Office Document Strategies Blog

Are you puzzled with the who, what, where and why of document scanning and management? You have heard or read a lot about document management- but  exactly what is a document management system- and why do you need it? 


Wikipedia defines a Document Management System (DMS) as a computer system ( or a set of computer programs) used to track and store electronic documents and/or images of paper documents. Smeadsoft defines it as the imaging, storage and retrieval of documents and information scanned into an electronic system. This includes both documents and files orginally created in electronic format as well as paper documents, photos and other items scanned into digital form and saved with keywords.   Both definitions start with STORAGE of documents.

If you want to store documents away- never to be looked at again - then get a brown cardboard box, fill it with paper, seal it up with tape, and store it in the basement- and in 20 years when you move- open it up- and finally decide to throw it out. Rather extreme case in point. Because if you really have documents that you will never have the need to look at again- shred them now.   But most documents do have to be looked at again for numerous reasons.   In your company is there any one type of document that seems to have the most “handprints” on it.  Are invoices passed around for approval and payment processing? Is customer correspondence shared with different departments? Are meeting notes distributed to several team members.    Where to start- I’ll share my experience with Accounts Payable.  
 

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Topics: Scanning, document filing, document management, Document, office document strategy, shredders

With the increasing concerns about personal and corporate privacy a properly designed paper shredding plan is necessary for all sizes of offices.  Long gone are the days when any business can afford to throw documents in the waste without being sure they are destroyed in a secure fashion.  

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Topics: privacy, Paper shredding, shredders