The modern enterprise is a complex institution with hundreds – if not thousands – of employees, scores of departments and more moving parts than a luxury wristwatch.
Document management happens at all levels of an enterprise:- Business deliverables being created, reviewed, edited and approved by multiple individuals
- Departmental managers keeping track of expense documents and reporting
- Accounting departments tracking invoices against POs
With the right tools in place, the entire enterprise can work more effectively and collaborate on a whole new level.
Here are five ways modern document management tools enhance enterprise collaboration.
1) More Effective Document Distribution
Imagine you need to distribute a newly updated employee handbook to your entire organization and each individual must sign a document to acknowledge receipt.
One option is to print hundreds of new handbooks, have managers collect signatures from each employee in their department, and then have HR compile managers’ lists and record the data. Or, the organization could send an electronic notification that the employee handbook has been updated, provide a link to the revised material and use an e-signature to acknowledge receipt. Which is a better use of time and resources?
When important enterprise documents are centralized in a modern document management system, your organization saves time, reduces printing costs and operates more effectively.
2) Instant Notifications Ensure the Best Information
If a monthly sales forecast is updated, it’s likely certain people in your organization need to know immediately. Modern content management solutions enable employees to subscribe to a document and be notified when changes are made. Truly effective enterprise collaboration requires that kind of access to timely and accurate information.
3) Streamlined Editing and Version Tracking
The right electronic document management tools enable enterprise collaboration while also improving workflows. For example, if your marketing team drafts a press release and has technical questions that the engineering department needs to confirm, these updates to the document may be recorded and stored electronically. This ensures that everyone’s feedback is tracked and archived. It also ensures that everyone is always working with the latest version of a document eliminating costly mistakes.
4) Parallel Workflows Save Time
Have you ever had to wait for a document that required your signature? Today’s digital document solutions support parallel workflows that eliminate unnecessary waiting. Documents may be electronically distributed so that everyone can sign without waiting for others to sign. This parallel approach makes enterprise collaboration more nimble.
5) Email Tracking and Central Storage Make Enterprise Collaboration Easier
It makes sense that John in sales can’t access the email inbox of Sara in customer support. But when multiple people in your organization touch the same customer across multiple interactions, it’s helpful to have access to all previous communications with that customer. This can also help move business forward should one colleague be out of the office sick or on vacation.
A document management system with email tracking and central storage enables such access. When people are empowered to work collaboratively across one easy-to-use system, it makes them more productive and deliver better customer service.
The ROI Behind Electronic Content Management
It’s clear that modern document management solutions enhance enterprise collaboration, but is there additional ROI? Absolutely.
Consider how much time your employees could save by eliminating duplicate data entry. Think of the manual processes that could be simplified and automated with the right workflows. What if the 15 minutes required to search through a filing cabinet to find a document became just a few clicks and only 15 seconds? Smart enterprise document search tools make this a reality.
With the right document management tools, your enterprise can start accomplishing more in less time.
Learn more about the benefits of digital document management and how to make your office paperless.
