 Scanning Systems and Services
Electronic Document Management System
It is a well known fact that 80% of
the world's information is on paper. In the present Internet economy
where business is done without geographical boundaries, it is
mandatory to access 100% of information to make a quality and timely
decision. Therefore, it is a challenge to convert all the paper based
information to equivalent electronic information which is accessible
anytime, anywhere and anyhow (AAA).
The most valuable information in any
organization is usually in the form of documents such a business
reports, forms, memos, letters, policy statements, contracts and
agreements. Most business processes are driven by document flows.
Electronic Document Management promises major savings and an increase
in productivity and performance by applying new technology to
documents and their processing.
EDMS encompasses a huge gamut of
products and services. There are different types of EDMS namely:
- EDMS with Imaging
- EDMS without Imaging
- EDMS with Workflow (also known as
Case Management)
- EDMS without workflow
- EDMS with imaging only (also known
as Image Management System)
- EDMS with Imaging and Workflow
Electronic Document Management
Systems(EDMS) can save paper, speed up communication and increase the
productivity of business processes. Documents in themselves, can be a
direct source of revenue (products - books, magazines) and secondly
serve as a source of important and valuable information (information
management).
Need For EDMS
EDMS is not just where Industry is
headed in the future; it is here right now. Business today is
re-engineering and rightsizing; effective sharing of information among
employees is the key to flattening the decision-making hierarchy,
allowing for a leaner, more responsive company. The biggest difference
between people who can take advantage of the latest document
management technology and those who can't is not money - it's
knowledge. By arming yourself with knowledge, you can make the best
decisions for you and your business - technology decisions that will
have ramifications for at least the next five years to a decade.
Why outsource document management?
Document management services help
organizations better utilize and manage both old-fashioned paper
documents and the modern computer printout reports. Each format comes
with it's own unique set of problems with managing them. A
well-planned document management system can offer a multitude of
benefits. A centralized document archive that can manage paper-based
information can handle documents stored in electronic format (TIFF)
that are easily retrievable through a web browser. Compared to
old-fashioned file cabinet solutions, this is definitely a lot easier.
Scanning Systems and Services
Key Advantages of Scanning over
Traditional Methods
The costs associated with document
handling are not considered carefully enough despite how significant
they can be. Consider the following statistics:
Areas that are a little more difficult
to measure but still add significant costs to the organisation
include:
- Retrieval costs
- Loss of documents
- Security
- Risk management
- Misfiling
Timely Document Retrieval
How often do we think, where is that
document? How much work do we duplicate because we cannot find the
right information? The unfortunate reality is that we do not measure
the impact of an inefficient document system. We would need to measure
the time spent filing, retrieving and the opportunity lost because we
could not quickly and easily locate the information we required. The
easiest way to understand the benefit is to think of the times you get
a request for a file, you know its exact location and can retrieve it
quickly, compared to being asked for a document you are not sure
exists and/or where it might have been filed.
- This removes the difficulties with
the retrieval of files associated with a traditional manual system.
- The computer will quickly access
the required file without further effort required.
Easy Multiple Location Access
With emphasis on improving customer
service, companies are often placed in a situation of needing
information quickly at the location providing the best accessibility
to customers. The requirement for information made available from
multiple locations typically stem from any of the following :
- Regional offices
- Staff working onsite
- Staff working at home
- Project offices
- Conferences
- Regional customers
There are many reasons, but they all
come down to one thing, a need to have fast access to the most
accurate information, no matter where the location. The easiest way to
achieve this is through electronic distribution of records.
Maximize Space
Most offices these days waste an
incredible amount of space storing documents. Research shows that an
average office contains one-third space for people, one-third for
walkways and the last third for storage. Using the above figures it
can be agreed that one-third of rent, electricity and heating costs is
being spent to keep filing cabinets warm and happy. The cost of
storage is not only the space but also the physical resources used to
store the information. For example, boxes, dividers, folders, plastic
sleeves, filing cabinets, shelving, etc. If the fixed costs associated
with storage were eliminated, the impact on a company's results would
be very significant.
Minimize Security Risks
Document loss or theft comes in many
forms. It is most likely to be because of the following :
- Unmotivated staff not taking the
care to return or re-file documents correctly.
- Documents simply lost.
- Staff leaving the company to work
for a competitor taking files to better position themselves for
success at their new company.
- Documents damaged.
To prevent this from happening
scanning services can scan documents into electronic format. Once in
electronic format, software that controls and monitors access is
provided. The best part about this solution is it does not require an
extra staff member to waste time trying to be a security guard 24
hours a day. Staff also feel trusted, as they are not constantly and
obviously being monitored.
Protecting Documents from Fire Risks
No body plans for a fire. The
unfortunate reality is that most companies could not recover from a
devastating fire. With the majority of important information stored on
paper, which also happen to be the most flammable, companies often put
themselves in a very vulnerable situation.
Reduced Document Retrieval Costs
It is hard to calculate the amount of
money spent retrieving and storing documents. Most companies simply do
not have the money or resources to calculate how much time and money
is being wasted. Computer based indexing of document information
running on a low cost system can permit fast and remote access. With
storage costs coming down rapidly, such systems can now be
increasingly considered as a practical proposition.
Outsourcing Document Management
From the information above you can see
the importance of Electronic Document Management. However not everyone
may have the resources, time, or financial capability to carry out
this process internally. This is where outsourcing comes in. Read more
about
outsourcing EDM and scanning systems and services,
outsourcing your EDM needs to India, and outsourcing your CAD conversion work to India. | 
