If your business is thinking about moving to an electronic filing system, you and your team will have a lot of questions. You’ve likely come to rely on your paper-based record keeping for decades, and the change to paperless is a daunting task. However, moving to a digital filing system has some surprising benefits that improve efficiency and your business’s overall compliance.
Read on to discover the benefits of moving to a digital filing system, what to consider before moving and how to start the process.
What is an electronic filing system?
An electronic filing system, sometimes called document management software (DMS), is a digital, computer-based method of storing and organising a variety of documents. Electronic filing systems replace hard copies with paperless, electronic records, allowing for document search, catalogue, send and retrieval in an instant. Not only is electronic record keeping more secure, but it also saves your business time, money and resources.
The benefits of an electronic filing system
Moving to electronic records needs to be a calculated and purposeful decision, no matter the scale of the business. Like any decision, your business needs to weigh out the pros and cons, determining if moving to an electronic file system will be beneficial in both the short and long term. Here are just a few of the benefits of moving to electronic record keeping:
1. Access your documents anywhere, at any time
With a digital filing service, your business can access all documents from any device with an internet connection, 24 hours a day. This improves business productivity, making it easier to retrieve, edit and share documents. This is a great benefit to businesses who operate via hybrid working, allowing remote workers to have instant access to the documents they need.
2. Ensure compliance with regulations
Every business needs to be compliant with the law and regulations, however for certain industries document control is a higher priority. For example, effective record-keeping in health and social care is important for various reasons, including patient safety, continuity of care, and compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
At Shredall SDS Group, our document management software is hosted in a secure data centre – it’s governed by EU data protection laws and meets ISO 27001 (Information Security Standard) requirements. All of this means you can have complete confidence that your business is staying compliant.
3. Free up space
When you move to a digital filing system, you free up essential space in your office environment. What was once a cluttered archive and document room can now be turned into a space for more potential new hires, office recreation space or whatever your growing business needs!
This tidy office can also improve its overall safety, preventing trips or falls on any poorly stored files.
4. Full document control & version history
Converting to electronic files gives you a simple and effective audit trail of all your digital files. Not only will you be able to see the entire movement history, but you’ll also be able to catalogue versions to remain compliant. No more constant copying and printing to keep on top of version control.
5. Simple & effective notetaking
Electronic records can easily have consignment notes, documents and even emails attached to them, providing any new and existing users with key information that may help them understand the document better. Gone are the days of messy and lost post-it notes.
6. Confidential file destruction
An electronic filing system helps your business destroy confidential files securely. When a document is expired and no longer of value to your business, your electronic records can be destroyed easily and confidentially, regardless of where it's stored.
7. Save time & money
Full search capability, with multiple filter options, allows you to find the right document you need in a matter of seconds. And with no more expenses on ink, printing, postage costs and even off-site storage, your business will save money too.
What to consider before moving to an electronic file system?
If the benefits of transitioning to electronic records seem too good to be true, it’s time to start assessing your business requirements and options when it comes to choosing an electronic file system.
Your budget
There are a number of electronic file systems out there, at a variety of prices. The more complex your requirements, and the larger your business, generally the more you’ll need to pay for your software. Fortunately, there are quite a few affordably priced pieces of software out there, including Shredall SDS Group’s own SDS Document Management Software.
Your users
Certain electronic filing systems' prices and functionality depend on the number of users you have, as well as the extent of your document archive. Decades of paper files and archives will require more time and effort, however bulk scanning your documents is always an option to speed up the process.
Your document transfer
Transferring your current physical files into electronic ones can pose risks, including information leakage and potential loss of documents. Digitising paper documents in itself is a task that requires research and training.
At Shredall SDS Group, we have a convenient document scanning service that scans your documents efficiently, clearly and securely. Whatever your business requirements, our background-checked teams will be able to draw up a quality plan to quickly move your documents to digital format.
The next steps of moving to an electronic filing system
Moving to an electronic filing system will certainly give your business more efficiency, security and accuracy. If you’ve looked at your budget and identified any potential risks, you’re now in the perfect position to find the document management software that suits your requirements.
Shredall SDS Group offers a simple, affordable web-based Document Management Software that's ideal for a range of business requirements. We also offer services in document indexing and document scanning to make the transition as easy as possible. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.
