Business Process Drives Customer Needs

In today's work environment, the way a document is created, shared, and stored is more complicated than ever before. There are retention issues, privacy issues, litigation issues, and much more to consider. We can help to prioritize our customers' needs, recommend a comprehensive solution, and provide the products and services that they require throughout each step of the business process. Asking the right questions to uncover the needs within each aspect of the business process is crucial to providing the right solution.

ASSESSMENT OF THE BUSINESS PROCESS

To understand the customers' ultimate need, it is important to also review their business process. Consider the following when surveying your customer:

ASSESSMENT OF THE BUSINESS PROCESS

To understand the customers' ultimate need, it is important to also review their business process. Consider the following when surveying your customer:

• Document formats: paper, micrographics, and electronic
• Document lifecycle: how long they are personally managed, actively shared, actively stored, and inactively stored
• Workflow: who shares them and how are they used
• Frequency of document use: how often you access them
• Rate of document retrieval: how fast you need to access them
• Document retention: how long you need to maintain them
• Classification and indexing: how you organize them
• Space utilization: how efficient your storage methods are

THE IMPACT OF THE DOCUMENT LIFE CYCLE

One of the key factors associated with business process is the document lifecycle. (See Fig. A-2 below.) More complex than ever before, from the time a document is created, utilized, archived and purged, it has likely travelled many miles and been shared with dozens of people. Understanding this process and knowing how to help customers properly manage documents at each stage is an important contribution of a total solutions provider.

CREATION - DOCUMENT IS INITIATED

With document data creation technologies driving an increase in document development and sharing - paper consumption has doubled and the need for proper records management at the creation stage is critical.

• Implementing document management processes and standards early is important.

ACTIVE USE - STORED IN PERSONAL SPACE

Documents are generally not implemented into a formal document management system at this phase and it may be common that the records manager or administrator is not yet aware of the documents existence. If "best practices" are implemented early in this phase, overall document management costs can be minimized.

• If documents are stored in the workstation, recommend point-of-use storage solutions.
• Encourage a side-tab filing approach at this early stage so that merging into a central file system later will be more cost effective (or two-tab, if applicable).
• If documents are frequently shared, consider an electronic document management system to allow file sharing of electronic files or of an electronic copy.

ACTIVE STORAGE - STORED IN CENTRAL, ACTIVE LOCATION

At this phase, documents are generally moved out of personal space and into a central or shared filing area. Making them accessible and easily shared, while maintaining controls will be the biggest challenge. This phase offers significant opportunities for improved practices.

Encourage only one paper copy to be stored in a central filing location.
• Introduce a formal color-coded labeling system into central or shared file area.
• Implement a tracking system so that record / document location is easily known.
• Merging files into a consistent filing approach will be needed.
• If documents are frequently shared, consider an electronic document management system to allow file sharing of electronic files or of an electronic copy.

INACTIVE STORAGE - STORED IN CENTRAL, INACTIVE LOCATION

Documents are generally stored in a central, inactive storage area. In larger applications this could be located in a remote location. This phase offers opportunities for advanced document management systems. Converting documents into a non-paper format or storing them electronically is also a prudent approach.

If paper storage is preferred, be sure that all unnecessary or duplicate copies are eliminated and store them in the most efficient, yet easily accessible method.
• Database development, color coding or bar coding will be effective in managing a large central repository of records.

• Moving or merging records from several departments into one central file area may be required.

• Converting documents into electronic or micrographic formats may be more appropriate.

ARCHIVE STORAGE - DOCUMENT IS OFF-SITE OR IN ARCHIVE FORMAT

Documents will generally not be accessed frequently and may be stored off site. Maintaining records inventory and location is still critical at this phase.

• Dense storage methods will be the most efficient way to store paper documents.
• Database development, retention management, color coding or bar coding will be effective in managing large central repository of records.
• Converting documents into electronic or micrographic formats may be more appropriate.

PURGE - DOCUMENT IS DESTROYED

Documents have reached the end of their lifecycle. They will need to be handled one last time to complete their journey.

• Files will need to audited and documents pulled for destruction.
• Remaining physical inventory of files will need to be readjusted or back shifted.
• Document database or EDM systems will need updating.