2009 11 Dec

Document Management Abridged- The Three Basic Components.

Document management is a term that may cause even tech savvy professionals to raise their hands in bewilderment and exasperation. Why? It seems everyone has a different idea of what features and capabilities it includes. To simplify and eliminate unnecessary confusion we’ll avoid the acronyms and break the system down into three basic elements :

1. Document Capture
2. Document delivery and distribution
3. Document workflow

*Document Capture*

Usual document capture involves printing a document and putting it in an organized filing system. Electronic files capture places the file in an organized file environment as well, but without resorting to paper copies.

Documents go into the electronic filing system, now more often called the “document management system,” in several ways. External documents can originate almost anywhere : from trading partners, media sources, research organizations, government and regulatory facilities, to name a few.

Historically, there have been two methods for channeling internal files into the document management system: raw data may have been printed and then scanned into the storage system; or the data could be exported as a PDF file. External paper files, including hard-copy faxes, usually are scanned into archives. E-mail documents normally enter the system in their digital form.

A way better solution is to employ software solutions that employ automated document capture processes that interact with the document management system to apply indexing automatically as documents are captured- at the time of production, for internal documents, or as they are scanned into the system.

*Document Delivery/Distribution*

Not so long ago, paper documents have moved about an organization via the company mail system. While this is still commonplace, an increasing amount of document delivery and distribution is being carried out electronically, with document delivery via email or intranet postings and alerts.

The returns are similarly remarkable for general/special-purpose files.

*Document workflow*

In concept, workflow embraces many areas of corporate activity, from the meeting line to the business office. In office, it is concerned primarily with the creation and management of business documents- most specifically document routing, document endorsement and document versioning. Examples might involve the development of marketing materials or engineering specifications, both of which frequently involve the input of multiple individuals at a variety of touch points.

1 of the most precious attributes in an electronic workflow environment, for example, is document version control, where many hands may be involved in the building and refining of a business document. It is easy to envision the chaos that can result when many people have a hand in modifying an original document, working independently and often saving their changes in new file versions. Not many versions involved, it can become difficult to separate original files from successive versions.

While working in the electronic environment in itself provides the opportunity for substantial document version support and control, it also leaves the collaborators responsible, which is often unacceptable for uncomplicated projects. Today, on the other hand, advanced workflow solutions are available that automate workflow procedures, freeing workers at all levels to focus on their creative activities.