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What are the problems & disadvantages of manual filing systems & document management?

Classic Document Management Problems

At the beginning, many companies manage their documents with the classic mixture of paper and file storage. As the company grows and with it the volume of documents and information, this system usually quickly reaches its limits.

In addition, it is difficult to comply with the legal requirements for proper archiving in this way. Documents must always be archived in the original format. This means that it is not sufficient to print and file an electronic document.

The inconsistent filing also creates a number of problems, the negative effects of which increase as more documents are managed in this way. Essentially, the following areas can be identified, which are adversely affected by traditional filing:

Most of the times, nobody knows where documents are stored, when they are being processed. The non-uniform data basis forces users to look for information in many different systems.

Time / Costs

  • The more documents are stored, the longer it takes employees to search file servers and folders for the information they need. This increases the percentage of manual filing in personnel costs. As a result, employees have less time to do important and productive work.

  • Distribution copies and double filing (copies for project files and the like) can cause considerable printing and paper costs. 50 % and more of the documents must be copied and stored in several folders so that they can be found in every type of search.

  • Up to 30% of document accesses are unsuccessful because the documents are misfiled, disappeared or in process.

  • Wrongly filed or lost documents can also cause considerable costs.

Transparency

  • Work processes are confusing, nobody knows where a document is at the moment and who is processing it. Deadlines and appointments pass unused because employees lose track of the documents to be processed.

  • Project and company knowledge can be hoarded by individuals and deliberately not made accessible to colleagues.

  • Since the actual time taken to process a document until it is finally filed is less than 10%, documents are mostly unavailable.

  • File server structures are often confusing, as each employee creates his own structures in which colleagues cannot find their way.

Communication

  • Customer service also suffers from inadequate information management, as employees are unable to provide information quickly.

  • Extensive correspondence and data transfer.

  • E-mail systems become slower the more e-mails are stored.

Con­trolling

  • Controlling tasks are complex.

  • The processing status of individual documents is difficult to trace.

  • The last person to process a document can only be found out by asking questions.

  • Change control and versioning of Office documents is hardly possible.

Space Requirement / Miscellaneous

  • The filing of documents requires space at individual workstations and in the registry.

  • On average, each document is copied 2-3 times. The volume of documents grows and grows.

  • On the way, access to documents is difficult or impossible.

And the Solution?

A Document Management System in general or bitfarm-Archiv Document Management in particular solves all these problems or does not even let them arise. Start with the digital management of your documents as early as possible. This creates structure and transparency at all levels of your company.

Last but not least, both individual employees and the entire company benefit from faster and more efficient processes.Workflows can be automated with the help of a DMS and the search for documents and information is also accelerated many times over. In addition, all authorized employees can also access documents that are currently being processed.

Further information on Document Management