What Is a Document Management System, and Why Should Your Business Have One? Share: DDI Development Date Published 13 December 2019 Categories Blog, Guide Reading Time 13-Minute Read Documents are without doubt an integral part of any organization in which hundreds of documents are created and processed daily. That’s why the ability to easily and systematically store, archive and get documents is vital to make sure that all employees are on the same page and working on the most current information available. Thanks to recent report published by PWC in 2019, we have identified some information that illustrates the costs related to the average time spent managing paper documents: Organizations spend 20 U.S. dollars in labor to file a document, 120 U.S. dollars – to find a misfiled document and 220 U.S. dollars – to retrieve a document that has been lost. 3% of documents get misfiled while 7.5% of them usually get lost. Employees spend 5 to 15% of their time reading information, and up to 50% of their time looking for it. Having that in mind, you should concentrate on preventing lost hours in productivity or randomly arranged documents and definitely opt for the document management system. What Exactly Is a Document Management System? Document Management can be defined as the way that is used by organizations to manage and track e-documents. According to AIIM, a document management system (DMS) is a computer-based system or software that can be used to securely store, manage and handle e-documents and electronic images of paper-based information that has been captured via a document scanner or uploaded. DMS also gives the opportunity to access documents from anywhere virtually, if there is an Internet connection. Types of Document Management Systems As you may know, there are two types of document management systems. If you are thinking about such a solution for your business, you should determine what type of software you need. Here you can read about two common types you should know about: Self-hosted: it means that the document management system is stored on the server of your company. The volume of files depends on the server capacity – you may store as many files as your server allows. For ongoing support and upgrades, you may be charged with optional yearly payments. In addition to that, you will regularly back up files in a manual manner. Cloud-based: it means that you can access the document management system hosted by your provider using any device online. Also, you should choose a plan – the amount of storage, number of users, and included features to be billed monthly. Logging in the system is possible as long as you are connected to the Internet. The provider is responsible for software maintenance and upgrades at no additional costs. What’s the Idea? Delivering solutions for a great number of business verticals such as logistics, booking, e-commerce, e-learning, fintech, recruiting is the main DDI Development’s expertise. We often receive requests to develop customizable solutions to meet any business requirements. What’s more, we can develop any solutions based on your unique business needs. For this very reason, the client put forward the idea to create and implement a custom document management system that saves manpower, reduces physical storage and provides secure access. Also, the DMS solution should contain the following features and functionality: version control; team collaboration; round the clock access; digital signature; and bulk upload. Having that in mind, we have developed a concept of the document management system that includes all the features and functionality required to run a business efficiently and hassle-free. Sounds impressive, right? So let’s take a closer look below! User Roles A document management system offers three main types of users: Manager, User, and Administrator. Users are typically employees in the logistics company and can be assigned one of the mentioned roles. Below you can find out how users are customized, what privileges they have within the document management system: A User has access to standard features. The manager has permissions to manage users and set user roles. The administrator has the highest level of security and administrative capabilities. Project Structure Here you can find a list of technologies that have been applied to develop the document management system for the logistics company: User Dashboard in DMS If you sign in as a User, you will see the main list of navigation around the document management system. You will be responsible for the following options presented in the main menu: Team Documentation Tasks Messages Calendar Notifications Settings Also, you will see the widgets that are specific areas of the user dashboard that allow you to view or perform specific actions in the DMS. They are the following: Draft Sent Viewed Expired Waiting for payment Paid Team With that feature, you can separate logical divisions in the company workflow. Teams are often created to break up the different departments in the company or if there is a need to set up a team for the client. Be pressing the corresponding option in the main menu, you will be redirected to that page and see a collection of people and the content they share together. Documentation The Documentation page can be found on the main menu. Here you can find a great number of documents available in multiple formats for online browsing or for download. Also, they can be edited by multiple people at the same time and optionally shared. In the top the following tabs will be displayed: Scan, Inbox, Draft, Archive, Sent, Trash, To review. Also, you can use the search bar to find a document you are looking for. This feature simplifies the process of editing and sharing documents with co-workers. Not only can you scan and upload files, but also you can drag & drop files onto a page. Tasks The main benefit of that feature is that you can see a collection of tasks within the team. Once you are assigned to the task or multiple tasks, you will be notified. Tasks can be created in this section or on the Team page. The following tabs are displayed on the top of the page: all; assigned; unassigned; and completed. Messages In the Messages page, co-workers can chat via instant messages. Also, they can use this section to launch team video or audio conference calls if there is a need. With that option, you can send and receive text messages, documents, voice messages, and video. Not only does it simplify the workflow, but also it improves collaboration among colleagues. Calendar With that feature, you can see all team events, task deadlines and activities happening in the company in a calendar view. Events can be added directly to the team calendar, or they can be added to the Team page. The Calendar feature provides visibility of who, what, where and when across the team, helps to avoid scheduling conflicts and optimize the resource usage as well as keep all the details in one place. Notifications This feature is an excellent way to reach employees and communicate with them. It is mainly used to notify them about recent events and updates within the company. As a team member, you can be automatically notified about assigned tasks and their due date. Not only does it help to quickly understand what is going on, but also it improves collaboration. Manager Dashboard in DMS After you sign in as a Manager, you will find the main list of navigation around the document management system. As a Manager, you will be responsible for the following options presented in the main menu: Documentation Teams Departments Messages Calendar Notifications Settings Also, you will see the widgets that are specific areas of the user dashboard that allow you to view or perform specific actions in the DMS. They are the following: Draft For approval Sent Viewed Expired Waiting for payment Paid