A growing organisation often experiences an increase in the amount of paper and electronic documents in circulation. Employees waste time searching for documents, figuring out who to direct them to or even lose them in the ubiquitous clutter. A professionally managed company or institution cannot afford such problems. This is why DMS systems have become increasingly popular in recent years. In this article, we will introduce you to what such systems are and what benefits can be gained by implementing them in an organisation.
DMS – what is a Document Management System?
A DMS (Document Management System) is simply a Document Management System within a company or other organisation. It is software that allows documents to be stored, categorised, decreed and approved, and easily retrieved, as well as shared within an organisation. DMS systems differ in the functions they have.
How do DMS programs work?
DMS system facilitates the efficient and fast execution of activities related to document registration, segregation and classification, sharing and archiving. Documents in a DMS are usually organized in a tree structure. This makes it possible to create a structured document layout for each activity or department of the company. Below are some basic capabilities of a DMS document management system:
Document storage and archiving.
DMS allows documents to be stored and archived in a central database that can be accessed from a variety of devices or locations. These are electronic files converted from paper or digital format. Frequently, the document and DMS database is located in a secure cloud.
Organization and document decreeing.
The DMS software allows documents to be categorized based on various criteria. The most common are: document type, date, person responsible for a document or the project from which the document originates. An important aspect is the designing of individual document workflow processes and their acceptance levels. Assigning additional tags to individual documents makes them much easier for later search.
Documents searching and view.
It is essential that the DMS has full-text document search and filtering capabilities. Correctly assigned document elements or their tags will speed up work at every stage of the company’s electronic document workflow. Searching will become more efficient when using specific keywords or dates.
Document sharing and versioning.
By correctly assigning rights to individual documents or categories, employees can more easily share and edit documents. Full control and workflow with document versioning and efficient sharing will certainly prove beneficial to any larger company. Controlling or tracking document versions and the ability to review minimizes the risk of errors, as well as checking who made specific changes to a document and when.
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DMS application in companies
The use of DMS systems is growing in popularity worldwide. Year after year, the market value of these systems continues to grow. It is currently estimated to be worth at least several billion dollars. What businesses are using electronic document workflows in DMS programs the most, and how?
As a general rule, this type of solution can be implemented in any industry or company. In fact, any larger organization can and should optimize work using DMS systems.
Law firms
Accounting offices
Large corporations
Commercial
Commercial companies
Agriculture firms
Production companies
automotive
Public companies
Security of a DMS system
Security is essential in a DMS. The system should be hosted in a secure cloud. Connections must be encrypted and only shared through secure VPNs. Passwords should be made strong, and the system should enforce frequent changes. Two-factor user authentication should be enabled at login. It is also self-evident that each employee should be given appropriate permissions by supervisors or administrators. This will keep documents secure.
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Key benefits of implementing DMS
DMS systems are extremely functional, yet easy to use. They play a very important part of the digitization process of companies and digital transformation. Document Management System reduces the time, costs, and errors associated with document processing. The most important benefits and advantages of using a DMS in a company are:
- The cost associated with printing, photocopying and physical storage decreases;
- Documents are not destroyed or lost;
- The system is a central place for storing all information and documents, which results in better order and organization within the company;
- Efficiency increases in the flow, processing, and management of documents. The user (e.g., the director) can check the list of documents requiring processing at any time. The system can send reminders to employees about outstanding documents that need to be redirected or approved.
- The DMS gives an overview of all the stages a document is in and who has dealt with it and when.
- It automates and optimizes and digitalizes business processes, eliminating common errors and thereby increasing employee productivity.
- Improves the speed of information flow and communication across different levels (and departments of the company) without the need for face-to-face meetings and contacts.
- Improves the timeliness of teams by streamlining processes and enabling the monitoring of deadlines for individual issues and documents.
- It provides simple and quick access to documents and information regardless of the user’s place of work. Employees have access to documents, applications, or agreements from all devices (including mobile ones), so they can work remotely and carry out their tasks from any location.
- The ability to search for documents by any attribute or word, and thanks to OCR (text recognition) systems.
- Saving time needed to enter documents or data into the system, as well as tidying up and streamlining many tasks.
- Electronic handling of documents from multiple sources – automatic archiving from e-mail, software, and office equipment such as a scanner, among others.
The advantages and benefits of using good quality DMS software in an organization are so extensive that they could be listed for a long time to come. Any company or institution will certainly benefit from implementing such a solution. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the possibilities of the V-Desk System, which has been used by hundreds of companies throughout Poland for years.
What should you consider when choosing a document management system?
Every company has slightly different needs and possibilities. The specifics of individual industries mean that business processes and electronic document workflows run differently. However, there are a few aspects that are certainly worth paying attention to when choosing a DMS for a company
Clear and intuitive interface
Security
Scalability of the solution
Availability in the cloud
Can be developed according to individual needs
Possibility of integration with other IT systems
