Going Paperless
FreshBusinessThinking.com has an excellent article running on their website covering the progression of digital document management, the likelihood of a truly paperless office and why so many business owners may be hesitant to convert to electronic document storage. In a nutshell, the concept of digital storage was pushed too hard too early, and many businesses had bad experience trying to hop on the band wagon. However, the technologies used by EDM Centers like the one
GRM offers are above and beyond those initially introduced. They're effective, efficient and more affordable than ever.
From FreshBusinessThinking:
All of this document production and storage is occurring in a time when almost everything we generate comes from a digital system, eg. word processing, accounting systems, digital copiers, etc. – and most of these documents are already stored in digital file format on the system that created them originally (Word files, spreadsheets, photographs, accounting systems, etc). Yet there is still a great reluctance to take the final step and commit these paper files into a concise digital filing system and reduce the amount of environmentally damaging paper consumed, as well as reducing the expense committed to vast amounts of wasted space given over to document storage. Much of the resistance to change stems from old and somewhat flawed technology being made available before it’s limitations were determined.
Convergence of Document Management & Payment Pros
CIO released an interesting article yesterday focusing on the ongoing melding of document management and Accounts Payable and Receivable related responsibilities. Thanks to increasingly strict regulations like HIPAA and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, these two fields will more than likely continue to become more and more synonymous with one another as the years pass by. GRM's new EDM division caters specifically to Accounts Receivable/Payable departments. You can learn more about those services by visiting our website.
From CIO:
A recent TAWPI study revealed a fact that may come as a surprise to some in the burgeoning Enterprise Content Management (ECM) industry. It appears that, as the worlds of payment processing and document management converge (under the umbrella of ECM), organizations are finding payment professionals especially successful and active in the implementation and management of the resulting merged environments. Indeed, the study shows that well over half of the respondents who identified themselves as payment professionals already carry document management job responsibilities.
GRM EDM Blog
Earlier this year we announced the creation of a new entirely digital division -
GRM EDM - to cater to customers in need of electronic document or records management. Over the course of the past few months, I've shared many of the services the new division offers, as well as how those services can positively impact the way your business functions.
One of the cooler features of the new site that I failed to mention before is a
new sister blog, one dedicated to GRM EDM and the electronic document management side of the business. And where we may have the occasional overlap in content, it's always nice for our customers to find a new resource for educating themselves. Follow the link to see the weekly updates coming out of EDM.
Efficient Delivery
One of the simplest, yet most important, aspects of a trust-worthy document management facility is how they make their deliveries. Sure enough, today's business world calls for instant, digital delivery more often than not, but what about the other 10% of the time when you need an important document placed physically in your hand?
Most facilities offer a variety of services, including standard delivery, rush delivery, and after-hours. Different storage centers define these services in different ways. For instance, does a rush delivery mean a document is in your hands in 30 minutes, an hour, or maybe two hours? What is the window of time a standard delivery typically takes to arrive? Are there additional charges for after-hour deliveries, and if so, how much are they?
All of these are questions you must ask before investing in a document management service. Evaluate your needs before hand, keeping in mind that different industries have different needs in the way of timeliness and rush deliveries. Be certain that when you choose a document storage program for your business, they are capable of meeting all of your delivery needs.
GRM is renowned for our efficient delivery system, and each of our drivers is always equipped with a digital scanner. These portable scanners allow us to enter your documents into our system immediately, as well as to print a receipt whenever you need one.
AIIM & On Demand Expos
Just a reminder to anyone that will be in the Philadelphia area next week, the AIIM and On Demand Expos will be running from Monday to Thursday. The expo is a great place to brush up on the document management industry, find out what the latest trends are and learn everything you need to know about improving your business's document management or EDM programs. If you're interested in more information, you should have a look at this article on
MSNBC.com.
From MSNBC:
From March 30 - April 2 thousands of technology industry professionals will convene at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia to talk about the most pressing issues facing their industry -- including the economy, environment and best business practices. The ON DEMAND Conference & Expo and AIIM Expo + Conference will together provide equipment, technology and education for all levels of digital printing and document management.
Financial Execs Not Up to Par on Doc Regulations
There's an interesting (and, granted, a little scary) survey on
WallStreetandTech.com this week discussing members of the financial industry's fluency with sensitive document management regulations. According to the results, a vast portion of the embattled community doesn't have a good grasp on what industry regulations call for when dealing with sensitive business information.
From the website:
Almost 60% of finance executives anticipate new regulations regarding sensitive business information will increase in 2009, but almost half say they are unprepared, according to a new survey from Intralinks, a provider of virtual data rooms. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they still use older solutions, including file transfer protocol (FTP) sites, document management software, electronic data interchanges (EDI) and protected drives for sharing files beyond the firewall. The survey polled 50 Fortune 1,000 financial executives, 32.7% of who are in the financial services.
Secure Vaults. Secure Information
Most document management centers offering film and video storage will advertise secure, climate controlled vaults. Security and a stable environment are easily the two most important aspects to a good film, tape or media storage program, but what does that mean exactly? Below, I've listed a few features and requirements that should be considered a necessity, all of which
GRM employ.
