Do your employees spend a great deal of time searching for the documents they need in rows of filing cabinets and disorganized shared drives? Are your organization’s productivity levels suffering as a result? If so, you’re not alone.
A recent Forrester survey shows that 97% of respondents from organizations with minimal digital document capabilities experienced “a negative impact from the pandemic on employee productivity,” compared to just 18% of more technologically advanced organizations.
Queue document management software that facilitates secure, easy, digital access to business files organization-wide. With the right solution, you can give your employees back the time they need for more valuable tasks. This not only improves productivity, but reduces labor costs, enhances both employee and customer experience thanks to reduced processing times, and ensures business continuity.
But how do you choose the right document management software for your organization, so you can gain these benefits? Here are some key steps to take:
Understand Your Options
Before even beginning to look at specific solutions, you should make sure you fully understand the differences between on-premise and cloud document management software.
For instance, on-premise software is managed and hosted locally on a server, while cloud-based solutions are hosted and more easily accessible from wherever your employees are working. With an on-premise solution, you’ll have to pay upkeep and maintenance expenses that a cloud-based one wouldn’t require. However, on-premise solutions are more ideal for organizations with strict compliance requirements since they’re typically managed in-house and provide you with full control over your data.
Looking for more information on the differences between cloud and on-premise solutions? Check out the full document management software guide.
Determine Your Needs
Once you familiarize yourself with both on-premise and cloud document management solutions, look inward at your organization’s needs. Ask yourself: What exactly is my organization looking to get from a document management solution?
Do you want to eliminate data entry? Do you need to improve your turn times? Are you struggling to reach your customer satisfaction goals? Do you want to increase employee retention?
Take a hard look at your long-term goals as well. Consider what features a document management solution would need in order to help you reach them. If you’re planning on growing your business, you’ll need a scalable solution. If you’re looking to go fully remote within the next couple of years, you’ll need secure software that’s easily accessible wherever your team is working.
Evaluate Security Features
You likely don’t need to be reminded of how crucial ensuring document security is. It’s top of mind for many organizations as more and more paper-reliant processes turn digital. In fact, an OpenText survey found that 84% of small-medium businesses are concerned about ransomware attacks today.
Fortunately, the right content management software can help you find peace of mind. Look for a solution with security features like document-level security, data at rest encryption, configurable password rules, and a robust audit trail.
Partner with a Trusted Vendor
Finding the right content management software solution for your organization is about more than just the technology – it’s also about the partner who provides and implements it.
Don’t limit yourself to just one document management company. Instead, meet with at least three. Ask them questions about their software, customization capabilities, and level of experience.
At MetaSource, we have decades of experience successfully implementing custom document management solutions for thousands of organizations across a variety of industries. We understand that protecting your business data is a high priority for your organization. That’s why it’s our priority too. As a SOC 2 Type 2, PCI DSS, and HIPAA compliant digital transformation company with software that meets the above criteria, we have the expertise you need to reach your document management goals.
To learn more about selecting the right content management software from the right vendor, download our Guide to Finding the Right Document Management Software or contact us today.
