Going paperless is ideal if you’re concerned about what’s best for the environment. But beyond using less paper, digital document management provides you with numerous powerful capabilities. In this blog post we explain how turning to a document management solution can give your company a competitive advantage.

Content Becomes Data — When documents are digitized, unstructured content becomes searchable text and files become sources of actionable insights. Marketing, auditing, and other management activities will thrive when your data is at your fingertips in digital form.

Automates Workflows — While your competitors are literally pushing paper and acting as librarians, document management empowers you to automate standard processes such as content routing, task assignments, approval and validations, and team updates. Designing conditional paths can provide the kind of complex and nuanced processing that normally can only be done by a person. Many companies use document management for storage purposes only, not workflow management. Taking advantage of these smart features really gives your team the competitive edge.

Secures Data — Unlike paper documents that disappear, digital files need never be lost, and compliance is simple with automated saving and backup. User- or role-based permissions control who can view, edit, and print documents, with clear audit trails keeping records of any actions or changes. With offsite backup, even your oldest archives can be protected, while email attachment controls protect your systems against malware.

Improves Productivity — When 30 percent of a typical work day is spent searching for paper documents, well-designed document management can completely transform your operations. The ability to quickly and easily search for data makes you more responsive to customer needs, and the staff time saved from searching is like hiring more members for your team.

Facilitates Collaboration — Collaborative tools make document sharing and editing frictionless. While a sheet of paper can only be held by one individual at a time, document management enables the simultaneous editing of files. Version histories give you the option to roll back when a change goes wrong, and audit trails provide detailed tracking information.

Cost Savings — With document management, eliminate the need for costly filing cabinets and storage spaces, virtually eliminating storage expenses. You’ll save thousands by putting an end to manual searching and filing, while automating other processes frees even more of your team’s time.

If you’re looking for a competitive advantage for your business, consider adopting a document management system to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Contact Golden Gate Office Supplies today to learn more.