Many businesses are using document archiving to help them securely store and retrieve important files easily, but why have they decided to convert from manual filing to electronic filing? A document archiving solution, such as Documation’s iRetrieve, has numerous benefits that can help to improve the way a business runs, as well as saving time and money.

With a document archiving solution, businesses will be able to scan and upload both typed and hand written documents onto a computer system. All documents are immediately available via the line of business systems, the Internet or desktop. Having instant access means there will be no need to waste time searching for information and documents in a variety of electronic and paper formats, allowing staff to spend their time doing more strategic tasks.

Many archiving solutions come with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which scans the documents and extracts key data elements. OCR makes it easier for businesses to find the documents they need right away, and it also vastly reduces time consuming and costly manual data entry. To find out more about OCR read our blog post: Using Optical Character Recognition to Improve Document Processing.

Other key benefits of a document archiving solution include:

• No requirement to keep paper copies of documents – electronically archiving documents will reduce the risk of losing important papers, whilst also saving on space and money.
• Instant access to corporate information – having electronic documents allows you to access files instantly, so you won’t need to waste time searching in filing cabinets. All documents are immediately available via the line of business systems, the Internet or desktop.
• Faster response to queries – with quick access to documents, businesses can respond to queries faster, which will help to build better relationships with suppliers.
• Seamless integration with back end business systems – giving users the ability to search and retrieve directly from other business platforms e.g. ERP, CRM.
• Print or email copy documents on demand – with access to electronic documents you will be able to send or print documents as and when needed.
• Audit trails for every document– all activities relating to documents, such as views, prints, forward etc, are noted. Documents cannot be removed from the system from an unauthorised individual or before the legal amount of time has passed, providing a complete and secure audit trail.
• Secure document storage meets legal and compliance requirements – Documation’s iRetrieve solution comes with full audit capabilities and support compliance legislation such as BIP0008 and Sarbanes Oxley.
• Can be supplied to suit multiple users’ languages within one system – improving use ability for global organisations around the world.

With benefits such as these, any business can achieve an office with less paper, reduced storage costs and improved business process. In a recent report by AIIM, Moving Your Business from Paper to PC’s to Tablets, 52% of the AIIM community consider that administrative staff in their organization would be a third or more productive if their processes were work-flowed using scanned forms and documents, with automated data capture.

Introducing a document archiving solution into an organisation can help to improve the productivity and efficiency of departments, as well as improving business relationships with suppliers and buyers. So if you haven’t thought about electronically archiving your documents yet, then consider what the above benefits could do for you and your business now and in the future.

To find out more about Documation’s iRetrieve and Invoice Management Solution software, please visit http://www.documation.co.uk/index.html or email info@documation.co.uk.