Completing your document scanning project marks a significant step toward a streamlined, digital future for your business.
What comes next is equally important: ensuring that you’re fully able to take advantage of your new digital recordkeeping system. From securing your digital data to improving the efficiency of your daily workflow, the post-scanning journey is filled with exciting opportunities for your business.
In the sections that follow, we’ll explore a few strategies you can use to maximize the benefits of your digitized documents. We’ll discuss secure shredding, automation, effective storage, and more, showing how each step can bring efficiency and security to your business.
Shred Your Original Documents
Now that your documents have been scanned, one of the first steps you should take if you haven’t already is to consider the fate of the original paper versions.
While some businesses may need to retain their physical copies for regulatory or operational reasons, for many others, secure document shredding is an ideal solution for handling these originals post-digitization.
Shredding your paper documents post-scanning doesn’t just create space; it is also a proactive measure that can help you prevent data breaches and maintain compliance with privacy regulations. With identity theft on the rise, simply discarding your documents is not an option.
For businesses transitioning entirely to digital records, SecureScan’s secure shredding service presents a safe, compliant, and environmentally friendly solution to your digital transformation journey. Opting for a NAID® AAA certified provider ensures adherence to the highest industry standards for document destruction. This certification guarantees a secure chain of custody from collection to destruction, offering peace of mind that your documents are managed with the utmost care and professionalism.
Implement a Document Management System
Now that you’ve sorted out the original documents, the focus shifts to effectively managing and storing your digital files. A document management system is essential for organizing and accessing these files efficiently. These systems brings order and ease to handling your digital documents.
With features for categorizing, tagging, and indexing, your files become easily searchable, saving time and streamlining workflows. Incorporating cloud storage within this system adds flexibility, allowing remote access and enhancing collaboration. It also enhances security, offering protection against data loss and unauthorized access.
Functionalities like version control and audit trails help maintain document integrity and support legal compliance needs.
Train Your Employees
With your digital documents neatly organized and stored, the next step is ensuring your team can fully utilize them.
Training your employees at this stage is crucial, empowering them to confidently navigate the new system, making the most of the digitization initiative.
Training should cover the basics of accessing and retrieving documents from the new system, ensuring that all employees are comfortable with these fundamental processes. It’s also important to teach them advanced features relevant to their specific roles, such as document editing, sharing protocols, and data security practices.
This helps minimize any disruptions to daily operations and to avoid inefficiencies that can arise from a lack of familiarity with new systems. Well-trained employees are more likely to embrace the new technology, which can lead to improved productivity and a smoother transition overall.
Automate Tedious Tasks
The transition to digital documents opens up a whole new world of possibilities for your business, one of the most significant being the opportunity to automate various business processes.
AP (Accounts Payable) automation is a prime example of how automation can transform a critical business function, streamlining workflows and enhancing efficiency.
AP automation, a service offered by SecureScan, revolutionizes the way businesses handle their accounts payable. It reduces the need for manual data entry, minimizes errors, and speeds up the processing of invoices and payments. This not only cuts down on processing time but also translates to cost savings, as the manual effort is significantly reduced.
But the benefits of AP automation extend beyond just time and cost savings. It provides a more seamless, accurate, and transparent process, which is easier for employees to manage. This reduction in manual tasks frees up your team to focus on more important tasks. Employees are no longer bogged down by repetitive, time-consuming tasks, leading to improved job satisfaction and productivity.
Automate Your Mailroom
With your digital documents and training in place, another way to automate a time consuming process is to revamp your traditional mail processes through mailroom automation. This involves scanning all incoming mail and uploading it into your new document management system, allowing you to integrate your mail directly into your recordkeeping system.
By integrating incoming mail directly into your document management system, all employees gain access to critical information in real-time, and is an effective tool to prevent information silos. This seamless flow of information enhances transparency and decision-making across various departments.
The benefits of switching to a digital mailroom extend to improved communication and mail flow within your organization. It eliminates the delays traditionally associated with physical mail processing and distribution. Responding to correspondence becomes faster and more efficient, boosting overall productivity.
Furthermore, digital mailroom services align with the broader goal of reducing paper reliance in business operations. It’s a step forward in creating a more environmentally friendly and modern workplace.
Commit to Day Forward Scanning
After implementing digital storage for your existing documents, it’s important to consider how you handle new physical documents generated by your business.
This is where the concept of day forward scanning comes into play. It involves scanning and integrating new paper documents into your digital document management system as they are created, ensuring a consistent and seamless digital workflow.
Day forward scanning is an effective strategy for businesses looking to maintain a paperless environment. It prevents the accumulation of physical documents in the future and ensures that all new information is immediately available in digital format.
This approach is crucial for maintaining the efficiency and organization you’ve established with your digitization initiatives.
Incorporating day forward scanning into your business operations signifies a full embrace of digital transformation. It’s a commitment to a sustainable, efficient, and future-ready business model, ensuring that your company stays ahead in the digital era.
The SecureScan Advantage
With over 21 years of experience in helping businesses eliminate paper and embrace digital solutions, we are a partner in your digital transformation journey.
Our commitment to your success is reflected in the comprehensive range of services we offer. We provide a holistic approach to digitization, helping you enhance your business operations, security, and efficiency.
At SecureScan, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with moving to a digital environment. Our expertise and dedication to quality service ensure that your transition is smooth, secure, and beneficial in the long term.
For businesses ready to take the next step in their digital transformation or to learn more about our services, we encourage you to reach out. Contact us for consultations or to get a free quote. Let us help you unlock the full potential of your digital transformation with SecureScan.
If you haven’t scanned your documents yet, read our companion article which teaches you how to prepare for your document scanning project.
