Business strategies and document management are both integral to helping businesses stay organized, efficient and able to serve their clients well. A well-crafted document management strategy can help businesses reduce processes, improve productivity and improve collaboration between departments.

The six steps of a successful document management strategy are:

Review current document management practices Having an established and documented procedure to organize and manage physical and digital documents is key to ensuring compliance, improving collaboration and increasing productivity. A document management system can aid in saving money by utilizing simplified data collection processes, enhanced storage and retrieval, streamlined safety and version tracking, and a reduction in printing.

Documents need to be categorized and labeled to create a complete map of every document. This information is used to categorize deal management documents, searching and retrieving them as well as linking to other systems or documents and workflows, as well as establishing routing and approval pathways and presenting complete records of every document.

Any business that chooses to implement new document management strategies must assign a responsible person to oversee implementation and ensure that all employees follow the procedures. A targeted training program (in-person or remotely) is essential to ensure that employees have the confidence and ability to follow the new SOPs properly. This is especially important when the company is using a new software or process that requires a change in mindset and behavior. A great document management provider will be a trusted partner and work with their clients to comprehend their needs.