Commercial property costs are increasing and so is the expense to store paper documents. A software-based document management solution that can reduce the need for file cabinets, boxes, and storage bins is a valuable asset to any enterprise. Documents that have to be kept as hard copies can often be stored in less expensive locations, such as an offsite warehouse or vault.

Document security is vital to many enterprises. A document repository provides better control over sensitive documents. Access to documents can be controlled at the folder level. Also, a document repository leaves an audit trail of who has viewed a document, when it was accessed, and how it may have been modified. Managed documents are highly traceable and can be tagged to allow for automated alerts.

Compliance Requirements for certain documents can be quite complex. Non-conformance can lead to fines, revoked licenses, and in some cases criminal liability. Federal and state regulatory regulations such as Sarbanes Oxley and HIPPA mandate strict security and privacy guidelines. Secure DM reduces the risk of non-compliance.

Searching for and retrieving documents can be very time consuming – and we all know time is money. A document management solution, specific for your enterprise, can be a powerful, time-saving tool. With a document management solution files can be retrieved from anywhere at any time as long as there is an internet connection.

With document management, information sharing and collaboration can be a lot easier. Documents captured from different sources can be accessed from multiple locations. Electronic imaging makes sharing documents over a network via email or the Internet possible. It provides greater visibility to business processes and can allow for better workflow.

Any document management solution should include a data backup and disaster recovery plan. With digital archiving as a backup, paper documents are protected from fire and flood, and other disasters. Also, because imaged documents are centrally stored they cannot be lost or misplaced after viewing. Documents are less likely to be misfiled, and if so they are easier to locate with cross-indexing. Documents can be digitized and archived at their point of entry into the system.