Picture this: You spent months, maybe even years, hearing about how great document management is--but once you implemented it, you felt pretty underwhelmed. If this scenario sounds familiar, don't despair; there's still a chance to rescue your document management--and it all starts with you.

Your Role in Document Management

The real power of document management isn't in the solutions--it's in how you choose to implement, organize, and utilize those solutions. In the wrong hands, even the best document management system can fall short of expectations.

However, yours aren't the wrong hands. Chances are, you know exactly what you want from document management--you just need a little help aligning those goals with targeted, actionable solutions.

Here are a few signs you may have missed the mark--and how to get back on track.

• #1: You're still doing all the work.

This is a pretty common one. Sometimes it's difficult to give up control of your documents, especially if you don't yet trust the software or solutions that will be taking over.

The solution here is to selectively give up control. For example, many document management tasks can be automated, meaning you can stay in charge of the big stuff (like access control) without worrying about the little stuff (like data entry).

• #2: You're wasting time.

If you find yourself wasting time looking for or organizing files, you probably fell into another common trap: failing to create a new organizational technique. Document management gives you a chance to organize your files by date, keyword, title, content, and more--but if you reverted to old habits, you may be missing out on this benefit.

To address this, try implementing naming conventions or organizational rules. When documents have an assigned "home" in a digital workspace, it's easier to make sure they end up there.

• #3: You feel frustrated with your documents.

Frustration is a sign that something isn't working. Chances are, you implemented document management solutions that were supposed to work but were never tailored to your company's unique needs and workflows.

In this case, your best bet is to return to the drawing board. How can you adapt your existing solutions to feel more like yours? Can steps be added or removed? Can approaches be scaled back?

Conclusion

If you just realized you may have dropped the ball on document management, don't worry. This solution grows and changes with you--so as you clarify your "document management vision," you'll be able to experiment with each element until you find what works for your unique company.

Need help with your document management system? Contact us today to make your vision a reality!