A Document Management System (DMS) is essentially a software that automates key processes, such as the organizing, digitizing, securing, approving and capturing of your business files and documents.
Think of an old-school filing cabinet (oh dear!). Now, imagine if that filing cabinet can automate the entire sorting process of the documents contained within it – and all you must do is keep track of the progress. That is essentially what an electronic document management system does.
The majority of DMS solutions store data in the cloud. However, they’re so much more than simply your typical cloud storage service. Sophisticated DMS solutions, such as M-Files, Bynder, and Huddle, are all capable of handling the huge volumes of documents that move through your business on any given day.
Let’s take a closer look at how document management systems can ease your processes.
Key Benefits of Document Management Solutions
Are you still using physical paper copies in your daily life? For businesses that manage a large number of documents, converting to digital files and storing them on a secure server can often be a complete nightmare – timewise, money-wise, and physical storage-wise.
A good DMS software solution will allow these organisations to automate the process of converting physical copies into digital documents and storing them in the cloud, thus saving you physical storage costs. This can also ease up your other processes: as the documents are now stored in the cloud, your employees can easily and instantly access all the information they need.
In addition to this, document management solutions can bring you the following advantages:
- DMS can save you time
Going paperless and relying on DMS solutions, will give your employees more time to focus on integral tasks that will actually contribute to business growth.
All successful entrepreneurs know this, but it’s worth stating nonetheless: time is just as valuable as money or profit. Spending time going through paper documents is not really a productive task in the world of business. With DMS software, your employees can easily access a specific file in the cloud – and forward it via email to a colleague for collaboration.
In other words, plenty of time will be saved for everyone involved.
- DMS is a convenient way to manage and distribute documents
The term “convenience” is being thrown around a lot when it comes to software systems and technology in general, specifically in consumer-driven technology. However, convenience is not just targeted to the end-user; it has gained a significant traction in the business environment as well.
For example, most DMS solutions come with mobile accessibility through apps that are installed in smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. This functionality allows company staff to access relevant files and documents stored in the cloud.
Using their apps, they will be able to manage, organize, and distribute documents conveniently at any time. It will also allow them to collaborate, monitor, and secure sensitive information. However, always ensure that you have mobile-device management in place to secure your devices.
- It provides better security and practicality
The advent of digital technology has brought with it a variety of advantages – as well as potential security threats for your business.
Data breaches, information leaks, storage failure, and other threats can bring catastrophic consequences for your business. However, this means that more developers and service producers are now investing heavily in making their product as secure as possible.
Even as you use your software system right now, developers and programmers are constantly working behind the scenes to enhance the security and efficiency of their system. This is why a good software solution will constantly get updates on a regular basis.
Finding the right document management system for you
Document Management Solutions are primarily designed to provide businesses with a way to effectively automate their business process. From capturing papers files to securing them in cloud servers, DMS solutions can facilitate the automation of these processes from start to finish.
But how can you find the right document management solution for you? While there are plenty of robust solutions on the market, our experts here at YourShortlist tend to recommend these two solutions quite regularly:
M-Files
This is a smart, feature-rich platform designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses to help them easily manage, organise and store company documents and other sensitive information. It’s ideal for a variety of industries, such as financial services, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.
M-Files include the following features:
- E-signature support
- Version control
- Mobile optimization
- Permission control
- Automated workflows
- Offline access
- Document templates
- Built-in search engine
What’s in store for M-Files users?
- M-Files offers three types of system deployment. Businesses can choose to deploy M-Files via the cloud, on-premise, or go with both via a hybrid setup. This is ideal for businesses that have unique requirements, as far as network infrastructure and system deployments are concerned.
- M-Files can function as a central data repository for all company documents and files, allowing personnel to get easy access to the documents they need. Using the built-in search engine, users can search the files they want, identity who last accessed and/or edited the document, and organize their entire file system without the need to remember file versions or previously saved locations.
- M-Files offers a wide variety of management tools, including document management, content management, versioning, and third-party app integrations. Users can create any number of files at any given time without having to worry about where to store or how to retrieve them. Easy document sharing is also available, both internally and externally. All they have to do is send a direct link to any file or document to give the recipient access to that particular file.
Bynder
This platform is a multi-functional all-around marketing resource management solution. In other words, this solution offers much more than just document management tools – rather, it’s a brand portal system designed to automate and simplify processes such as branding management, data sharing, and marketing automating.
Bynder’s products can be utilized effectively to help streamline production and collaborative processes, providing users with a better understanding of marketing material distribution and other aspects of their day-to-day operations.
What’s in store for Bynder users?
- Bynder is more than any standard digital asset management or document management system. It has features, tools, and functions that help extend its application, allowing businesses to efficiently manage their entire content lifecycle. While other DMS solutions focus only on document management, Bynder offers comprehensive marketing and asset management solutions.
- Bynder has a reliable and highly scalable infrastructure best suited for SMBs and large enterprises looking a software solution that is easy to scale to match their growing needs and requirements. In addition, since the system is fully cloud-hosted, users can access their data via a web browser, anytime they want and anywhere in the world. Partnering with AWS also allowed Bynder to ensure a maximum rate, at 99.9%, of uptime.
- Bynder offers customizability, ease of use, and very high adoption rates. When it comes to software solutions and technology in general, ease of use has always made an impact as to the adoptability of any technology. The developers’ approach to designing their product is to have the end-user’s perspective, thus ensuring a simple and straightforward system with minimal learning curve.