What is Document Management Software Workflow?

Summary

This video by Josh, founder of Technical Writer HQ, explores the concept of document management software and its workflow, focusing on the automation of document processes within organizations. It discusses the importance of document management for handling various document types, the challenges faced, and how digital solutions streamline operations, improve productivity, and reduce costs. The benefits of using document management systems, including workflow automation, cost reduction, improved collaboration, and advanced search capabilities, are highlighted. The video also touches on different storage options and the decision factors for choosing between on-premise and cloud-based document management systems.

Takeaways

• 📚 Document management workflow involves the use of automated processes implemented through specialized software to handle the lifecycle of documents within an organization.
• 🔍 Document management is a system for organizing and managing documents, addressing their creation, review, approval, distribution, update, and removal.
• 🚀 The benefits of document management software include improved performance, streamlined business processes, reduced errors, and increased productivity and competitiveness.
• 🔒 Controlled access with document management systems allows defining access policies to ensure that staff can only access documents for which they are cleared.
• 🔄 Workflows are sequences of activities necessary to complete a task, and well-defined workflows help optimize operations and ensure quality.
• 📈 Automated workflows in document management systems streamline and automate repeated tasks, minimize errors, and increase efficiency.
• 💻 Digital document management systems offer benefits such as workflow automation, easy change and optimization of document workflows, and reduced costs associated with paper and storage.
• 🔎 Advanced search capabilities in document management systems allow for quick retrieval of needed documents, saving time and energy.
• 👀 Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology supported by modern document management systems makes scanned documents searchable and editable.
• 🌐 Cloud-based document management solutions provide scalability and offer features like disaster recovery and security, requiring only a reliable internet connection.
• 🛡️ Document management software enhances security and disaster recovery, protecting critical documents from security breaches and ensuring business continuity.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of document management software workflow?

The primary purpose of document management software workflow is to automate the processes of document collection, storage, management, editing, disposal, and categorization within an organization.

Who is Josh and what is his role in this video?

Josh is the presenter of the video, who has over 10 years of experience in technical writing and information architecture. He is also the founder of Technical Writer HQ and aims to educate document management professionals on workflow automation.

Why is document management essential for organizations?

Document management is essential for organizations because it helps manage and organize various types of documents throughout their lifecycle, from creation to removal, ensuring efficient storage, access, and sharing.

What are the common document types that organizations have to deal with?

Organizations commonly deal with documents such as project proposals, finance reports, software documents, HR guidelines, marketing materials, and training manuals.

How does document management help improve productivity?

Document management helps improve productivity by providing a system that reduces the time spent on document submission, review, and approval processes, and by ensuring easy access to the right documents when needed.

What are the two types of workflows mentioned in the video?

The two types of workflows mentioned are manual workflows, where a human is responsible for moving tasks along, and automated workflows, where a computerized system assigns tasks to the next person in the process.

What are some of the benefits of using a digital document management system over a paper-based system?

Digital document management systems offer benefits such as workflow automation, easy changes and optimization of document workflows, reduced costs associated with paper and storage, improved collaboration, audit trails, advanced search capabilities, and fast document retrieval.

How does optical character recognition (OCR) technology benefit document management?

OCR technology benefits document management by reading and converting scanned written or printed content into machine-readable text, making documents searchable and editable, and thus improving the efficiency of document handling.

What are some of the storage options available for electronic document management systems?

Some storage options for electronic document management systems include servers, cloud storage, network-attached storage (NAS), and storage area networks (SAN).

What are the two main types of document management systems discussed in the video?

The two main types of document management systems discussed are on-premise, where the software is installed on a server at the organization's location, and cloud-based, where the service is provided by a third-party cloud service provider.

How does document management software contribute to business continuity and disaster recovery?

