find that digital document management offers a number of significant advantages:

  • Space currently used to store paper documents can be freed up to create space for additional staff or simply more room to move around a cluttered office!
  • Efficiency is improved as less time is spend searching through paperwork to find the information you need. When documents are converted into a digital format they can be easily searched, enabling you to pick out and retrieve the information you need at the touch of a button.
  • Security is enhanced as the latest online cloud storage systems are completely secure and safe enough to store even highly sensitive information.
  • Costs are cut, whether in terms of a reduced need for physical storage space, or in a reduction in the amount of money spent on consumables such as paper, toner and filing equipment.

Achieve a paperless office with document storage solutions from PDM

Here at PDM we offer a range of cost-effective solutions, designed to help businesses and organisations reduce their reliance on paper documentation. If you would like to find out more about how we can help you cut costs and improve efficiency, why not get in touch to talk through your requirements?

secure document storage from Pro-Doc

The pros and cons of cloud document storage vs traditional storage

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Why choose cloud document storage above traditional storage?

Increasing numbers of businesses and organisations now reply upon cloud storage. There’s no denying that cloud storage offers significant benefits and in this post we thought we’d explore some of the advantages and disadvantages that it can offer.

All businesses – regardless of size – generate huge amounts of data on a daily basis. This volume of data makes document storage a priority (and headache!) for many businesses, especially when it comes to choosing the safest and most cost-effective solution. There are two main choices on offer: off-site cloud storage and traditional on-site storage. This sounds like a fairly straightforward choice; however finding the right one for you isn’t always that simple as you need to find a solution which is right for your business. With this in mind, here are a few issues you might like to consider:

How important is data control?

On-premises storage hardware is usually best suited to businesses and organisations who need or want a high level of control over data and documentation. Choosing the ‘on-premises’ option can help to maximise the performance of various applications, providing increased support in a range of areas including back up capabilities and file system replication. On-premises hardware also offers enhanced direct management of the security and compliance of data, helping you to comply with industry-specific regulations if required.

However, choosing to work with a cloud storage provider can offer significant benefits in comparison to traditional forms of storage. Smaller businesses, for example, are likely to discover that even if they have a limited budget, the built-in data management offered by cloud storage proves to be extremely cost-effective.

One of the biggest influences on whether cloud storage is right for your business is the ability to store and the ease of access it offers. Cloud storage is likely to exceed the benefits of traditional storage as the systems designed to access cloud data don’t usually have just one point of failure which could bring down the whole system. In addition, using cloud storage means that data can be quickly accessed from a number of locations.

Access

One of the biggest influences on whether cloud storage is right for your business is the ability to store and the ease of access it offers. Cloud storage is likely to exceed the benefits of traditional storage as the systems designed to access cloud data don’t usually have just one point of failure which could bring down the whole system. In addition, using cloud storage means that data can be quickly accessed from a number of locations.

Despite the fact that cloud storage can present difficulties in terms of latency, traditional on-premises storage which has been configured to provide high-speed availability is likely to prove to be a costly option.

Cost-effective cloud storage

There’s no doubt that when it comes to cost savings, cloud storage is the clear winner. By choosing to move to cloud storage, you have the option to buy the right amount of storage for your business, rather than having to invest in expensive hardware – not least in terms of the extra cost of power and storage. Cloud storage is user-friendly, secure and designed to grow as your business grows – providing you with a long-term solution.

To find out more, why not get in touch with PDM today?

microfiche document scanning

Cut costs with microfiche scanning

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Improve efficiency and cut costs with our microfiche document scanning service

Once an essential way to store data such as plans, information or drawings, microfiche was widely used by engineering, finance and HR departments. Although microfiche is now an outdated technology, for many businesses it is still vital that they are able to access the information stored on microfiche documents. However, accessing the information isn’t always simple or straightforward and can result in a range of problems including:

  • Reading microfiche documents requires special equipment which can cost as much as £1000. In addition, as this type of equipment is rapidly becoming obsolete, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of.
  • Unlike digital files, files stored on microfiche cannot be indexed. This makes it difficult and time consuming for staff to find the information they need.
  • Unlike digital files, the information stored on microfiche cannot be easily shared. This means that the costs of sharing the information can easily spiral, whilst there is the ever present danger that the information can be lost in transit.

