WorkDynamics

Solving digital document management complexity

Solving digital document management complexity

By Alex Grant

As digital systems continue to evolve, we are seeing more complexities associated with these new-found architectures. Too often, these systems require highly technical procedures to create workflows and processes. Or they have the inability to integrate with other popular business systems—at least, not without significant expense.

Worse yet, many providers of so-called document management software or platforms also try to coerce would-be users with the promise of “low-code” implementations and management. To be clear, “low-code” still means “code.” As such, the expectation is that administrators must have at least some level of acumen when it comes to coding—something that shouldn’t actually be a part of their job description.

More so, there is now the added complexity of access. Now, whether you are the type of person who reads that as a security concern (i.e., the need to limit user access to certain file types) or the type that interprets it as the ability to access files from anywhere, you’d both be right.

Ensuring security is not just a matter of safety—it’s also a matter of compliance. Regardless of industry, there are almost always regulatory bodies that govern the concepts of compliance adherence, stipulating who should have access to what, and for what reasons. If your organization’s paramount requirement for auditing purposes is reporting, hopefully an administrator will know how to “low-code” that function.

As for the ability to access documents from anywhere? That also brings its own complexities, especially when paired with the aforementioned security access. With the hybrid-work environment model sure to stay, it is imperative to address the trials and tribulations of this new realm of document management. As if the idea of managing thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of documents, wasn’t hard enough with legacy systems! Now imagine trying to make the entirety of that system accessible from the outside, regardless of location or device.

Far too often, the ability to connect easily to those systems isn’t a reality. Aging factors like code, architectures, infrastructure, and more simply don’t enable compatibility with the new digital era.

Now, the million-dollar question becomes: how does one succeed in the digital era, avoid all the pitfalls mentioned above, and simultaneously become future-proofed? The answer is to find the document management platform that does it all. Easy, right? Well, sort of.

It’s here that I could easily pitch WorkDynamics as the perfect solution for everyone—and in my honest yet biased opinion, I’d be mostly right. But that’s not the point. The true nature of the dilemma is how to make the smartest choice for your circumstances now, all while preparing for the future.

Knowing that a solution can accomplish basic tasks such as simple workflows is one thing. Knowing that it hits all aspects of all requirements for highly advanced workflows is another. For instance, when choosing a platform, avoid so-called “software” vendors. In other words, it’s either a ubiquitous platform or it’s not.

Furthermore, ensure your solution can support complex functions like workflow automation and tracking, detailed correspondence management, case management, compliance, reporting and enforcement, and more. Lastly, make sure your platform provider offers support, migration services, rapid deployment options as well as custom configurations, consulting and so on.

In a world where so many options exist, you must do your due diligence. Unless a provider can prove that they have experience with the largest and most complex enterprise and government environments in the world, you will have little to no hope of them being able to meet your needs.

And remember, “low-code” is always code for too much code.

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