Document management software contributes to business continuity and disaster recovery by allowing organizations to back up critical documents and data to a disaster recovery site or the cloud, ensuring that business operations can continue even if a disaster affects the primary data repository.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Document Management Software

In this introductory segment, Josh, a technical writing expert and founder of Technical Writer HQ, welcomes viewers to a video exploring document management software. He emphasizes his decade-long experience in the field and invites viewers to subscribe for future content. The paragraph delves into the concept of document management workflow, which is the automated process facilitated by specialized software to handle the lifecycle of documents within an organization. It highlights the importance of document management for organizing various types of documents and the challenges faced without a proper system, such as productivity loss due to inefficient document retrieval and the slow process of document review and approval. The summary underscores the benefits of implementing document management systems to streamline business processes, improve performance, and ensure controlled access to documents.

05:03

🚀 Advantages of Digital Document Management

This paragraph outlines the benefits of transitioning from traditional paper-based systems to digital document management solutions. It begins by discussing workflow automation, which allows for the optimization of document processes and leads to improved efficiency without the need for manual approvals. The ease of modifying digital workflows is contrasted with the cumbersome process of changing paper-based systems. The paragraph also covers cost reduction associated with eliminating paper and storage expenses, as well as the prevention of document loss or misfiling. Improved collaboration through digital sharing and the use of audit trails for tracking document modifications are highlighted. Advanced search capabilities, fast document retrieval, and the integration of OCR technology for converting scanned documents into editable text are presented as key features. The benefits of electronic document sharing, reduced storage needs, and various storage options such as servers, cloud, NAS, and SAN are also discussed, along with the security and disaster recovery aspects of digital document management.

10:04

🛡️ Document Management Software: Cloud vs. On-Premise

The final paragraph discusses the two main types of document management systems: cloud-based and on-premise. It explains that on-premise solutions involve installing the software on a company's server, which is typically used by larger enterprises. This approach requires purchasing licenses and may involve additional fees for technical support and updates. Companies have full control over their hardware and software but need an IT team for maintenance. In contrast, cloud-based systems are provided by a service provider, which handles all maintenance and offers a subscription-based payment model. Cloud-based systems are suitable for startups and small businesses due to lower initial investment and scalability. The choice between the two depends on the organization's specific needs, including considerations for data sensitivity and infrastructure preferences. Josh concludes by summarizing the benefits of document management software and invites viewers to engage with the channel for more insights into technical writing and documentation management.

Keywords

💡Document Management Workflow

Document management workflow refers to the automated processes implemented through specialized software to handle documents within an organization. This includes collection, storage, management, editing, disposal, and categorization. In the video, it is emphasized as a way to streamline operations and increase efficiency, which is crucial for productivity and business performance.

💡Document Management

Document management is the systematic approach to organizing and managing documents throughout their lifecycle. The video explains that organizations deal with various types of documents, each going through stages from creation to removal. Effective document management is highlighted as essential to avoid productivity loss due to disorganization.

💡Productivity Loss

Productivity loss in the context of the video is the inefficiency caused by the inability to locate or access documents when needed. It is presented as a common challenge that document management systems aim to solve by providing clear processes and procedures for document handling, thus improving overall workflow.

💡Workflow Automation

Workflow automation is the process of using technology to automate repetitive tasks within a business process. The video discusses how document management systems can automate workflows, leading to faster work completion, improved efficiency, and better business performance. This is exemplified by the ability to define and optimize document workflows tailored to specific organizational needs.

💡Digital Document Management

Digital document management is the modern approach to managing documents using digital tools and systems, as opposed to traditional paper-based methods. The video points out the benefits of digital systems, such as easier document sharing, collaboration, and the ability to convert physical documents into searchable and editable digital formats.

💡Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR is a technology that allows the conversion of printed or written text into machine-readable text. In the video, OCR is mentioned as a feature of modern document management systems that can automatically attach scanned documents to digital records, making them searchable and editable, which greatly enhances document retrieval and management.

💡Cloud-Based Storage

Cloud-based storage is a method of data storage where data is stored on remote servers accessed over the internet. The video discusses cloud storage as an option for document management, offering scalability, ease of access, and the advantage of not needing to invest in on-premise hardware.

💡Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery in the video refers to the strategies and solutions in place to recover and protect data in the event of a disaster or data loss. It is presented as a key benefit of document management software, ensuring business continuity and protection against data loss from events such as natural disasters or cyber threats.

