document management and storage solutions from PDM

Survey highlights the risks of paper-based document management

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Does your business still rely upon paper?

According to a recent survey carried out by M-Files, the extent to which many businesses still rely on paper documents and paper-based processes has been revealed. The survey shows that 81% of employees are still printing at least one paper document every day and that just under 30% have read a confidential document they shouldn’t have had access to because it had been left lying around the office.

The study also found that around 58% of all paper documents are left in their paper form in filing cabinets or on desks, whilst just over half of the organisations surveyed still rely upon paper-based processes for documents which require a signature before approval. In addition, whilst 38% of those who took part in the survey admitted that they had misplaced or lost at least a couple of paper documents a couple of times each month; this number is likely to be higher as 62% answered by saying that they didn’t know.

This survey further highlights what we regularly find – that many businesses and organisations still rely on paper-based document management. At the very least this leads to inefficiency and can easily spiral into a reduction in productivity and ultimately at decrease in revenue. Using an electronic document management system and secure file sharing system such as Egnyte, can help you take your business to the next level, giving you the competitive edge on businesses which still rely upon paper documents, files and folders.

Contact Pro-Doc for advice on secure document management and storage

Here at Pro-Doc we provide a range of specialist services, designed to help businesses and organisations reduce their reliance upon paper. Our services include document scanning services, data capture and archive management and if you would like to find out more, or to talk through your requirements, we’d be delighted to help.

Document storage systems designed to offer a solution for HR departments

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The paper problem faced by many HR departments

Traditionally human resources departments have been incredibly reliant on paperwork: from application forms and interview notes, through to training, assessment and staff management, the processes used by HR teams are paper-heavy. HR files must be easy to access but the space that they take up means that large amounts of storage is required to store confidential staff records and as the archive grows, managing such a huge quantity of paperwork can become a real issue.

Despite the fact that human resources departments are resource heavy, increasing numbers are embracing the digital revolution by working towards going paperless. It’s not hard to see why as it takes an awful lot of staff time to manage staff records and because records must be kept for the entire employment period and beyond (longer in the case of company pensions), the need for a digital solution is becoming increasingly urgent for many companies.

What’s the solution?

Digital document storage is a great way for HR departments to significantly reduce the amount of paper they add to what is likely to be an already over-burdened document archive. Instant access to information is also possible, as is the ability to share information quickly, making digital document storage a viable option for all HR departments.

However, digital document storage is likely to be just the first step in the long journey towards reducing the amount of paperwork generated by the average HR department as most organisations will still have their older, physical paper records. Whilst it can be tempting to start the undeniably laborious process of digitising these records, it’s far easier and less time consuming to call in the experts!

Document storage systems from Pro-Doc

Our services are designed to take the hassle out of getting on top of that paperwork mountain and the document storage systems we provide are ideal for HR departments of all sizes. Digitizing your paperwork will not only help you make significant a significant reduction in the amount of physical space you need to store documents, it can help you improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Data protection is an understandable concern for HR departments but by working with a professional document storage specialist such as Pro-Doc, you’ll have the reassurance of knowing that your paperwork and archives are in safe and secure hands.

Going paperless offers a number of advantages, not least in terms of the flexibility it could bring to your HR department. A cost-effective, practical solution for organisations of all shapes and sizes, a paper-lite HR department will help you streamline the management of your staff and increase productivity. If you would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Shredding – is it the best way to destroy data?

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There’s no doubt that scanning and document management technology has switched our reliance on paper documents to electronic forms of documentation. However, whilst paper documents are highly susceptible to loss or damage, they can also be used as absolute proof if required. Many businesses find having a collection of paper archive documents to be very comforting and it’s this reassurance that prevents them from making the most of the electronic document management solutions which are available.

Although the paperless office is still some way away, the move towards paperless systems is unstoppable. Even in this age of electronic filing and cloud storage, destroying paper evidence feels very dangerous to many companies and there is a real reluctance to make a complete move towards a digital system.