Document scanning services from PDM

Here at PDM we offer a range of cost-effective document scanning services, designed to help businesses and organisations reduce costs and improve efficiency. Ideal for converting microfiche documents in PDFs or any other format you require, we have the capability to scan information quickly and efficiently.

Not only does document scanning help improve efficiency and cut costs, it will also dramatically reduce the amount of physical storage space you need. Unlike their microfiche or paper counterparts, digital documents take up no storage space at all, whilst ensuring they secure and can be accessed at the touch of a button.

Contact PDM for further information

If you would like to find out more about our microfiche document scanning service, or to talk through your individual requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 01274 883459.

document scanning services from Pro-Doc

Could your Accounts Department benefit from using OCR?

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Improve the efficiency of your Accounts Department with OCR

OCR (optical character recognition) software has long been recognised to be a beneficial way for Accounts Departments to process high volumes of paper and electronic documents quickly and efficiently. However, despite that fact that OCR has been widely used for some time, many Accounts Departments are failing to make the most of the benefits that the technology can offer.

What is OCR?

OCR is feature of digital scanning which converts typed, printed and handwritten documents into a digital text format. Ideal for wide range of different documents including receipts, invoices, debit and credit notes, OCR allows different members of an accounts team to quickly search and then edit documents using a computer programme.

The OCR systems we use here at PDM are designed to extract the information you need from within documents in a wide range of formats. Not only does OCR reduce the human errors which can occur with manual data entry, OCR software can also be designed to check for duplicate transactions, helping to ensure that all documentation is completely accurate.

Using OCR offers a range of benefits including:

  • reduced need for time-consuming manual data entry
  • a reduction in costs
  • invoices are processed faster
  • productivity increases
  • enhanced data accuracy
  • more office space as less storage is needed for paper documents
  • efficiency is improved as less time is spent looking for information

Contact Pro-Doc

We offer our clients a wide range of cost-effective document management and storage solutions, designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

If you would like to find out more about the benefits that OCR software could offer your business, or to discuss your individual requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.

electronic document scanning management storage

Could document scanning help your business?

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Document scanning services provided by PDM

There’s nothing more irritating or time consuming than searching for an important piece of information from an old document. You know you filed it in the right place last time you used it, but instead have to spend hours rifling through filing cabinets in an effort to track down the elusive piece of paper.

Or perhaps you know exactly which snippet of information you need, but can’t remember which document it’s in. You know that you’ll have to search through piles of folders to find it when you could be doing something far more productive instead. We’ve all been there but when used efficiently, document scanning offers a cost-effective way to knock irritating, time-consuming situations such as these on the head, helping you free up your time to do what you do best.

What is document scanning?

When document scanning is suggested as an efficient way to capture images of documents, many people think of desk top scanners, used to scan individual documents one at a time. Here at PDM we use high-speed duplex scanners which have the capacity to scan more than 100,000 images per week. The resulting images can be saved in a range of digital formats including PDF and JPG, depending on your individual requirements.

What’s involved?

Document scanning refers to a process of converting paper documents into a digital format. This process begins with the scanning and capture of the image, utilising OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software designed to intelligently recognise words. The digital file is then stored securely, available for retrieval as required.

What are the benefits of document scanning?

  • Document scanning offers a range of benefits, not least in terms of additional storage space. Paperwork takes up huge amounts of space but by scanning documents into a digital format, document scanning can help you create room in your office.

  • Efficiency is also improved as rather than spending hours searching through paper files and folders, you and your team could find the information you need at the touch of a button. When efficiency is improved costs are cut too, helping you save time and money.

  • Document security and data protection have been highlighted by the recent introduction of the GDPR requirements. Digital documents storage is safe and secure, offering you a way to manage data and personal information with efficiency and in-line with the new GDPR regulations.

Contact PDM to find out more

Our specialist document scanning and management solutions have been designed to help businesses just like yours save time, cut costs and improve efficiency.

If you would like to find out more about our document scanning services, or to talk through your individual requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

human resources document data management

The implications of GDPR for HR Departments

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Document management solutions for HR Departments

Electronic document management solutions are widely used by human resources departments, offering a cost effective way to manage and store searchable employee records. However, as a result of the new GDPR regulations, it is likely to be necessary for many organisations to consider additional categorisation of records if they are to meet their data management and protection obligations.