💡On-Premise

On-premise refers to the installation of software and hardware on a company's own local servers. The video contrasts on-premise document management systems with cloud-based solutions, noting that on-premise requires more investment in hardware and IT resources but offers control over the systems and data.

💡Electronic Document Retrieval

Electronic document retrieval is the process of accessing digital documents quickly and efficiently. The video emphasizes the time and cost savings associated with electronic retrieval compared to paper-based systems, as it allows for instant access and eliminates the need for physical searching.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration in the context of the video refers to the ability of team members to work together on documents and processes. It is enhanced by digital document management solutions, which facilitate sharing, editing, and communication around documents, leading to improved teamwork and productivity.

Highlights

Document management workflow automates the collection, storage, management, editing, disposal, and categorization of documents within an organization.

Document management is essential for organizing various types of documents such as project proposals, finance reports, and HR guidelines, each with its own lifecycle.

Productivity loss due to document challenges can be mitigated with a system for document management that includes well-defined processes and procedures.

Document management systems improve productivity by reducing delays and inefficiencies in document submission, review, and approval processes.

Workflows are sequences of activities necessary to complete a task, and well-defined workflows optimize operations and increase productivity.

Manual workflows require human intervention at each task transition, while automated workflows use a computerized system to manage task flow.

Document management systems streamline and automate repeated tasks, minimize errors, and increase overall efficiency, improving business performance.

Clear guidelines provided by document management workflows lead to improved efficiency and business productivity.

Digital document management systems offer workflow automation, reducing the need for manual approval and speeding up work processes.

Reduced costs are a significant benefit of digital document management, as it eliminates the expenses associated with paper and storage.

Improved collaboration is facilitated by digital document management solutions, making sharing and collaboration on documents more efficient.

Audit trails in document management systems help identify personnel responsible for errors and modifications, ensuring accountability.

Advanced search capabilities in robust document management systems allow for quick retrieval of needed documents, saving time and energy.

Fast document retrieval through electronic document management significantly reduces the time and costs associated with searching for paper documents.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology supported by modern document management systems converts scanned documents into searchable and editable text.

Sharing electronic documents is easier and faster, reducing the time required for document exchange even over long distances.

Reduced storage requirements with electronic document management systems save physical space and reduce the need for file cabinets and storage bins.

Different storage options for electronic document management include servers, cloud, NAS devices, and SANs, each with its own benefits and considerations.

Security benefits of document management include password protection and advanced security features to protect against cyber threats.

Disaster recovery is facilitated by document management software, ensuring business continuity even in the event of a disaster or security breach.

The choice between cloud-based and on-premise document management systems depends on organizational needs, with each offering different advantages.

Transcripts

What is document management software workflow, and what is document

management and what are the benefits of document management software?

In this video, we're going to dive into that in more.

Hi there.

My name's Josh and I have over 10 years of experience in technical

writing and information architecture to help better manage documentation.

I'm also the founder of Technical Writer hq, and this video is for document

management professionals who wants to learn more about workflow automation.

Before we dive in all that, take a moment to subscribe to our channel and that

way don't miss any of our future videos.

On how to be better at managing and organizing your documents.

Now let's go ahead and get started.

Document management workflow refers to the use of automated document

workflows that are implemented through specialized document management software.

These workflows automate the collection, storage, management, editing,

disposal, and categorization of.

Within an organization.

Before going into further detail about workflows, let's first discuss document

management and why it is required.

So document management refers to the use of a system for

managing and organizing documents.

Organizations have to deal with many different types of documents,

such as project proposals, finance reports, software, document.

HR guidelines, marketing material, and training manuals, and each

document goes through a life cycle from creation, review, approval,

distribution, update, and removal.

The documents also have to be stored, accessed, and shared.

A system for document management is comprised of processes and procedures

that define each step that a document has to go through during its life cycle, and

processes for storage access and distribu.

Document challenges simply lead to productivity loss and

this is the way to solve it.

And the reason that this happens is productivity loss is because we

often can't find the right documents, our files when we desperately

need them, or can't access the document due to time or location.

