In today’s world, businesses of all sizes are generating an enormous amount of data on a daily basis. This data includes important documents, contracts, agreements, presentations, and reports. All are critical to the company’s success. To manage this data, businesses need a robust system that can efficiently organize, store, and share documents. A document library could be the answer.
What is a Document Library?
A document library is a centralized repository where companies can store and organize documents. This makes them easily accessible to employees, regardless of location. It is a software-based solution that can manage different types of documents. These may include PDFs, word documents, spreadsheets, and images. Document libraries can be accessed through a web browser. As such, it’s easy for employees to access and collaborate on documents from anywhere.
Benefits of a Document Library
A document library provides numerous benefits to companies, including:
- Enhanced collaboration – Document libraries make it easier for employees to collaborate on documents. Team members can work on the same document simultaneously with a document library. They can also share feedback and make changes in real time. In this world of remote working, this is ideal.
- Increased efficiency – Document libraries can help increase document management efficiency. With all documents stored in one central location, employees can quickly find what they need. This reduces the time spent searching for information.
- Improved document security – Document libraries provide better document security than traditional paper-based filing systems. Access to documents can be restricted to specific users or groups. Therefore, you can ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.
- Better document tracking – Document libraries can track changes made to documents. This will allow you to track who made changes, when, and what changes were made. This is especially useful for compliance purposes.
- Lower costs – Document libraries can help to reduce costs associated with document management. Companies can save money by reducing the need for paper-based filing systems and physical storage space.
Will the use of a document library benefit my company?
Now that you’re familiar with the perks of a document library, how can you determine if it is the right solution for your company? Here are a few factors to consider:
- Document Volume – If your company generates a large volume of documents on a regular basis, a document library may be the right solution for you. It can help to organize and manage these documents, making them easy to find AND easily accessible to employees.
- Collaboration – A document library is a great solution if your company requires a high level of collaboration on documents. It makes it easy for team members to work together on documents in real time regardless of location.
- Security requirements – Does your company deal with a lot of sensitive information? If so, a document library can help to ensure that documents are secure. Access to documents can be restricted to specific users or groups. This offers far better security than traditional paper-based filing systems.
- Compliance requirements – If your company has compliance requirements, such as tracking changes to documents, a document library could be perfect for you. It can track document changes, making it easier for companies to comply with regulations.
- Remote workforce: This may be the greatest perk of a document library post-pandemic! If your company has a remote workforce, as many do nowadays, a document library can make it easier for employees to access documents from anywhere. It provides a centralized location for all documents, making it simple for employees to find what they need.
What features should I look for?
Document libraries are all a little different. However, looking for these features to make the most of your library is a good idea.
- Integrations – If your document library integrates with multiple other tools, you can leverage them to gather all relevant information in a unified platform.
- Control of access to documents – An access control feature lets you determine who can see what. For example, if only your executives should be accessing certain documents, you can arrange this access or assign different access levels to your various users.
- Relationship mapping – This feature lets you create relationships between various documents. For example, if you are perusing a particular file, the relationship function will send you a list of related documents you may want to access.
- Audit trail – An audit trail feature allows you to view who recently accessed a document and who made changes to it. This is an excellent accountability tool.
- Sharing options – A sharing function allows you to share documents with others in your organization promptly. It’s a huge time saver and allows for the seamless transfer of information to those who need it.
Intrigued? At Stillwater IT, we can offer document library solutions matching your company’s needs. Call us to discuss your options and to learn more about our many IT products and services. You can reach our staff of professionals at 604-899-1105 or by completing the contact form on our website.