Promoting Small Business Growth with Document Management

As a small business owner, you recognize the importance of proper document management and record security.  Everything from standard forms to employee records needs to be organized to facilitate efficient company procedures and be managed to ensure high standards of privacy and protection.  As a result, almost every small business in today’s market relies on digital technologies to organize and manage their records.  While some businesses utilize software packages to help manage their documents, many small businesses turn to professional software developers to customize these packages and create unique document management systems tailored to their company.

The Importance of Document Management

Over the decades, technology has evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of businesses and consumers.  Files that were once organized in cabinets and manila folders are now organized in digital folders and files on our computers.  With the evolution of file sharing and the digital marketplace, companies have adopted professional software to help manage their document load.  Unlike the old system of paper filing, digital document management provides executives, employees, and even clients with the ability to easily access forms and information and even collaborate on documents within the system.

Consider the following benefits of professional document management

• Improved file organization
• Improved ability for file sharing
• Ability to create virtual teams to collaborate on projects and reports within the document management system
• Improved organization, which reduces human error and improves information exchange
• Improved management and efficiency
• Improved accessibility and downloading of public forms
• Reduced employee and client stress as the result of proper document management

Available Software and Customization

There is a variety of document management software available to small businesses and it is important to choose the best one that fits the needs of your company.  While very small companies might benefit from some of the free programs available from Google or Microsoft, most small businesses derive maximum benefits from dedicated software programs such as SharePoint.  As a large software system, SharePoint contains many tools designed to facilitate document sharing and improve communication, which can drastically improve productivity and growth potential in small businesses.  In order to maximize this software, however, consider hiring professionals to customize these tools and integrate the software into your existing system.

No two businesses are the same, and software professionals, like those at 3wC can customize the software programs to meet the culture and processes of your small business.  They can also take document-sharing software such as SharePoint and integrate it into your existing system.

Consider the following:

• Customization creates document-sharing systems that are tailored to your businesses needs, culture, and goals.
• Integration of software allows teams to pull information from any system to incorporate into reports.
• Both customization and integration streamlines data gathering, communication, and research.

Professional document management software is an essential part of small business management and provides an organization with communication tools that grow with your business.  In order to determine which system best suits the needs of your small business, consider consulting a professional who can customize a document management system that is best for your business.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 10th, 2011 at 8:58 pm and is filed under CRM, Workflow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.