Document Management Myths Debunked

There are plenty of misconceptions about document management that hold businesses back from making the switch to electronic documents. We’ve separated the myths from the facts so you can make an informed decision. 

Myth #1: Document Management Is Too Expensive 

Businesses of all sizes are looking to cut costs, not spend more on things that they’re already doing. A common misconception is that document management systems are too expensive to be worth the investment. But, on the contrary, document management actually saves businesses time, money, and resources. Employees at every level spend up to a third of their time searching for documents and recreating lost or misfiled papers. Those hours add up to lost money and productivity. With document management, any document is available with just a few clicks, and hours spent searching are reduced to minutes. The company begins saving money on document processes, and employees spend more time on mission-critical tasks. 

Myth #2: Going Paperless Is Impossible for Our Business

Many offices and industries—legal, medical, etc.—are so dependent on paper files and records that they don’t think they’ll ever escape the paper pile-up. But that’s like refusing to go to the doctor because you have too many health problems. Document management aims to improve workflows by reducing your dependence on paper, rather than eliminating paper from every aspect of your business. 

Myth #3: Paper Is More Reliable and Secure

The tangibility of paper documents leads many people to believe that they are the more stable and reliable medium. But, too often paper documents are inaccessible to the people who need them. Sometimes another co-worker has the file you need, or the document you’re looking for has been lost or misfield. That’s not reliability. Digital documents are much easier to find, index, and share. Additionally, paper documents are prone to theft, loss, and natural disasters. Once a paper document is gone, it’s gone forever. But digital documents are properly backed up and can be secured to prevent unauthorized access. 

Myth #4: We Don’t Have the IT Staff to Maintain a Document Management System

Digital systems are designed to make business processes faster and easier. They are also user-friendly, so with very little training everyone in the office will be able to use the system efficiently. There’s no need for a dedicated IT staff to support your document management system.