Electronic Document Management Systems: How to Make the Right Choice.

Are you considering implementing an Electronic Document Management System, then you have to consider the organization’s needs first.?

An Electronic document management system is like having a virtual filing assistant who knows where every file is. This is unlike a physical filing cabinet filled with paper documents whereby finding a specific document would take many hours or even days to find if misplaced.

As an organization the two crucial factors would be

one, what is the return on investment?

two, how much are we going to save in terms of business costs?

Other factors to consider to ensure we choose the right electronic document management system for our needs include

Business Challenges

Understand specific business challenges before identifying the right electronic document management system. Identify the basics for each department. Each department has different needs that have to be identified. This will enable the organization to make the right decision. The business processes and the types of documents used in each department, that need improvement be identified. The system should enable continuous improvement to ensure alignment by measuring and adjusting. This means there has to be open and engaged communication.

Scalability

The Electronic Document Management System should be able to scale up as the organization grows. It should be able to handle a simple workstation to a wide-spanning system that can handle the organization’s needs even when it increases its branches or has a team working remotely. It should be able to scale without complicating other aspects, or software or force your organization to retrain the team at an additional cost.

Integration

If you have existing IT applications the choice of Electronic Document Management System depends on this existing system. It should be able to integrate with current and future applications. With ease of integration between applications comes ease of use. Switching easily between business applications increases productivity and reduces error rate.?

Compliance and Security

What compliance needs are required for your organization? Having conversations with all stakeholders like your suppliers ensures that if there are any compliance issues, the Electronic Document Management System can handle them. It should also be able to handle the security of the organization’s information. This protects from cyber attacks, data loss, and loss of control of critical information.

Budget

When looking at your budget you have to consider several items. Training has to be included and is determined by the time taken. The longer the training the higher the cost. Ease of use of the Electronic Document Management system will determine how long the training will take. Training time will be short if the system is easy to navigate by your team, but if it is difficult to navigate it will take longer thus higher cost.?

Are you going for On-premise or On-cloud? For on-premise Electronic Document Management Systems don’t forget to factor in the cost of maintaining the hardware, the yearly maintenance and support fees, and time on maintenance. There is also additional cost on upgrades, keeping up with cyber attack prevention with automated updates, and security concerns. All these require a dedicated team to sustain the system.?

On-cloud Electronic Document Management System, consider that you only partially own the system and have no control over the price change.?

Industry

Which is your industry? This is also a deciding factor when it comes to choosing the right Electronic Document Management System.?

• Purchase a copy of my E-book An Introduction to Electronic Document Management Systems for Small and Medium Businesses.
• Apply for a Workshop. Get the Accountability, Advice and Encouragement you Need to Win when Managing Change. Connect with like-minded Executives and Business Owners in a Unique and Interactive in-person Workshop.
• Cadtech Services Ltd Kenya is a Small and Medium Business supporting Organizations to simplify their transition to a paperless future.

Our services empower organizations to improve efficiency, enhance document security and adopt sustainable practices

Through transforming paper files into accessible, searchable digital formats.

Through protecting sensitive data with eco-friendly shredding solutions.

Through equipping your team to embrace paperless processes confidently.

Through optimizing workflows with cutting-edge technology.