With longer days and warmer temperatures, the season for spring cleaning is here! It’s the perfect time to tackle one of the most overlooked areas of the office… your document management system. Your filing system will benefit from a deep clean. Spring cleaning your documents can reduce clutter and boost productivity, making it easier to find what you need when you need it. Here are doc2e-file’s tips to streamline your document management system, making it more organized, secure, and efficient. doc2e-file is ready to spring into action!
Assess and Audit Existing Documents
The first step when spring cleaning your documents is taking inventory on what you already have. Review all the documents and determine what is still relevant and needs to be kept for compliance and what can be archived or deleted. Check for duplicates and unnecessary documents and delete them. This saves storage space, improves organization, and streamlines workflow for better efficiency.
Consolidate and Archive Old Files
Do you have a company retention schedule for all document types put in place? Are you following compliance? Determine which files are past retention and delete them. Move files that are no longer actively being used but must be kept for compliance into a separate folder. You don’t want documents from 10 years ago mixed in with today’s information. This results in a faster management system performance, reduces clutter, and makes documents easy to retrieve.
Digitize Paper Documents
The more paperwork you have, the more space they take up and the harder they are to maintain. Scan physical documents and film and store them digitally. This will free up physical space in the office and make them easier to search and access. Digital storage streamlines collaboration because sharing digital documents is easier than sharing physical copies, especially when not everyone is in the office everyday. It even has environmental benefits as it saves paper and minimizes waste. Physical documents can be damaged during emergencies and disasters (but doc2e-file can help with recovery too!)
Implement Access Controls
Review who has access to which documents, especially those with confidential or sensitive information like financial statements, contracts, and employee personal information. Does everyone that needs access have access? Only authorized personnel should be able to access the documents to minimize the risk of accidental deletion or modifications. You can also grant temporary access when others are needed on the document and restrict it after they are done.
Categorize and Label Documents and Files
When working on a document, some people just deposit it into a single folder on their computer. It is unorganized, confusing, and a dumping ground for all the work. Set a uniform naming system for all documents so that they are easily accessible and understandable. Don’t make the wording too vague so anyone that needs to find it can identify it in a large folder. Possible ways to organize them are by year, project name, client, version number, or document type. Some document management softwares (like DocuWare!) will allow users to tag documents with relevant keywords to make them searchable.
Spring cleaning your documents creates a more organized and efficient workflow for everyone on your team. By reviewing, organizing, and digitizing your files, you can reduce clutter and ensure that documents are easier to find and manage. A little time spent on organizing today can save you hours of confusion in the future. Take the opportunity this spring to tidy up your document management system. doc2e-file can help file away the stress!
