Electronic document management services can be customized to almost any situation, but some decisions need to be made up front. Without the right planning, you risk wasting time and money.

What problem can document management services solve?
That question, obvious though it may be, is one you have to have detailed answers to before you start shopping. “We have too much paper” isn’t a good answer. Specific goals, such as “We need to offer remote access,” “We want to cut filing costs,” or “We have to enforce better security” will help you choose the best document management services for your business.

Gather details on what types of paper you’re working with, how they’re created, labeled, and filed, and what your needs are like for retrieval or ongoing usage. If possible, categorize your documents: delivery slips, W2s, legal briefs, etc. A rough count of how many new documents you’ll need to enter per day is also useful.

Don’t overlook your existing electronic documents: you’ll want the document management services you hire to incorporate text files, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other important files. Don’t get over-aggressive: stick to the types of documents relevant to the problems you’re solving.

Also look at your processes. What approval or editing steps should be built into the system? Which documents need to be permanently archived, and which should be editable? What types of documents need to be filed together for easy retrieval?

Then make sure you have management buy-in. Because of the costs and the transformative nature of document management services, “grass-roots” efforts to implement them rarely succeed. Get executives on board with a well thought out ROI analysis.

Where to find document management services
BuyerZone makes it easy for you to transform your paper-intensive workspace into a paperless office. Submit a free request for document management services price quotes, and we’ll match you with multiple providers. They’ll learn about your processes and goals, and help develop an action plan to transition your documents online.