Barriers.

Another way, document challenges.

Slow down work is one, the process of document submission review and approval

takes a lot more time than it should, and it's because all these different types

of approval systems happen in different.

And paper documents often travel from death to desk and can

get overlooked or misplaced.

Document management put systems in place for improving productivity and

eliminating these delays and inefficiency.

These systems are comprised of processes and procedures that are

based on industry best practices, and document management offers numerous

benefits such as improved performance.

It's easier to locate documents and restore them when the process for

doing so is clear and well defined.

Business processes are streamlined and chances of error are also reduced.

You also have improved performance, which leads to higher productivity,

business growth and competitiveness, and we have elimination of loss and misfile.

Well defined document management processes help to reduce or completely

eliminate loss or misplaced.

And we also have controlled access with a document management system.

You can define access policies, so staff can only access documents

for which they are cleared.

Next, let's talk about workflow.

A workflow is a sequence of activities that are necessary to complete a task.

Well defined workflows allow businesses and other organizations

to optimize operations, increase workers' productivity, and ensure

high quality across the board.

Let's take a look at some workflows that are used in organiz.

Vacation request is just one example.

Sales order is another.

There are two types of workflows.

The first is manual.

In a manual workflow, a human is responsible for pushing each

item from one task to another.

For example, when filling out a reimbursement claim, an

employee has to manually take.

Or email the form to the manager for approval.

After approval, the employee must take it manually or email it to the

finance department, and the second is automated in an automated workflow.

When a human completes a task, a computerized system assigns a task to

the next person and the workflow, and the system manages a flow of tasks, including

notifications, deadlines, and reminders.

Document management systems include well-defined document workflows.

A document workflow is a sequence of administrative.

Other processes through which a document passes from initiation to

completion and workflows helped us streamline and automate repeated.

Minimize errors and increase overall efficiency.

This improves business performance as managers can make quicker and

smarter decisions, and employees are empowered to collaborate in

a more productive and agile way.

The goal of a document management workflow is to provide clear guidelines

on how to handle any document throughout the document life cycle.

Having well-defined workflows creates clarity, which leads to improved

efficiency and business productivity.

In the past though, document management systems dealt with paper.

And their storage location.

Updating, tracking and sharing.

Today, most organizations use digital documents that are converted to paper

documents, only one required and document management today is done by a digital

document management system, so aka an electronic document management system

compared to the paper based systems of.

A while ago, digital document management solutions offer benefits

that enable many different improvements in performance and productivity.

And the first benefit is workflow automation.

As we discussed a little earlier, you can define automated document

workflows that are optimized for your requirements and workflow Automation

speeds up work and leads to improved efficiency and business performance

as a system will not need to wait.

For manual approval prior to assigning documents to the next

step in the assigned workflow.

Another major advantage is that any document workflow can be

easily changed and optimized.

You only need to make a few changes to the software and you're good to

go compare that to a traditional system based on paper documents

where you would have to arrange a few meetings before people would know and

understand the new document workflow.

And the next benefit is reduced costs.

The use of digital document management.

Allows you to save costs associated with paper and storage of paper documents.

An electronic document management system also helps to reduce costs associated with

loss or misfile documents, paper and other resource waste, regulatory violations,

and frequent data entry errors.

Then we have improved collaboration with a digital document management solution.

Sharing, collaborating on documents and processes is much easier compared to

paper based document management solutions.

Audit trails attract the creation.

Editing of documents allow you to.

Identify personnel in the be of intentional or unintentional

errors and modifications.

Also, email integration allows you to search and track correspondence related

to shared documents, and we also have advanced search when documents are saved

in a robust document management system.

The content is archived and indexed with meta.

This allows you to use advanced search capabilities to find

needed documents within seconds.

And this allows your teams to save time and energy, and ultimately leads to

cost savings and improved productivity.

And the next benefit here is fast document retrieval.

Fast document retrieval improves productivity by making it easy

to retrieve file documents.

It also reduces costs associated with the time that is was.

Looking and searching for missed file documents compared

to a paper based system.

