Digitising documents is a smart decision for any business, but many people forget to plan the next stage which is just as important – where to store your newly digitised files? Before you decide, let’s look at the pros and cons of 3 of the most popular digital storage options.
Computer Folders
The OG of computer file management and the very first stop when it comes to business consideration for their newly digitised files.
Pros:
- Better facilitates going paperless and saves up significant space, as once they’re digitised the hardcopies can be recycled, allowing you to get rid of cumbersome and unsightly file cabinets.
- Remote working is made easier as documents are easily accessible and shareable online.
- It’s free to use.
- The share drives provided means that you can access it across the business, once you have the permissions required and are connected to your company’s system.
- Most people in business are familiar with the system.
- Disaster recovery is much easier – since irreplaceable documents are kept digital, they cannot be destroyed by fire, flood, or other disasters that could strike your office. Even if you keep the hardcopy and that is damaged you have a backup.
Cons:
- If you outsource the digitisation of files, the external party who do so cannot add it directly. Instead, the digitised document is sent back as a named PDF to the client. So, you become a middleman in this process.
- Keeping track of folders and file locations can be cumbersome. Unless you have a clear, regimented digital filing system it’s easy for a file to be misplace in the wrong drive/folder.
- Security can be an issue as it can be hard to figure out how to assign permissions to different folders/individual documents.
- Can only be accessed by company devices for security purposes.
- Collaboration is hard to do, usually only one person can edit a document at a time.
- Files can be easily duplicated where the same file is saved to the same folder under a different name, taking up space even more space.
- Drives and folders take up storage room on your device. Low storage can result in missing updates, your device freezing or stop functioning altogether, and being unable to download and view files, e.g. PDFs, online.
- Being unable to retrieve documents quickly can result in non-compliance with audits and GDPR, especially if user permissions are not assigned correctly.
- Time isn’t necessarily saved as it is difficult to make and maintain an efficient system.
Kefron DM (Document Management)
This is a cloud-based portal for the storage of digitally captured documents. It is more accessible than your typical computer filing system and has a range of additional features as mentioned below.
Pros:
- Documents can be directly uploaded by whoever digitised it.
- Saves space and allows for remote working.
- Uses cloud storage so no space is taken up on your device’s storage and it isn’t slowed down.
- Can be accessed on any device with internet access.
- Easy to assign permissions to users so no one can access confidential information they shouldn’t.
- An unlimited amount of users can be added and use it at once so collaboration is much easier.
- Better protection is offered by Kefron DM as cloud services tend to have high level data security and encryption against malware, hacking, phishing, and other forms of cyber-attack.
- Quick and easy access to documents – any files stored are fully text searchable through Optical Character Recognition (OCR), so if you can’t remember a title, it’s easy to find a document based on text contained in it. So, time is no longer wasted trawling through folders and files whether physical or digital (like with a Windows system).
- Cheap and intuitive system.
- Each file is tracked from the moment it’s added to the system, providing a full audit trail to ensure compliance with audits and GDPR.
- Offers automatic document retention and even better compliance with GDPR and privacy rights as once documents pass their retention date they are automatically deleted.
- Fully integratable with third-party apps and software such as Microsoft Office 365.
- Eliminates human error.
- A live, in-depth, free demonstration is available on com.
- Dedicated team to assist with any and all issues quickly and efficiently.
- Prevents information silos and duplicates of documents being saved.
Cons:
- You do have to pay for it.
- May need time to familiarise self with system, especially if you tend not to use technology often.
M-Files
Also a cloud-based portal. Though similar to Kefron DM, this solution offers more options in terms of metadata, customisability, and retention as can be read below. They’re a global leader in meta-driven DM and for good reason.
Pros:
- The same pros as Kefron DM.
- All documents uploaded are automatically scanned by AI to tag metadata. This makes everything stored on M-Files even more accessible.
- Customisable to better suit individual user needs.
- Various platforms and add-ons are available so you can align your solution with your specific needs.
- Documents can be compared with previous versions or other different versions of the same document to ensure you haven’t missed or deleted anything important while editing. This also means duplicates can be found and dealt with quickly.
- E-signatures are available, getting rid of the need to print and physically sign documents.
- Very reasonable pricing. Offers more features than Kefron DM and other Electronic Document Management Solutions (EDMS) for a lower price.
Cons:
- The cons of M-Files’ software are the same as Kefron DM’s.
It’s clear that the 3 options are quite different and have their own pros and cons. A Window’s based system, though free, can cost a business more in the long term as it can be difficult to manage and to comply with auditing and GDPR which can result in hefty fines among other consequences. It also takes up storage deteriorating your device. The pros do not outweigh the cons unfortunately. Whereas with Kefron DM and M-Files software the price is well worth it for the security and peace of mind it offers. They save money in the long run as less time and effort is wasted searching for files and fixing mistakes so staff productivity will significantly improve once one of these solutions is implemented. Both are good options, but if you are looking for a system that offers the most options then M-Files is perfect.
If you are interested in learning more about where to store your newly digitised files, speak with a Kefron expert.