The new GDPR regulations give employees the right to find out which data their employer processes, why it is processed and where it is stored. With this in mind, HR departments will have to find a way to manage this change, with the categorisation of HR records by type and an efficient HR records management system likely to be the most effective solutions. It is now also important for employers to have an effective method of finding and removing information, as well as a process to manage when data is deleted, for example when an employee leaves the company. In addition, systems will also need to be established with the aim of removing data if requested by an employee and which the employer has no legitimate reason to store.

Take control with document management solutions from Pro-Doc

Our online document management solutions offer the ideal way for HR departments to store data securely, ensuring information is found quickly using an efficient quick search tool. We can also help you categorise data in order to suit your requirements, ensuring you meet the new GDPR regulations both now and in the future.

Here at Pro-Doc we offer a wide range of document management solutions which are designed to be tailored according to the requirements of different organisations. Whether your records are currently in a paper format and need to be digitised, or you need to find a way to improve data security and management, we have the expertise to help.

Contact Pro-Doc to find out more

If you would like to find out more about how our document management solutions could help you meet your GDPR obligations whilst improving efficiency and cutting costs, why not get in touch to discuss your requirements?

document management solutions

GDPR is almost here!

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Are you ready to meet your GDPR data management obligations?

With only two days to go until the new GDPR regulations come into force, the chances are that you’re being inundated with emails from companies keen to ensure you agree to continue to receive information from them. If you run your own business, the GDPR regulations can seem daunting and stressful , however they do offer a way to make sure that your customers’ personal information is safe, secure and protected.

Your GDPR checklist

• Make sure you know and understand the personal data you store. Whether it’s names, addresses, email addresses, bank details or IP addresses, it is important to know where the information is coming from, where it’s going and how you plan to use it.
• Do you rely on consent to process personal data? If you do, for example as part of your marketing strategy, this sort of activity could become more difficult under GDPR. Once GDPR is here, you’ll need to ensure that the consent you’ve been given is clear, explicit and specific.
• Take a close look at document security as you’re likely to need to update it. If you’re documents and data aren’t secure at the moment, you’ll need to act quickly to put a system in place.
• Ensure your team are fully trained and should a serious data breach occur, it must be reported within 72 hours. With this in mind, it’s a good ideal to make sure your employees understand what a serious data breach is and integrate systems to flag up problems before a serious problem arises.

Secure document management solutions from Pro-Doc

Regardless of the size of your business, it goes without saying that sensitive information must be stored securely. We help our clients find the best document management system for them, providing ways to improve security, free-up storage space and improve efficiency.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you improve the way you store and manage data, why not get in touch for further information on our document management services?

secure document storage from Pro-Doc

Is your head in the clouds?

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The future looks bright for cloud storage solutions

Whereas talk of ‘paperless offices’ once seemed like something from science fiction, thanks to rapid developments in the technology behind today’s document management solutions, the dream of a paperless office looks set to become reality. This is great news on two fronts, particularly for businesses keen to reduce wastage and improve efficiency and in terms of the reduction in storage space and admin costs it could offer.

Cloud document storage solutions from PDM

Please excuse the pun but if you’ve missed out on making the most of the latest cloud document storage solutions, your head must have been in the clouds. Sorry! Anyway, if you don’t know what cloud storage is, it is simply the term used to refer to the practice of using remote services to store, process and manage data. Think of it as a vast virtual filing cabinet with enough space to store all your documents without taking up a single square inch of physical storage space. Sounds good doesn’t it and thanks to the benefits cloud storage offers in terms of security, efficiency, data recovery and ‘shareability’, it is now widely used by millions of businesses of all sizes across the globe.

No need to compromise on document security

One of the first concerns for many businesses is, understandably, the security of cloud storage. There’s an element of risk to all forms of storage; after all paper documents are easily lost, damaged or destroyed. Cloud storage IS safe and secure and the benefits it offers far outweigh any negligible risk.

It’s worth bearing in mind that although the concept of storing business-critical paperwork in a virtual filing cabinet might seem scary if you’ve never tried it before, sending email once felt like this to many people! Electronic document management will soon be seen in the same way, with businesses coming to rely upon it just as they now rely upon email.

Cloud storage solutions from PDM

Here at PDM we work with businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes, providing safe, secure and reliable online storage solutions. The ideal way to improve efficiency, encourage collaborative working and free up physical storage space, cloud storage offers significant benefits.

To find out more about how we could help you, why not get in touch to talk through your requirements?