Monday 17 October 2011

Document Management - What is it and Why Do You Need It?


Like all other things, theories on management have also undergone a lot of changes. This change has been more profound since the advent of computers and its applications. Documents, which had previously to be kept on paper, can now be digitally stored, that is, stored electronically. This form of document management enables paperless records to be kept on computer hard disks which occupy very little space. The resultant savings in terms of cost of paper, easy retrieval of documents with least requirement of manpower, savings in storage space, the increased efficiency, to name a few, is quite sizable and results in improved profitability for an organization. Similar to paper documents, these documents too, can be filed systematically through proper indexation.

Document management has therefore become an important aspect of management. While all records can be scanned and stored in the desired manner through indexation and in accordance to the requirements of the organization, they may also be easily modified as and when required and this could include sample documents which have to undergo approvals at various levels before finalization. Its impact on other aspects of management like Supply Chain Management, Enterprise Resource Management and most importantly, Customer Relationship Management, is immense.

It is evident that, for an organization or department to run efficiently, document management is a must.