Why document management?

Go back to the overview

There are various reasons why document management has serious added value for your organisation. Time, therefore, to take a closer look at why document management works.

Better cooperation through document management

Good document management contributes to better cooperation, both internally and with external parties. Employees in the field can quickly consult with people in the office and view, edit and share documents anytime, anywhere. This is especially important in industries where you work with many other organisations. The construction industry, with its various contractors and subcontractors, is a good example of such an industry.

Versioning

Improved versioning is another benefit of modern document management that streamlines collaboration. You will remember the old days when you had to send a new version of a document to colleagues or external contacts by e-mail after every change was made. In the end, there were numerous versions circulating within the organisation and it was quite a puzzle to find out whether you had the most up-to-date one in your possession. 

With a good DMS, you ensure that a document receives a new version number after editing. This way, you can immediately see which version is the latest and you can also see older versions that you can compare with the most recent. This is easy and saves you a lot of frustration on the work floor. In addition, you can set up notifications that will let you know when a document has been changed.

Share documents with the correct authorisation rules

Not every document has the same status. There are files that you simply want to make available to a large number of your employees and external partners, but there are also sensitive documents that are only intended for a select number of eyes. 

With a good document management policy and the right DMS, you link the editing and sharing of documents to authorisation rules. You can restrict access to files to certain individuals and teams, for example by giving them read-only status or limiting the validity of links with a time lock. The link is then only valid for a limited period of time. You can also choose to encrypt sensitive documents when sharing or sending them.

With a clear folder structure and clear naming conventions, you can search for documents not only by name but also by attributes, file type, contents and date.

A lot of time saved with good document management

Do you regularly spend fifteen minutes or more looking for that all-important presentation or summary? A huge waste of time, of course, especially if there is still a laundry list of tasks waiting for you… Good document management takes away your problems and frustrations. With a clear folder structure and clear naming convention, you can search for documents not only by name, but also by characteristics, file type, content and date.

Better, smarter and cheaper archiving

You probably remember the traditional way of archiving. Shelves full of thick binders and an enormous mountain of paper. Such a structure not only makes it difficult to find a document: it also leads to high printing costs and a high risk of losing essential information in case of fire or other calamities.

Modern document management with a good DMS makes it possible to completely digitise physical archives, create a clear digital folder structure and sign documents electronically. The result? Less paper usage, lower printing and storage costs, less need for physical storage space and a smaller chance of losing data and documents. 

Documents can be accessed securely at any time and from anywhere

Another key benefit of modern document management in the cloud is that with the right credentials, employees and external parties can view and edit documents anytime, anywhere and on any device. This is particularly useful for employees who are often on the road. Think for example of mechanics, engineers or sales people. Cloud service providers also invest a lot of money in cybersecurity these days, which means your documents in the cloud are usually safer than on-premises.

Documenten beheer je liever online.
You rather manage documents online.

Take document management to the next level with Prostream

You see, with document management and the right DMS, you get more, faster and easier insight into all your information flows. This makes the flawless execution of projects and activities a lot easier. 

Are you looking for a solution to get a grip on your entire information landscape? With Prostream you are able to: 

  • Manage your files smarter, easier and more clearly;
  • Collaborate easily in documents;
  • View current and historic versions;
  • Share documents quickly and securely with others; 
  • Send large files with one click of the mouse; 
  • Create an overview of all your projects with insightful dashboards and reports.

Read the next article: “What is quality assurance?“