1. Climate Control. I've mentioned this in past entries, but I can't stress it enough. Look for a space that offers a computer monitored system that keeps the temperature and humidity in a safe range.
2. Keypad entry. A secure vault that allows you to customize an entry password is key for protecting your stored film and video.
3. CCTV and Motion Sensors. Many storage facilities offer vaults monitored with closed circuit television and motion sensors. This double dose of protection guarantees that you're materials are safe 24 hours a day.
Visited EDM Yet?
Have you visited the new website for our digital division,
GRM EDM yet? If not, you should check it out today. The new digital branch of GRM offers clients the best traditional and hard copy document management you've come to expect from us, with a focus on transitioning your business into the ever-increasing digital workplace. Our team of electronic document and records management experts have years of experience and a working knowledge in the area that so strong they make new technologies seem simple.
On the website we explain how GRM EDM tailors our programs to fit the needs of every major industry, including legal firms, accounting firms, small businesses and medical practices. We offer examples of how implementing electronic document management into your company can streamline your HR and Accounts Receivable/Payable departments, as well as improve the way you back up your digital information.
Green Benefits of Electronic Document Management
In an article on
ZDNet.com, a lifelong member of the software/hardware field offers his take on the likelihood of a paperless office in the near future. He presupposes that it's not going to happen to the extent many people expect, but stresses that improving a business's document management systems and reducing paper waste is important nonetheless. He covers some of the technology that makes these steps possible, as well as different ways implementing them will improve your processes.
From ZDNet:
Contrary to many projections, paper documents are not going away. Rather, a new generation of technologies – centering on document capture and routing – is steadily emerging to enable organizations to dramatically reduce the use of paper while increasing productivity, accelerating business processes, improving compliance with regulatory requirements, and strengthening both disaster recovery and “green” business initiatives.
Improving Case Management
Law.com has an excellent article available on their website on how document management is one of many ways to improve case management at a legal firm. Employing document management and/or electronic document management like the services offered by GRM is one of the simplest ways to increase efficiency, cut back on lost time and improve your firms ability to find the information you need quickly.
From Law.com:
Some law firms thrive in bad times, others suffer -- it's the nature of the industry. That's why you'll find firms with both transactional and litigation practices. But whether your firm is stable, growing or teetering, this is a great time to pay attention to your existing case or matter management system and learn how to better exploit its capabilities. Just as your car works better with proper maintenance and tuneups, your firm's attorneys will be more productive if they get the necessary training and refresher courses on how to get the most from case management systems. Effectively using CMS not only will empower your users with increased productivity, but will lower costs and increase your firm's profits in tangible, measureable ways. Here are some tips on how to fire up the engines.
Searching for the Paperless Office
There's an interesting article available on
CIO.com about the ever-elusive paperless office concept. The piece focuses on Xerox's document management off-shoot, but I believe that the statistics enclosed (only 17% of doctors use digitalized medical records, etc.) make a strong point. For all the talk about cutting back on paper and making the workplace more streamlined and efficient - most companies still aren't there. Employing a professional document management provider like
GRM can drastically cut back on your waste, increase the amount of time your employees spend on important tasks and decrease the amount of money you pay on office supplies.
I'll end with a perfect example from CIO:
John M. Kelly, a vice president at Xerox Global Services, says that companies could save exponential amounts of money by digitizing many of these records and decreasing the amount of print devices needed in each office. Xerox recently worked with KeyCorp, a financial services company, to cut its load of printers, fax machines, copiers and scanners from 10,000 to 3,500. They have decreased the amount of paper output, and he expects KeyCorp to save $6 million over the next few years.
The Disaster Recovery Journal
Today's a slow day - news wise, so I thought I would share one of my favorite online resources. The Disaster Recovery Journal is one of the leading names in the document management industry on the subject of disaster recovery. The print edition of their journal is written by industry professionals, for industry professionals, and is the perfect place to learn more about the field.
Their website houses everything from back-issues of the journal to a slew of FAQ's, resources and industry spotlights. If you're interested in learning more about the fast-growing field of disaster recovery, I strongly suggest giving it a look.
AIIM Expo in Philadelphia
GRM is a proud member of
AIIM, a non-profit organization that's been helping users understand and navigate the world of document and record management. At the end of March (starting on the 30th, to be exact), AIIM will play host to their annual expo and conference. The festivities look as though they will be both fun and informative. If you're in the Philadelphia area, I highly suggest checking it out.
From an
AIIM Press Release:
Despite the difficult economic climate, the organizers of the AIIM Expo + Conference and its exhibitors are looking forward to a successful and well-attended show. The event will run from Monday, March 30 - Thursday, April 2 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, and will showcase new technology and services from 175 content and information management solution providers. Event sponsors include EMC2, Microsoft, TechData, IBM, Ernst & Young, Nuance, Pegasus Imaging, and RSD2. This year's Expo floor will also be home to the Oracle Pavilion, Microsoft Pavilion, Channel Connection and the Doculabs LIVE! Theater.
