How To Ensure Success With Your Document Management System

Ensuring success with your document management system is easy once you have a plan. You’ll need to focus on three main tasks that are key to successful implementation of a document management system:

1. Get buy-in from your organization
2. Create a document management system roll-out plan
3. Keep everyone informed

Get Buy-In From Your Organization

The acceptance and willingness of your organization to actively support and participate in the deployment of the new document management system will go a long way to making the transition easy and successful. Many people naturally resist change, so your goal at this point is to identify and present the tangible benefits of using a document management system to everyone in the organization who handles documents (e.g., managers, executive assistance, staff members, HR and accounting staff, etc.).

Here are some universal facts about CEO Image Executive document management software that you can cite to encourage buy-in. You may wish to rearrange these in an order that’s most suitable for your business, but they apply to all industries.

• Dramatically Reduce Storage Space – A depository of electronic documents takes up far less space than all the file cabinets and archive boxes needed for the paper documents.
• Advanced Document Search Capabilities – Storing documents electronically allows fast and easy retrieval via advanced full text search. This is not possible with paper storage.
• Improved Document Security – Controlling access to sensitive paper documents is a real challenge. CEO Image Executive allows centralized access control on a document-by-document basis.
• Save Money – Reduced storage space requirements and greatly improved labor efficiency from easier storing, retrieving and archiving information dramatically improves the entire document storage process.
• Improved Regulatory Compliance – Including document version control, chain of custody, and traceability makes regulatory compliance a default part of your organization’s document management without any extra effort.

Selecting a document management system vendor that will make this transition as smooth as possible is very important. How much personal service you get before, during and after the transition should be totally up to you, and depend entirely on what your organization needs.

Create A Document Management SYSTEM Roll-Out Plan

In addition to document management system implementation, user training, and technical support, a quality vendor should also assist with planning and project management.

Planning ahead ensures a smooth transition from your traditional paper based document system or outdated legacy software. During the planning phase, you’ll want a document management specialist to work with you to evaluate your current administrative processes and workflow. The objective is to determine the best way to configure your electronic document management system and minimize disruption to your workflow while you’re getting up to speed.

Once a plan is in place, you’ll want an experienced project manager to guide your project, smooth out any bumps, and guarantee its success.

Keep Everyone Informed

As your document management system becomes a reality, keeping everyone informed about progress, challenges, and training is part of the process that will go a long way to reinforce buy-in.

It’s normal for employees to want to know “what’s going on with the new system”, and to anticipate challenges. The best ways to address these concerns is with information and training.

Circulate periodic project status emails to the staff, so they don’t have to ‘wonder’ how things are progressing. Include an update about challenges that they can expect and how best to meet them.

Most importantly, make new user training a part of all conversations from the outset. Employees’ fears are dramatically reduced and acceptance is increased once they know they will receive proper training in using the system. This will increase confidence among your staff by entrusting the support of all those having a stake in the organization, and ensure success of your document management system project.