Documentation In this section, you can find all the documents that are often accessed by a team or department regularly. For example, a warehousing team may want to have common files such as invoices, agreements, ongoing reports, routes, etc. From the corresponding option in the main menu, you will be redirected to the Documentation page. At the top of the page, you can see the search form used to find a document you are looking for. The information is organized in a well-structured table that contains the following columns: # Date Company Responsible E-mail Type of document Status Actions In the documents column, you can choose a type of document you need. By clicking, you will be redirected to the edit page. Departments With that feature, you can see all the departments within the organization – Shipping, Warehousing, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, HR and Sales. By pressing the corresponding widget, you will be redirected to the department page where you can find more detailed information – employees’ names, e-mails, positions, etc. Teams With that feature, you can find all the information about the teams within the company. You can create a team or join a team. What’s more, you can easily assign a task to a user and add a due date. Users will be notified about the assigned task that will show up in that user’s Today and Next 7 Days views when it comes due. Messages You can find the Messages page from the corresponding section in your main menu. Messaging feature provides a convenient way to communicate with co-workers by sending and receiving texts, photos, videos, and audio messages, sharing files, etc. Not only can you easily reach any employee in one click, but also it helps to speed up collaboration. Calendar You can easily reach the Calendar page from the corresponding option in the main menu. Here you can find some basic scheduling functionality and possibility to automatically enter critical deadlines into the calendar. With that feature, you keep track of important deadlines and milestones that happens within the company. Notifications From the corresponding option in your main menu, you can reach this page. Notifications are short, informational messages about activities within the team or the entire company that provide timely and important information anytime. You receive them instantly which keeps you informed about things that need your attention and reaction. Administrator Role in Document Management System Only by logging in the system as an Administrator can you see the following navigation and be responsible for the options presented in the main menu: Documents Departments Teams Messages Calendar Finance Reporting Notifications Settings Finance From the corresponding option in your main menu, you can reach the Finance page. With that feature, you will better understand the ins and outs of logistics finance so that you may better work with your teams and departments and drive more value and make informed decisions. Here you can find the following tabs: Invoices Bills Commissions In the invoice tab, you will see the table that includes the following columns: Company name Number of Invoice Invoice status Invoice Date Due date Total Balance Reporting You can find the Reporting page directly from the corresponding option in your main menu. With that feature, you can professionally optimize your business processes within the company, reduce expenses and manage risk and compliance in a well-structured manner. Settings Directly from the main menu, you can reach the Settings page. You can make some changes to the reservation system. On the Settings page of the document management system, you’ll set up rules and restrictions: cannot view all teams; cannot create teams; and cannot manage teams. What Are the Features Document Management Software? Typically, a document management system provides numerous features and functionality that deliver operational benefits for your business. Let’s take a closer look below: Searching and viewing: you can find documents of common file types stored within the system via a full-text search and view them. Editing: you can edit files and create new versions seamlessly. Creating: allows you to create documents within the system or upload them via scanners, email, fax, etc. Version control: allows you to manage changes over time, provides visibility into how the current version differs from the previous versions. Sharing: allows you to share documents with other users or team members. ‘Rollback’ option: you can “rollback” to a prior version of a document in the case of an error or premature release, and provides the ability to view previous versions alongside the latest version. Security and audit: provide secure storage of documents and controls how users and systems communicate and interact within the document management system. Document workflow: you can easily speed up the workflow by automating the document-centric processes. Notifications: users receive the task alerts that inform them about the need to perform work or interact with a workflow. Digital Signatures: allows you to authenticate documents just like paper documents, eliminating the need to maintain a paper copy in addition to the electronic copy. Why Do You Need Document Management Software? With a DMS solution, all the documents can be stored securely in a digital format and in one place. It looks like a type of computerized file cabinet that can completely eliminate the need to keep paper documents on hand in many cases. Sounds interesting, right? Let’s find out why do you need a DMS solution for your business: You have difficulties in finding your files. You have unorganized data assets. You need secure access to your files outside the office. You need to maintain a paper copy of documents in addition to the e-documents. You need to enhance file sharing and collaborating on documents. What Are the Benefits of the Document Management System for Your Business? If implemented correctly, the document management system brings real benefits that maximize your company’s productivity and time-cost savings. That’s why you should grasp the concept of a document management solution to transform your logistics business. Let’s delve into details below: It provides seamless collaboration and communication among co-workers, especially if your business located in different time zones. It enables you to easily find the files by searching up the name of the required document. It offers possibilities to quickly access documents and share them among the team. It prevents unauthorized access to e-files using role-based access control and reduces the risk of information security breaches. It allows creating and storing documents in a digital format that makes them accessible at any time and from anywhere. It helps you to make data-driven decisions and change direction. It helps to keep track of documents and make sure that each one includes up-to-date information. It provides the easy processing of invoices that can be signed off digitally. These are not all benefits of the DMS solution, but they help you to speed up and simplify the process of searching for, viewing, editing, retrieving and sharing stored documents as well as improve efficiency and productivity in your logistics business. Bottom Line: Is Your Business Ready to Leap Into the Future? Undoubtedly, a document management system is a huge asset to any organization. Not only does it allow your team to be more collaborative, mobile and productive, but it also ensures that your business is agile enough to react quickly to fast-changing market trends. If developed and implemented successfully, it guarantees that your business remains competitive in that digital world. We, at DDI Development, can help you to fundamentally change the way how your employees work with documentation to realize new value from digital information.