The majority of original paper documents are destroyed because they are no longer required, with the aim of freeing up document storage space. However, some forms of documentation are the exception to the rule and title deeds, leases and HMRC tax forms, for example, should be kept. Many companies labour under the misconception that these important documents have to be stored in their original paper format but this is definitely not the case. Provided that digital documents are captured and then managed in the correct way, they are equally as valid as their paper originals.
Using an electronic document management system makes sense on a number of levels. Efficient document management means a great deal more than scanning documents and then storing them in a digital format. It offers the capability to capture relevant information from data and to use this data to drive a fully automated electronic process. Of course electronic document management is a great storage solution but it also comes into its own when used as a way to track payments or to streamline and automate the approval of a wide range of legal documents, for example.

One of the most significant benefits of switching to an electronic document management system is that it will create an audit trail that will prove vital in the event of any potential legal challenge. Once operational documents have been captured and then stored in an electronic document management system, they will always be available for retrieval. Provided the provenance of a document is transparent and that its integrity cannot be questioned, then the question of Legal Admissibility will not come into play.

With the issue of Legal Admissibility in mind, it’s important that you make sure the electronic document management system you use will ensure you are on the right side of the law. Before shredding your paperwork archive, you should check whether the scanned documents are exact replicas of the original, if they can be used as reliable evidence and what the legal regulations are around electronic document management in your particular sector. Your electronic document management supplier will be able to answer these questions.

Whilst making the most of the latest developments in document scanning and electronic management, you should also make sure that your business’s internal processes are up to scratch. To ensure the legal admissibility of electronic information, the British Standard BS 1008:20081 should be met. Complying with this code will offer you the reassurance that you are doing as much as possible to meet official document storage requirements. Whether you decide to use a cloud based storage solution or a web portal, using an electronic document management solution is now no longer a luxury, it has become essential for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Step away from the filing cabinet

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If you were asked whether you’d like to be able to share information more easily, free up storage space, improve business productivity and to increase your response time to your customers you’re likely to say yes, aren’t you? These are the kind of things that can give your business the competitive edge and improve your environmental credentials – sounds too good to be true? The answer is that it’s not – provided you rely less on paper and more on electronic document management.

Going ‘paper-free’ has been proven to offer a pretty return on investment: managing paper costs an awful lot of money and when you think about the costs involved in buying paper, printing costs, copying equipment and supplies, paper storage systems and then the price of postage and couriers, it can all start to seem very expensive indeed.

Electronic communication has been around for some time now and the possibility of a paperless office isn’t quite the futuristic idea it once was. However, although the technology now exists to turn the dream of a paperless office into a reality, it doesn’t look like this is about to happen any time soon. On the other hand, it is possible to take a few relatively simple steps towards moving away from your reliance on paper, files, folders and filing cabinets – all of which need space, time and money to manage.

Rather than setting an unrealistic goal of going completely paper-free, it perhaps better to introduce paper-free systems or processes one at a time. For example, you could start by introducing a policy to convert every paper document into digital as soon as it arrives in the office. This can prove to be highly effective – and surprisingly easy to implement – especially if it helps to cut down or even eliminate the amount of internal mail you, and your employees, have to deal with.

If you’d like to start the move towards a paper-free office, it can be helpful by starting with an audit of the types of paper your businesses uses such as contracts, invoices, receipts or personal correspondence, for example. Look at where paper is dragging your business down, any areas where paper is reducing flexibility or taking up too much space in the office. Work out what the biggest problem is and tackle that first – you’ll soon notice the difference.

A whole range of electronic calendars and project management systems are available; these are a cheap and easy way to cut down on paper and that seemingly endless round of documents which seem to be passed from one office department to another. Or why not try putting just a couple of hours a week aside to devote to document scanning and then shredding any paperwork which has recently accumulated, such receipts or the minutes of meetings? A few simple steps such as these really can make all the difference.

Going paper free can seem very daunting and if you feel unsure of your expertise, why not consider consulting a specialist document management company? The benefits are clear and wide-reaching and the sooner you get started on your journey towards a paper-free office, the sooner you’ll start to see a return on your investment.