Your company has already turned to electronic content management (ECM) to purge paper from your workplace. You’re now seeing the many benefits of storing, archiving, and managing documents digitally, increasing efficiency and productivity in the company. But are you maximizing your return on investment? Here are the ECM best practices you should follow to maximize your ROI.
Enforce a universal naming strategy
An ECM solution won’t be very useful if you aren’t taking advantage one of its most important benefits: easy access to your documents. By enforcing a company-wide file naming strategy that stops employees from coming up with their own file names, everyone will be able to quickly find the what they’re looking for.
Use metadata
Another way to help find documents fast is by using metadata. Instead of unpacking cumbersome nested folders, tag your files with metadata. This allows users to filter and group content, improve file organization, and find documents faster.
Control access to documents and files with permissions
Companies are managing more confidential information than ever, regardless of which industry they’re in. Consequently, it’s vital to protect sensitive data by regulating who has access to it. Limit access to documents, files, and folders through role-based user permissions, only allowing access to those you who truly need it.
Employ a document retention policy
The amount of time a business is required to keep a copy of its documents varies by industry and the associated regulations. Ensure your company stays compliant by creating a policy for the proper retention of its documents. This policy will prevent the deletion or modification of documents before they have reached their ‘maturity date’ and control who is able to perform these actions.
An ECM solution can be a powerful tool for businesses, but just how powerful depends on the steps you take to ensure you’re getting the most out of it.