Suggestions for an effective EDMS

Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) is a combination of processes and technologies that work together to provide a complete & comprehensive solution for managing the creation, capture, indexing, storage, retrieval, and disposition of records and data information assets of the organization. However, because it is a system, the effectiveness of its implementation defends on how the organization use its full potential and how the users manage the programs’ capabilities.

I list down some suggestions that an EDMS Administrator or system controller can develop and maintain the effectiveness of the EDMS in my personal point of view:

1.      Collect the problem and inform solution - a user comes to you, ask for guidance on how to use the system, you explain and he understand the procedure, and became an informed user. Does it help him? Yes, but there may be more users in the same situation as him. The best thing to do is to list down all the encountered problem by the users with the best common solution and inform all users by disseminating it via internal communication.

2.      Random Audit of the effectiveness of the system – This is related to the first suggestion above but this time, you have to randomly ask some members of the organization who are common users of the EDMS to know what are the problems they encountered about the entire Electronic Document Management System.

3.      Be Innovative – There are certain part of the system, which are not given to you in details by the system provider. You have to discover it, make some trials and see the results and be updated on present technologies related to the system.

4.      Back-up and prepare for the worst – “Spare tires in case of emergencies”. Do the same concept in your EDMS. Be secure and prepare for contingencies if anything happen that does not favor your goal.

“It is good to work hard but it is better to be Smart”