Category: Archiving

Document management: what your company needs?

Document processing is a fairly uninspiring term for something that is actually a pretty exciting suite of technologies. It wouldn’t have been possible 20 years ago and, in fact, the technology is still developing and evolving into more and more effective solutions to perennial office problems. In essence, it involves turning physical (i.e., paper) documents into electronic ones. These can then be stored in a central document management system, as well as emailed around, edited, and so on, by anyone who has access to them. It is a necessary step in the transition to a paperless office; obviously, this isn’t something that happens overnight, and it’s impossible to eradicate paper letters, documents and memos all at once. And there will always be historical documents that you will need to consult – old contracts, for example. Even if every new document comes in electronic form, you’ll still need a way of integrating older material into your new system. The same is true of your invoices – some of which may be sent in physical form, others submitted as electronic requests of one sort or another. Invoice processing enables your accounts department to bridge the gap between the two systems.

Whereas document processing was once fairly rudimentary, it is now remarkably sophisticated. It’s not just typed documents that can be turned back into electronic form. Now, even handwriting can be interpreted by software that ‘learns’ a particular style and can transcribe it with upwards of 97 percent accuracy. That means that no physical document needs to remain outside of your office system, opening the door to a truly paperless business.

Consequently document processing has a number of benefits. It allows you to cut down on the cost, inefficiency and environmental impact of excess paper. Keeping everything in a central document management system means that nothing can get lost any more; you can set permissions so that no one is able to read something they are not supposed to (something you would previously have to trust to lock and key). With regards to invoice processing, there are benefits in that you treat everyone’s invoices the same; there is no two-tier system in which paper invoices are treated with less importance than electronic ones, or vice versa. That can go a long way to maintaining the goodwill of clients and suppliers. Thus this is a suite of technologies that makes for a smarter, more efficient and better organised office environment.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

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Document management that transforms paper into networked content

Businesses are like machines: they have mechanisms, input and output, and a function. Certain businesses may also be compared with domestic appliances: as long as they serve us we are satisfied, looking to fix them only when we notice something wrong. But the forward-thinking entrepreneur will act before problems occur or the system begins to buckle, because there is far more at stake when a business stops working than when your hoover gives up. A malfunctioning business cannot simply be disposed of and replaced. It is advisable then to extend the potential of an existing system before what works at a reasonable rate starts to fail. It always pays to be one step ahead of the game when you’re in business, and this includes looking after your document management, document processing and invoice processing.

The latter is particularly important if your business outsources much of its work. A mobile team of employees will be faithful to a client that respects its worth but as soon as things look shaky they may seek work elsewhere. This is because freelance work is unpredictable and the self-employed need a constant flow of tasks. One easy way to keep your mobile employees happy consists of paying them in a timely manner. Once they have billed you, invoice processing should be speedy and certainly within the time frame you agreed. Allowing your freelancers to email their invoices and paying them by direct online transfer will save time, money and a whole host of complications.

Similar principles can be applied to the work that your team submits: rather than allowing a messy flow of print-outs and handwritten material to come in, you should consider the advantages of electronic document processing. Deadlines are often adhered to much more strictly when document management occurs on a shared network or online: everyone knows that their progress is easily traced and that things seldom get lost if they’ve been properly backed up.

Altogether, your business will function like a well-oiled machine if you pay attention to your workers, their payments and the overall workflow affecting the company’s output. Efficient invoice processing solutions not only increase employee satisfaction, they also prevent against fraud. Streamlined document processing can entail working collaboratively; relieving pressure on the individual faced with an otherwise insurmountable number of tasks. Indeed, document management should not be top-down in this day and age but rather networked, creative and conducive to business growth.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

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