A Conversation on Document Imaging
The Health Information section of
AdvanceWeb has an extremely insightful online chat available on the subject of implementing document imaging systems at medical facilities. Thanks to a gradual shift toward EDM in the medical field during the past few years, as well as a little push from the new economic stimulus package pieced together by the Obama White House - the two industry professionals find that document imaging is becoming more affordable by the day. Follow the link to see what Leslie Ann Fox, MA, RHIA, And Patty Thierry, MBA, RHIA, CCS have to say on the subject.
Here's a clip from the beginning of the chat:
First you need to have the "big picture." Implementing a document imaging system starts with creating a vision and strategy for document management and the development of an EMR. This may sound obvious but it's often a step that is only partially carried out by a small number of individuals instead of by all stakeholders, i.e., a representative mix of providers, executive management and department leaders (e.g., health information management (HIM), information technology, human resources, financial services, medical staff). Document imaging is a tool for delivering document management solutions to several departments across an integrated delivery system, thus solving problems with retrieving, processing and storing paper and electronic documents from employee records to medical records.
GRM: Quality Service Across the Country and Around the Globe
Did you know that
GRM offers document management programs in cities around the world? Our company headquarters may be located in the New York Tri-State, but we currently have branches located in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and multiple locations in China. If you're business handles clients based in the booming Eastern Market, GRM has offices convenient to all of your document management needs.
Our China office offers a number of valuable services including Secure Records Storage, Data Protection, Electronic Document Management, Technology Escrow, Certified Shredding and Document Destruction Services. GRM prides itself on its ability to bring together all the pieces of your Records Management Program. GRM is a premier Information Management Company operating in cities throughout the United States and Asia. For more information about any of our data protection services, please feel free to contact your local GRM general manager or sales consultant.
The Need for Document Management Solutions
ExpressComputerOnline, a web-based business IT journal based out of India, is running an article today on the importance of a comprehensive document management service. Business has been booming in India for the last several years, and many companies there have only recently branched into document management solutions, but the article still holds a lot of weight in the US. As we gravitate more and more towards all digital documentation, having a document management service is the only way to guarantee your records are always safe and readily available. Among other reasons proposed by the author, one of the most persuasive is the immediate benefits employing document management can bring.
From ExpressComputerOnline:
DMS helps to create, name, file, store, retrieve and control the entire process of document management within an organization. It is designed to operate with ease processing large volumes of documents. Common features include an Efficient Document Management System, Automated document revision control, Centralized document management, Centralized Knowledge Management Repository for storing document related knowledge for future reference and use, etc. Advanced search functionality makes searching for documents very fast. There is increased visibility due to document usage reports for maintaining a record of the document related activities. Having a secure centralized repository of critical documents that can be viewed only by authorized users helps protect privacy and ensure security. Efficient, intuitive and easy to manage Workflow Process with alerts makes DMS an effective solution for organizations where the volume of documents is rapidly increasing and there is the challenge of managing documents.
Document Management in Health Care
If you're interested in the state of document management in the health care field, there's a brief, but informative article running today on the
Wisconson Technology Network website. The article takes a speculative view, trying to ascertain the direction the industry is heading on a whole. Will we see medical practices using more electronic document management, sticking with traditional document management or simply keeping their management systems in house? I've provided a brief glimpse in the excerpt below, but you can follow the link for complete text.
Physicians won't need to completely change the way they do business. Document management systems provide instant access to patient records without a long learning curve or complete overhaul of processes and procedures. One common complaint about electronic health care record systems is that implementation is complex and lengthy training is required. This factor slows down operations and puts additional burdens on the physicians and administrative staff. With document management, physician's can gradually wean themselves off of paper-based records.
Why Document Destruction is Important
I just stumbled across an absolute horror story on Salt Lake City News website,
KSL.com. It centers on a report that a massive pile of mortgage records were found on the ground beside a dumpster for a commercial building. The reports were perfectly intact and contained not just names and phone numbers but also bank information, social security numbers and credit card information. They belonged, apparently, to a real estate company who hadn't destroyed them, and if found by the wrong person could have caused a world of trouble.
It's stories like this one that underline why it is so crucial to employ a document destruction program. If an intern or low-level employee at your company makes a mistake and simply throws away these sort of sensitive documents, they could lead to identity theft, followed by a lawsuit and ultimately the collapse of your business. GRM offers our clientele the very best in document destruction, presenting you with a certificate for your records and a promise that you can rest easily at night. Please visit our website for more information on our Certified Document Destruction Services.
Data Protection
Did you know that 75 % of all companies are expected to have a major email outage at some point this year? The majority of businesses' aren't prepared to handle an outage like this, in fact, only 10% of American companies have a recovery plan currently in place.That being said, backing up your electronic communications is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of document management.
Finding a document management service that offers digital archiving and crash-recovery plans is a must in a business world that so intensely revolves around digital content.
GRM can show you the way to keep all your information protected and your business running smoothly.