Electronic document retrieval saves several thousands of man hours per year,

which translate to significant savings and positively impacts the bottom line.

We also have optical character recognition or.

OCR OCR is a software technology that's supported by modern

document management systems.

It can read, written, or printed content that scanned and can convert

it to machine readable text documents such as invoices, receipts, and

contracts can be automatically attached to digital records, making

them easily searchable and editable.

This feature offers multiple.

Sharing electronic documents is easier.

It takes less time.

Documents can be received within a few seconds, even if the recipient

is thousands of miles away and searching for and locating electronic

documents is convenient, and then there's reduced storage requirements.

With electronic document management system, you save valuable physical space

that would otherwise have been taken up by bulky and expensive file cabinets,

boxes and storage bins with digital systems, the number of available storage.

Is endless.

Here are just a few of them.

You have servers.

If you prefer, you can use traditional hardware based

file servers for data storage.

The benefit of this approach is that all the hardware and software

will be under your control.

One drawback of this approach is that you'll need IT professionals

to manage the hardware and software.

And we also have cloud.

If you don't want to invest in hardware, you can easily store data on the cloud.

Like many professionals and companies do today, stored on the cloud scales

easily, and most services offer disaster recovery and other advanced features

such as security and synchronization.

You only need a reliable internet connection for cloud access too.

It's not easy.

And you can use multiple cloud storage services to minimize the

probability of service outage.

So network attached storage.

So NAS is another one, and NAS device is a computer that is optimized for storage.

It connects to a network and allows you your teams to

easily store and access data.

Naas devices are cost effective, easiest set up and easy to.

And can be accessed over the internet or on mobile.

And we also have storage area network, which is sa, a storage area network, or

SAN is a specialized high speed network that provides network access to storage.

Sans are comprised of storage devices that can be accessed by

multiple servers or computers, and provide a share pool storage space.

Some benefit to managing documents in these ways.

Better security.

You can control access to business documents through password protection

and advanced security features will also ensure that your critical

digital documents are protected from security breaches and cyber threats.

Another benefit is disaster recovery.

Document management software will allow you to back up critical

company documents and data to either a disaster recovery, so Dr.

Or to the cloud and disaster recovery offers you peace of mind.

As you know that business continuity will be maintained even if a disaster such

as an earthquake storm or let's say an extended power outage, affects a primary

data repository and makes it unavailable.

And disaster recovery will also protect your data in case a primary repository

is comprised by a security breach.

There are two main types of document management.

As well versus on premise, the document management software is

installed on a server on your premises.

Now this usually happens with larger enterprises and bigger companies.

The server can be accessed by users through a client application or web

browser, and the hardware and software are owned and operated by you.

You generally have to purchase a license for each user, which is a one time fee.

On premise.

Solutions typically charge an additional fee for technical support

and software updates after the first.

You can control all hardware and software customization, and a team

of IT professionals is required to install, maintain, and upgrade systems.

The second one that we have is cloud-based.

The document management solution is provided by cloud-based service

provider, all the hardware and software maintenance costs.

Are born by the service provider.

Cloud-based software is typically paid for on a subscription basis.

The feed varies depending on the monthly annual billing and the complexity of

the solution you choose, and you'll need to make sure that your provider adheres

to the best cybersecurity practices.

To protect your data and the type of document management system that you choose

will depend on your organizational needs.

A cloud-based system would be suitable for startups and small businesses as

they might not want to spend significant amounts on hardware and software and

doing on premise installation and have to deal with annual contracts.

An established company though might prefer to host only the storage on the cloud.

And a company that deals in highly sensitive information might prefer to

have all system components inside its own.

And there you have it.

Everything from what is document management software workflow, what is

document management and what are the benefits of document management software?

Thanks for watching the video.

Sticking with us at the end.

Again, my name is Josh.

I'm the founder of Technical Writer hq, and I hope to see you on some

of our other videos so you can learn more about documentation and how

to become a great technical writer.

And if you enjoyed this video, make sure to go ahead and like and subscribe it.

And I'll go ahead and see you on some of our following videos.

Cheer.