HIDE AND SEEK: A File by Any Other Name

It’s a beautiful summer day, and you have a quick half hour before you can escape to the golf course. Then, your client calls, searching for a copy of an important document.

Naturally your boss is on vacation.

You need to track down her latest, approved version of the frequently revised “Project X Timeline.” The day is going downhill fast: you’re not sure if the correct document is called Project X, v.4; Project X Timeline.final;  Project X timeline. Final revision; or Project X Timeline Client-OK.

Your tee time is sinking behind the horizon.

It’s times like these that Document Management is worth its weight in gold.

Here are three ways Document Management Software, like our Dash DDX™, would make finding “Project X” a snap.

1.       Robust Revision Control

One of Document Management Software’s most popular features is revision control. You are able to zero in on the most recent version of a document, as well as view a complete version history that tracks what changes have been made to the file, who made the change and when the change occurred.

2.       A Fast, Easily Searched Document Trail

Document Management Systems (DMS) have an easy format for predictably, consistently and accurately labeling documents before you file them away…the key to being able to find something (or someone’s files) later. This brings some structure to documents that may otherwise be unstructured – making order out of chaos.

That includes the ability to tag and classify the doc, add keywords and cross-reference documents, and file them according to your specific business process and file types.

It can also validate the information against other data sources (like your ERP system) to ensure the accuracy of we mere mortals.

3.       Multi-Dimensional Ways to Find Docs

With Document Management Software, you have multiple avenues to locate what you need, so there’s a much better chance of finding files fast. Document management can allow for any individual document to be accessed in multiple ways, and via multiple paths (or dimensions), so docs don’t get caught in silos. You choose the tags, and you choose how to locate a document: customer name, product ID, project description, order number, date and/or other relevant tags – or by searching the actual content of the document itself.

And because documents can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from any device, you could have found the Project X file and sent it to the client from your mobile phone on the golf course.

Happy summer…from one of summer’s best time-saving, headache-saving tools…Document Management software like our Dash DDX.