A company decides to go through the digitization process. This means they have decided to convert their paper documents into digital documents and also retain their digital documents in digital format. The company is now figuring out how to store these digital documents in the most cost effective way.
The size of the company will obviously be a major factor determining the storage tool for their digital documents. A small company with a few staff may not need an electronic document management system, a cloud storage would work for them. A company being run by one person may just need a hard disk.
A company having all their documents used within the premises may just need an internal server to store their digital documents.
By breaking down the tools used for digital storage and looking at their advantages and disadvantages will make it easier for you as a company to make the right choice. Here are some of the tools a company can use to store their digital documents.
Hard disks
A hard disk is a device on a computer that is used to store digital documents. There is also an external harddisk which is an external and standalone device also used for storing digital documents.
Advantages of hard disks
Hard disks are affordable as a digital document storage tool. It is also portable, if it is an external hard disk and can be stored away from the premises or you can move around with it.
Disadvantages of hard disks
With the harddisk there is no searchability component. Ease of accessibility to specific documents depends on your organizational skills. The more documents you have stored the longer it takes to get a document.
And also document security can be compromised because the hard disk has no password protection component nor is it encrypted. Your personal information can be compromised if misplaced or stolen.
They are also vulnerable to damage especially when they are moved around alot.
On premise servers
An on premise server is a centralized location within a computer network that is used to store digital documents. These documents can then be shared within the computer network among the stakeholders.
On premise server is also a type of digital document storage tool.
Advantages of an on premise server
The advantage of the on premise server is that you determine the digital document storage size and pay only on purchase. It can also be scaled up on a need basis.
The server can also be configured to keep the documents safe across board. Only authorized personnel are allowed to access the documents.
Disadvantage of an on premise server
It can be an expensive one time purchase. And also when the documents get to be more than the previously purchased server size, there will be a need to purchase additional space or remove other digital documents to create space.
In case of burglary the possibility of the company losing information is high when the servers are stolen.
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a cloud computing solution that enables storage of digital documents through a cloud computing provider.
Advantages of cloud storage
One of the advantages of cloud storage is the accessibility of your documents from anywhere and at any time. This is as long as you have an electronic communicating device.
With cloud storage you can also scale up or down depending on your needs. This means you only pay for what you are using.
With cloud storage your digital documents are safe, if anything happens to the office premise such as incase of fire or burglary.
Disadvantages of cloud storage
To access your digital documents on cloud storage you require the internet. This can be a disadvantage in areas where there is no internet.
There is a lack of control of your documents because they are in the hands of the cloud storage provider. It is also susceptible to hackers.
Security and privacy of your information can be compromised.
Electronic document management system (EDMS)
An electronic document management system is a software. It is integrated with other internal systems to manage the creation, organization, storage and access of digital documents within a company’s workflow process.
Electronic document management system minimizes the time taken in the workflow process of a company to speed up delivery to both the internal and external stakeholders for example clients, suppliers.
And if there are any paper documents within a company’s systems, they are converted into digital format and inputted into the Electronic document management system to create a flawless workflow. This should not be hindered or stopped because of loopholes caused by paper documents.
In an electronic document management system the digital documents are stored in a central repository. A central repository is a place to store your electronic files in an electronic document management system. Electronic documents are stored in electronic file cabinets in an organized manner.
Advantages of an electronic document management system
Electronic document management system has a powerful search feature that enables easy search of indexed documents.
It also enables Intelligent indexing. This identifies the most crucial information on a document and converts it into highly structured,usable data. It is able to remember each document and indexed correction.
Electronic document management systems also eases workflow processes through automation.
Document security is enabled to ensure your information is safe.
Disadvantages of an electronic document management system
An electronic document management system can be quite expensive and if you are a small company it will not have a return on investment.
An electronic document management can also be time consuming to implement. It can also be complicated for some staff and this would require intense training at an additional cost.
Conclusion
The choice of a digital storage tool will be determined by your company’s size and needs. The digital documents that you want to store and your budget.
Before making a decision on how you are going to store your digital documents, time is required to think through the pros and cons before, to ensure you make the right choice. This is to ensure that you spend on the right tool in the first place.