Document and Content Management in the Cloud

Digital transformation is underway in virtually every organization regardless of size or industry. The conversion of paper documents to digital form and the ongoing digitization of customer records, supplier invoices, legal documents, employee records, and other business communications along with the automation of underlying business processes that rely on the information stored in these records can make a firm more competitive and compliant with business and government regulations, and secure business information more effectively. There are several reasons a firm should consider using document and content management in the cloud to manage the increasing amount of information that digital transformation efforts are creating.

Cloud Document and Content Management Deliver Cost Savings

Using a document management system (DMS) or content management system (CMS) that is hosted in the cloud means eliminating capital expense for onsite hardware such as powerful servers, uninterruptable power supplies, and other complicated onsite IT architecture. From a maintenance perspective, a cloud-based DMS, or CMS eliminates the need for license management, server maintenance, time-consuming system patching, operating system upgrades, and complex onsite security infrastructure. IT resources can be freed from most of these tasks and refocused to other areas that are core business initiatives of the organization.

Better Accessibility = Better Employee Experiences = Improved Productivity.

In the “old days,” digital documents and information were stored in a central document management server and accessed by authorized users only if they were on the corporate local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) to which the server was attached. Providing access to employees that were offsite called for convoluted, confusing, and costly workarounds. Today, remote employees make up nearly 25% of the workforce, and that percentage is expected to grow. A DMS or CMS system in the cloud, accessible anytime and from anywhere using a web browser, is a perfect solution to enable these workers, as well as those full-time office employees, to easily access the digital documents, information, and workflows required of their jobs. Collaboration between employees, no matter where they are located, is enhanced with no lost time or bottlenecks and overall productivity can be improved.

Faster Deployment & Scalability.

Deploying an in-house DMS or CMS means acquiring the proper IT equipment, finding space for that equipment, deploying licenses and client applications to employee computers, and establishing management processes. As a firm grows, especially for those that already have an onsite DMS or CMS in place, adding new employees or automated workflows can be time-consuming and there may be limitations to the scalability of the current DMS or CMS. A DMS or CMS based in the cloud removes the cost and complexity of deployment and provides a scalable platform to give an organization agility in meeting business growth needs. For businesses that are just starting out and for firms with established DMS or CMS in place, using the cloud for these solutions can deliver more manageable ways to achieve digital transformation and establish the market competitiveness they desire.

Security, Compliance, Continuity.

Cloud DMS and CMS solutions improve document and information security for a firm. The cloud platforms that most cloud DMS and CMS solutions are hosted on, such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google, provide more security than many IT departments can deliver onsite. Encryption, persistent and multiple database backups, and constantly maintained firewalls help offset security risks and protect data from being lost due to a local natural or manmade disaster. In addition, a DMS and CMS solution can be managed to limit authorized users, limit what documents specific users can access and what they can do with them, and even provide alerts and audit trails for system and security administrators to ensure corporate security protocols are followed. Organizations can better comply with regulatory and privacy protection mandates and know critical business data is protected to assure business continuity in the event of a disaster.

To meet the challenges of the new workplace and flourish in the new digitally transformed economy, IDC recommends that firms “Provide all workers with an agile and time-, location-, and device-agnostic digital workspace. This means providing the infrastructure, software, and support for secure, frictionless digital access to people, data, and applications anytime, anywhere.” A document and content management system in the cloud could be an important way for your firm to meet those challenges and recommendation.

The document management solutions professionals at Centric Business Systems can consult with you and design the best document and content management solution to meet your unique business needs. Contact Centric at (877) 902-3301 or visit www.centricbiz.com  to schedule an assessment and consultation.