How to Implement a Document Conversion Solution
March 4th, 2022 by Van Ausdall & Farrar
In the digital era, finding any important file or piece of information is as easy as using a search tool. But if your company is still using hard copies and paper files, there is no search function that can find the file you’re looking for easily. That’s where document conversion solutions come in. Imagine moving all of your documents to the digital space where they take up less room, are easy to search for, and are safely secured.
The document conversion technology experts at Van Ausdall & Farrar are here to help you optimize your important documents into a digital space where they can easily be searched.
Steps to Implement a Document Conversion Solution In Your Business
The hardest part of implementing a document management system is getting started. Here are some steps to follow to make the process a little easier
1. PICK YOUR TEAM
To start this process, it’s best to designate a team that will oversee the entire implementation process. Trusting them to review every department’s file needs will help provide an idea of the overall scope of work. You might even choose a representative from each department to be a part of this team so that every department has an equal voice. This team needs high level permissions and should have the ability to create new users throughout the process.
2. EXAMINE YOUR CURRENT PROCESS
Once your team is in place, have them examine the current process that documents travel through between departments. Start by looking for the current management elements in each department. Study how documents are:
- Collected and received
- Managed. Whether its approved, rejected, or pending
- Transmitted
- Secured
- Deleted or disposed of
Understanding each of these movements a document goes through will help find room for improvements in the process.
3. TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR CURRENT DOCUMENTS
Once the team has an understanding of how documents are handled, they can now take inventory of all the different types of documents that are in the system and how they are being used. The team might start in one or two departments as a test. They will need access to all the documents, whether stored on a computer or in file boxes.
These documents can be anything from employee forms and records, to client information and reference materials. Every document should be examined, not just the most commonly used ones. During this process, it’s common that teams find they need more resources to accurately organize and store all of the documents. This organizational process will help the team find out which documents are important and which ones take up unnecessary space.
4. SET UP A STRATEGY AND GOALS
Now that your team understands the full scope of the types of documents that your organization works with, they can start putting together a strategy for implementing a system. It can sometimes help to break the strategy down into goals that can be accomplished together. Your strategy should consider:
- The problems the company had before with document management and how this new document conversion solution will solve them.
- Create a standard process for how documents will be received, processed, reviewed, stored, retrieved, and purged from the system.
- How documents are handled when they’re no longer needed.
- Work with your IT department to develop a data backup and recovery plan, as well as setting up security to keep this information safe.
5. PURGE UNNECESSARY DOCUMENTS
Once you have a plan in place and you know which documents are the most important in your organization, it’s time to trim the fat. Cut out any documents that the team decides are redundant or unnecessary. You can also take surveys in each department to get feedback about which documents are beneficial and which are not.
The team may choose to commit dated documents to a company archive or remove them entirely. Old files don’t just take up space; if not properly secured, they could present legal liabilities too. When purging documents, refer to your retention and destruction policies in your strategy, but also be aware of any industry regulations that dictate how these files should be handled.
6. PUT YOUR STRATEGY INTO ACTION
Now that your team has a strategy developed, it’s time to implement it. Start with just one or two departments as a test. Provide training and answer any questions so the department can know what to expect throughout the process. There will likely be hiccups that come up, or processes that need to be reworked. It’s important to flesh out the process before implementing it to the entire organization.
7. MAINTAIN
Once your document conversion strategy is implemented, it’s important to stay on top of regular maintenance tasks to ensure that things keep running smoothly and that departments don’t fall back to their old ways. Have your document team perform regular audits to keep processes running as intended and keep every department of the organization on the same page.
Get Started on Document Conversion with Help from Van Ausdall & Farrar
Van Ausdall & Farrar have the tools, experience and document conversion solutions to help make your document conversion process at your business a breeze. Contact us today to learn how we can help move your documents to the digital space so they’re easily accessible and searchable. We have the document conversion services your company needs to excel.
Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog, Process, Managed IT Solutions
