Moving from paper-based to digital documents is no longer the wave of the future. It is how business is conducted right now. So, how does this affect document security? With digital documents, the security solution involves a bit more sophistication than a locked file cabinet. The most efficient way to secure and organize business documents is to use a document management system. While these systems provide numerous benefits, it’s important to choose the one that is best suited for your business needs.
What is a Document Management System?
Think of a document management system as an electronic filing cabinet that provides a framework for securing and organizing all of your business documents – digital and paper. These systems work with scanners converting paper documents into digital versions.
Powered by sophisticated search engines, they also allow quick access to any document or file.
Document Management System Benefits
One of the most important benefits is enhanced security. In addition to being able to control who can access which files, a document management system monitors who is viewing the documents and when. It also controls who can edit documents and tracks those edits.
Another benefit of document management is that it has a more efficient retrieval process. No more wasting valuable time looking for a misfiled document. With many systems, you simply need to type in a keyword or phrase to locate the document. Documents can also be accessed remotely from anywhere there is an internet connection.
Document management systems allow documents captured from different sources to be accessed from multiple locations. Electronic imaging makes sharing and collaboration via email or the internet seamless. This can provide greater visibility to business processes and better workflow monitoring. It can also be possible to provide and monitor authorized access by external users.
Data backup and disaster recovery are critical to any business. With a document management system in place, paper documents are protected with digital archiving. All documents are highly traceable and can be tracked within a range of criteria. Also, because imaged documents are centrally stored, they cannot be lost or misplaced after viewing.
Self-Hosted or Cloud-Hosted?
There are pros and cons to each method and which one is best for your business will depend on your specific needs.
With self-hosted management, the system software is stored onsite on your company’s own servers. The capacity of your server will dictate the number of documents and files that can be stored. The most beneficial aspect of a self-hosted system is that you are always in control of your system. You are not reliant on an outside agency to keep it up and running, nor are you dependent on the internet. Should you lose your online connection, you would still have access to all your documents.
The downside of self-hosted management is the upfront cost. In addition to the cost of the software itself, which could be several thousand dollars, there are license fees for each user. There may also be an installation fee as well as an optional yearly charge for ongoing support and software upgrades. You will also be responsible for having a proper backup system, as your files aren’t automatically saved in the cloud.
When all the software is hosted offsite by your provider with cloud-hosted management, you can access your files from any computer or mobile device connected to the internet. This type of document management system can be more affordable, as it eliminates the large upfront expense. There is a monthly fee for each user, which varies depending on the provider, features and amount of storage you choose. Your provider is typically responsible for software upgrades, maintenance, and backup.
With a cloud-hosted system, you will, however, be reliant on your provider to keep the system up and running. If they experience an issue with their data center, you may not be able to access your files until the issue is resolved. Should you lose your internet connection, you will be unable to access your files. Just like a self-hosted system, cloud-hosted systems also have storage limits.
Choosing The Right System for Your Business
It’s important to do your research and get the document management system that best suits your needs. If you’re overwhelmed or confused by the options, Bay Computing and Consulting Services can help. Our experienced IT techs can provide information and professional advice to help you choose the perfect system for your business. No matter what your IT needs are, contact us for professional IT service and support at a fair and honest price.