The Importance of Document Management and Storage

Few organizations look to escape the recent pandemic without significant change. Companies are rethinking their office space and business processes, particularly how they relate to their information’s storage and management.

Whether your files are physical or digital, they’re the core of your business. Keeping these materials organized, accessible, and secure helps streamline workflow. However, storing documents onsite may require space you don’t have. And, the time your staff spends filing them is unproductive.

Centralized document management and storage of your information make it easy to find it when you need it. There are several options to choose from – onsite, offsite records storage, tape storage, and online document storage. Working with document management specialists can help you determine the right storage system for your paper documents, digital files, and information stored on tapes.

Benefits of Document Management and Storage

Proper management and storage of your documents may be the difference in running a profitable business versus one that is bogged down in operational inefficiencies. Here, we take a look at the advantages of using an information management company to store and manage your paper and electronic files:

Save Space

As more employees work from home, companies could see this as an opportunity to downsize their real estate footprint. Yet, certain hard-copy documents, including patient files, financial documents, personnel files, and more, have to be kept for a specified period and take up storage space in filing cabinets.

At the same time, businesses need to plan to social-distance employees coming back to the office. In 2018, the average square footage per worker was around 120, compared to 250 in the 1980s. With the significant increase in office density, social distancing becomes a challenge.

By moving your paper documents offsite or storing them electronically, you can allocate the space needed to run essential business operations. Whether you adjust your office space for social distancing, the storage of crucial supplies, or another purpose, you will be enabled to utilize it more efficiently.

Security

Storing your company’s documents at your premises creates the risk of vital records being damaged, stolen, or lost.

Document storage companies provide secure sites to protect your sensitive paper-based and electronic records against natural or humanmade disasters. Professional record storage facilities feature the latest technology and security. Sites are monitored 24/7, require guest check-ins, and have secure perimeter fencing surrounding the buildings.

For your digital documents, cloud storage provides advanced document security. With password protection, secure networks, and encryption, only authorized users can access your data.

Fast Access

Searching for documents can be time-consuming. On average, employees spend 36 percent of their day looking for and consolidating information. And 44 percent of the time, they can’t find the information. This lost productivity comes with a real financial cost.

Integrated document storage solutions combine physical file storage and scanning services, allowing you to retrieve your stored inventory digitally. Instead of waiting for paper files to be delivered in person, your requested materials are scanned and sent straight to your desktop.

For easy, remote access to your digital records in a centralized repository, you may want to consider a cloud-based document management system. Your documents are available 24/7 via an Internet connection, while storage and IT staff costs are borne by the document hosting provider.

Automated Workflows and Employee Efficiency

Filing, sorting, and scanning your information requires a series of manual tasks. Not only are these processes labor-intensive, but they are unproductive.

Organizing your digital documents is essential to streamline business operations. By having your files indexed, tagged, and scanned with optical character recognition (OCR), you can quickly find the information you need.

Additionally, incorporating automation into your daily records management processes allows your staff to focus on their job rather than sorting through documents. Workflow automation software, such as enterprise content management systems (ECM), includes web forms, mobile document access, and document version controls. This helps you save time and money while eliminating errors and improving accuracy.

Legal Compliance

Securely managing and protecting all vital business and customer information in all formats is crucial for companies of all sizes.

With more employees accessing information remotely, companies face stringent compliance requirements that hold them accountable for data security. Having a reliable information management infrastructure is more critical now than ever.

By working with a document management company that is knowledgeable of and compliant with state, federal, and information security laws, you can ensure your confidential information is not at risk.

Different record types may require a different type of document storage system. Based on what information formats you have, where they reside, and how you want to access them, Vital Records Control can help you find a solution for your needs. Learn more about our Document Storage Solutions.