7 tips for better document management

Every company has its own approach to document management, but with the introduction of new formats and types of records, things can get complicated. Improving the way you handle paperwork – whether it’s electronic or not – can boost productivity across the company.

Here, AMS and DocuWare present seven tips for better document management.

1. Take it one step at a time – It’s easier to fix a problem if you focus on one department or a single process at a time. Keep working until you’ve mastered it, taking notes along the way, then apply the same steps in the next department.
2. Create a single storage space – As you go from department to department, work through their storage (either digital or physical) and try to siphon everything into a single space for the entire company. This will eliminate the chances of documents getting lost.
3. Ensure your storage solution can handle all documents – Your document management system should be fit for purpose across digital and physical. It needs to be easy to add files as and when they come in.
4. Make it easier to scan documents – People should be able to scan documents and save them into the system wherever they are, so provide the right equipment throughout the office and look into mobile apps that colleagues can use on the go.
5. Stick to the process – Once you have a process in place, people will eventually see the value of setting up workflows for their own projects.
6. Listen to the team – It’s important to be receptive to ideas so you can ensure the system works as your colleagues need it to. Everybody has a different way of doing things and you might just find somebody else’s idea is better than yours.
7. Keep up the momentum – Don’t stop at one department or a single process. Once you’ve mastered a process, try to implement it elsewhere and keep finding ways of improving.