How to implement a good document management strategy

The digitization of document management is among the practices that can bring a greater operational advantage to companies, especially in a country like Italy with a strong bureaucratic connotation. Moreover, today that most of the dialogue even with the Public Administration can take place in a natively digital format, the possibility of implementing document processes that are natively digital is an important strategic advantage and, in many cases, a considerable saving in economic terms.

Document management systems: simplifying management by dematerializing it

Today the potential of digital document storage should be pretty clear to everyone. We need only think of how much more agile – and economical – it is to circulate a document in digital format rather than its physical counterpart. This is another reason why the specialized document management software sector worldwide is expected to reach the remarkable value of $6.78 billion in 2023. This is without taking into account solutions that are not specialized, but nevertheless include digital document management within them.

Today, there is no shortage of tools for implementing a document management digitization strategy. Even in a bureaucracy that is certainly not as facilitating as Italy’s, for example, certified e-mail and the ability to sign documents digitally ensure the possibility of creating natively and entirely digital document supply chains.

Digitization of document management: the first step is a strategy

There are excellent tools on the market today for digital document and invoice management. What makes the difference, however, is the right approach, one that knows how to reconcile the advantages of the technological solution with business processes and customs, introducing improvements where necessary, but also knowing how to adapt to the specifics of each company. For this reason, it is essential to follow some guidelines for creating a good digital document management strategy. Here are the main points:

Forget about paper (and its implications)

We deliberately insert this point at the beginning of the strategy, even though it compromises its rigor in a strategic sense, since the ability to change paradigms is the foundation for any effective digital strategy. In a nutshell, trying to replicate paper processes is a mistake. Think of an order form that in paper circulates first from administration, then from management, and finally reaches production: why replicate this process when it can be delivered to all departments at once immediately after approval? A very simple example, but one that perfectly explains why processes should be revised in light of digital management opportunities.

Automate the simplest processes

Document work often consists of repetitive (and uninspiring for those performing them) processes. Through the digitization of document management, it is possible to fully or partially automate routine document management, either in a supervised or fully automated manner. This has the double advantage of making management faster and giving staff the opportunity to devote themselves to higher value-added activities.

Good organization into folders and collections allows you to really use the archive in production, without having to search through thousands of documents each time.

Using the Cloud Effectively

In the case of digital document management, the Cloud is not just a good place to make backups. Through the use of appropriate tools, it is also possible, for example, to make the archive available to mobile staff and operators while maintaining security and confidentiality.