document management software organises your files on your IT system. So far, so good. But the excellent thing about them is that they don’t just organise your electronic files – Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Powerpoint presentations and so on. They also house your physical documents, or at least, an electronic copy of them. This e-version is produced by document processing software, which turns a paper document into one that can be stored on a computer. That might be as simple as a pdf that represents a scan of the sheet or sheets of paper in question, but depending on the software you buy it can be considerably more sophisticated. Optical character recognition (OCR) allows documents – even handwritten documents in some cases – to be scanned and converted into computer files. That means that everything that hits your in-tray – whether through the postbox or email inbox – can be treated the same way. The same is true of invoices which, thanks to invoice processing, may be paid at the same time regardless of whether they were electronic or paper in nature.
All of this can have a significant impact on the efficiency of your company. The advantages of a paperless office are clear. Having documents on your computer system means that anyone can use them at any time, if that’s what you need, rather than running the risk of an important letter or invoice getting lost under a pile of paper on someone’s desk. It saves money and is better for the environment in terms of the amount of paper you’re using – concerns that should interest most businesses thanks to rising energy and resources prices, and environmental guidelines.
Finally, invoice processing allows you to treat suppliers and customers the same. There can be a ‘digital divide’ between those who submit invoices by email or electronically, and those who send them in by letter. Those who do the latter can find themselves marginalised while someone in the accounts department gets around to dealing with their invoice (perhaps making out a cheque as well…). That can be bad for business. All in all, then, document processing has multiple advantages and can make a significant difference to the way your company is run – including your relationships with clients and suppliers, which for many is where it really counts. A good document management system can bridge the gap between a paper-based and paper-less office, enabling your employees to do their jobs better and lifting your bottom line.
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