It’s Time to Clear Out Those Filing Cabinets: The Many Advantages of EDM

It was my first professional summer job as a college student where I saw first-hand the advantages of implementing an Electronic Document Management (EDM) system. I was an office accounting intern for a local manufacturing company, where there were numerous invoices, purchase orders, and old forecasts stored in massive cabinets conveniently located directly behind my cubicle. Besides the trouble of squeezing between the cabinets to just reach my desk (I was an intern, so I’m not complaining), it was apparent within the first week that the process of finding original documents by sifting through cabinets was both inefficient and annoying.

To my delight, one of my summer tasks was to move these paper documents into scanned electronic versions to aid in an EDM implementation. Other than widening the gap behind my cubicle, I noticed the many advantages that come with an Electronic Document Management system.

Accessibility: EDM makes documents much more accessible. Instead of having employees dive deep into cabinets and old files to retrieve documents, EDM solutions provide a centralized hub for all your virtual documents. New EDM solutions that store documents in the cloud (such as Canvas) even allow for viewing on multiple mobile devices. Out on the golf course when a customer asks for an invoice confirmation? No problem. You can view the invoice from the 9^th hole.

Security: EDM systems greatly enhance the security of your important documents. EDM systems allow you to have access controls to monitor who can access which documents. Documents can also be encrypted, making them much safer than behind an intern’s cubicle.

Transparency: During my summer with the company, I had received a call from a vendor asking for the payment of an invoice previously sent to us. We were unaware of the invoice and were not certain that it had been received. Luckily, we were able to search the vendor invoices electronically and locate the document in minutes. A paper invoice could have been lost or misplaced somewhere in the office, leading to unnecessary confusion with both parties. EDM solutions provide transparent information regarding all of your documents that can be helpful for any document lookup or audit.

EDM Solutions

There are many applications that may help your business move into EDM, which integrates with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. There are also many customizations that can be made to your current ERP system that can enhance the efficiency of your document management. EDM is an obvious way to make your documents more accessible, secure, and transparent. It was also a way to make my cubicle in the corner a little more breathable.

If you’re interested in exploring an EDM solution, ArcherPoint can help you find the right solution to fit your business and integrate with your ERP system. Contact us today.