| Document management means documents are | | | | file archiveso Reduce misfiled or lost documentso |
| managed electronically throughout their life cycle - | | | | Improve control of documentso Reduce the |
| right through from creation to storage and either | | | | business risks of just keeping one copy of fileso |
| being destroyed or archived. A web-based or | | | | Easier compliance with Freedom Of Information |
| online system is an electronic system that is | | | | Acto Easier compliance with industry legislationo |
| accessed via the internet. The online document | | | | Keep track of who did/saw what and wheno |
| management system stores a scanned copy of a | | | | Share information between remote offices and |
| document and means it can be retrieved quickly | | | | workerso Integrate information held in documents |
| using indexing systems and searches. | | | | with other databaseso Capture large volumes of |
| These online systems have the advantage of | | | | information from documentso Create online |
| being able to be accessed from anywhere in the | | | | archives of documentso Archive paper, emails, |
| world and allows for the fast transfer of | | | | faxes, MS Office documents in a single system |
| documents. | | | | Who benefits? |
| The advantages | | | | An online document management system can |
| The advantages of using an online document | | | | accommodate documents that have been |
| management go beyond simple cost savings due | | | | created electronically as well as scanned-in |
| to faster retrieval times and smaller physical | | | | documents. |
| storage spaces. Electronic systems for managing | | | | Web-based DM systems are useful for all types |
| documents also offer extra benefits such as | | | | of businesses in various sectors. Organisations in |
| efficiency of workflow and information | | | | the engineering sector, for example, often use |
| management. | | | | web-based DM systems for the efficient storage |
| These are some of the main improvements an | | | | and retrieval of drawings. They are also used by |
| online system for managing documents could bring | | | | organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, |
| to your business:o Create more space and less | | | | National Archives and the Home Office. |
| clutter as you'll no longer have to hold large paper | | | | |