Archive for the ‘Archiving’ Category

Document processing: spanning the gap

Off
January 9th, 2014

Document management is still a fairly little-known thing, but one that has the potential to transform the business place. In an age in which the paperless office is a rarely-achieved ideal, the suite of technologies known as document processing (and the accounts department special case, invoice processing) can actually make this a reality.

Document management systems are very effective collaboration tools. They allow groups to store, exchange, modify and keep track of documents. There are also facilities to track the changes made and record many versions of documents. This allows many people to work on the same project, saving it centrally without the need for many different versions or fragments that then have to be standardised and put together as a full product.

If you have paper documents, as most businesses do, then there is obviously a gap between that state of affairs and the truly online version to which you may aspire. Simply, it is tough to work across the two – sometimes having to deal with real letters, memos and documents and sometimes with virtual ones. This is where document processing comes in. It is a set of technologies that changes physical documents to their electronic equivalents. Some of the most basic (and therefore cheapest) of these technologies involve merely scanning-to-PDF: creating an image or other file out of a written document. However, at its most advanced it is possible to turn handwritten notes into editable files, like any other work document. These can then be placed into your document management system and treated like any other electronic document.

Document management and the document processing that makes bridging the void between ‘real’ and virtual possible are therefore extremely helpful technologies. Invoice processing applies this to your accounts department, allowing you to turn physical invoices into electronic ones. This is significant, since many suppliers and organisations will still submit paper invoices, and these can easily be treated differently to the ones you receive electronically. They can get forgotten or mislaid, with implications for your relationships with your suppliers and for your reputation. If you are aiming for a paperless office, whether for financial or environmental reasons, then this is an effective way to help bring that about. The solution you opt for will depend upon the nature of your organisation and its needs, as well as its budget, but the range of alternatives available means there is something for everyone.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

52c82325e3731

Archiving, Business

Document management systems bring many benefits to businesses

Off
November 25th, 2010

In the twenty-first century, a time of digital systems and advanced technology, it should come as no surprise that document processing and document management are both now done with the help of computers as standard in many businesses around the world. A great number of burdensome tasks which were previously long and drawn-out, such as invoice processing, are now completed quickly, easily, and accurately with the help of this technology. The systems are used and relied upon by many top businesses and have been for years.

An up to the minute computing system has a number of benefits. Employee morale can be terribly damaged by spending time on routine tasks that could be accomplished far more quickly by using commonly available technology. Document management systems allow greater collaboration between colleagues, easy organisation of data, and simple filing of documents for the future. Old paper documents can also be added to the system so that office space can be used more productively than merely for storage. On the subject of storing documents, a computerised system can provide options for automatic storage by user, date, title, and other variables which greatly speed up and simplify retrieval of the documents in the future.

Invoice processing is a related system which helps streamline the work of businesses’ accounts departments. Using intelligent data capture software these processing systems can match invoices with purchasing orders and where necessary direct them to the relevant member of the department for approval. This greatly increases the speed with which invoices can be processed which, among other benefits, has a positive effect on businesses’ relationships with their suppliers and may enable them to take advantage of discounts for early payment.

On the data-gathering and auditing side of the business these types of system are also a huge advantage. Many businesses have been using them for years in order to keep a closer eye on important questions such as expenditure. Security and control mechanisms are easier to organise using computerised systems and the number of payment errors made can be reduced when they are installed.

In the current economic climate, many employers are worried about their overheads and about ensuring the best use of their resources. document management systems and document processing systems can free up space within the office and free up space in the daily schedules of employees. Invoice processing also provides benefits for employers because it is undeniably easier to make strategic decisions with all the information at your finger-tips.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

4cd7252c5375a

Archiving, Communication, Organisation