Editor's Note: This is first in a four-part series about "Digital Transformation for Small Businesses." Part 1 focuses on virtual document storage – taking your practice from paper-based to a more organized and digitized business.
Ever waste time looking for that document you swore you filed away for safe keeping? You search through stacks of paper and file folders, but simply can’t locate that one piece of paper you need at this very moment.
Or, you use the search tool on your computer and enter every single combination of keywords that could possibly be in the title hoping that the document will appear in the search results before you throw your computer out the window?
Whatever your issue may be – a paper or digital one – we’ve all been stuck in a situation where we simply can’t find that one crucial document. It doesn’t matter if this happens once, twice, or more frequently, the time you spend in the black hole of searching for a document is time you are wasting. And when it comes to business, time equals money.
But, there is a better way.
The first step on the road to managing documents and business data better is to transform your paper documents into safely stored digital assets. Using a scanning device, smartphone or alternative import option, along with a secure cloud service, allows you to create a digital database of your documents that can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Storage options such as Neat, Dropbox, Carbonite or Microsoft’s Sharepoint can make this happen.
The second step is finding a solution that will enable you to quickly locate a document—even when you cannot remember what you named it or where you put it. To cover this need, try a cloud-based software program that can help you store, find, and share documents (think: Neat Premium Software). Be sure the program has a robust cloud service option and securely stores and organizes your digital documents.
Some software options – such as Neat – make it simple to aggregate your data; and then the software extracts key information and helps you organize and store the documents within your digital file folders. Key terms can be assigned to the document and all digital properties are then searchable.
So the next time you need to search for an important digital document, you can simply access your account (from your computer, web browser, mobile app, etc.), type in the key terms, and find what you need.
That translates into time saved; which is of course, money saved.
Stephanie Mozzillo Neat Company
Stephanie Mozzillo, Product Manager at The Neat Company.