Going paperless is not only about scanning all the documents in an organization. It goes further. In a changing and a competitive environment, most of organizations have to be more efficient, innovative and productive. Digital transformation implies everything and everyone in the organization as it helps to enhance business processes.
Documents became an inestimable value in a company. The content viwer is crucial to meet the challenges of this transformation.
In fact, viewing content, as simple it is, has a real deep impact on the users and the organizations:
- Distribution
- Accessibility
- Security
- Collaboration
But, before choosing a viewing tool, you need to ask yourself some questions about:
- Compatibility with your current ECM solution
- The evolution of your organization's needs
- The change management
Going paperless needs to be considered as a real strategy.
Going paperless supposes less paper but much more documents to manage and distribute
"The more you have, the more you want". When it comes to digital, we dematerialize every single document. So the amount of documents to distribute efficiently is huge. The chosen viewing tool must enable the management and the distribution of such enormous quantity of documents to the users.
Various formats of documents are also available: pdf, image formats, videos, CAD/CAM/CAE plans and all versions of Microsoft Office documents, e-mails and Zip files... So the content viewer brings all these numerous and various organization's documents together, and return the right content to the right user.
Content viewing also means easy access to the documents
Users can reach more documents and read more different formats with a performing viewing tool. Normally, some files are not easy to open because of the lack of dedicated softwares (image format, CAD, ...). A content viewer can support many different formats so users won't be bothered by this issue.
As mobility at work is more and more common, viewing content is a real issue. With a viewing tool, users can have access to the document through different devices: computer, smartphone, tablet... Viewing content at anytime, anywhere on any device is a reality. More than that thanks to its powerful search tool, users can have easily access to the right data.
Security: viewing authorized and authentic documents
Viewing content also means viewing the documents you have access to. Authorization rules can be set up by a viewing tool which guarantees document security and authenticity. So sensitive data can be restricted to some users. Besides a viewing tool helps not to loose any authentic or secured documents as they are digital. Documents can be easily stored and found.
Viewing and annotating content improve collaboration
Many industries need a documentation process. In fact, documents have to be reviewed by different users. As document viewer has many features that can help to this process (sticky notes, highlights, text highlights, arrows, stamps... ), each authorized user can be involved by this process by annotating its comments easily. Collaboration is smoother, easier and so improved.
When you go paperless, viewing content offers many benefits without a doubt. But few lines of thought have to be taken into account.
Take stock of you current situation
How is you current ECM? Which solution is used within the organization? Is your favorite viewing tool is compatible with it? Do you need a viewing tool or to rethink your whole ECM? How do you want to manage and structure your data and what do you expect from them? This calls for some thought. In fact, a global ECM strategy about your current and future needs has to be considered.
Look further: today's needs won't be tomorrow's needs
Obviously, a content viewer has to meet current needs of the organization (few examples: comparison between different versions of the document, search tool, annotation, e-signature...). By appropriating the viewing tool and new habits that it implies, users will necessarily accelerate and improve the organization's processes. New needs will emerge. You need to have in mind: documents create added value thanks to their data. How can you use them efficiently to be more efficient and productive?
Change management should be at the heart of digital transformation
This digital transformation is possible if there is a change management involving every user at every level of the organization. As a new tool, the viewer will introduce new habits so users will need to be trained on this new tool and to appropriate those new habits. Users don't have the same needs and goals so it is crucial to implement change management and training to succeed its digital transformation. This concerns the process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve a required business outcome.
If going paperless is a challenge for you, enjoy a 30-minutes free interview with our expert!
When you go paperless, opening and viewing content are obvious. This simple functionalities have real benefits for the whole organizations (accessibility, security, collaboration...). But behind these mere functionalities, there is a real ECM strategy to elaborate. It implies the whole organization: what is the added value of your data and how far you want to go with them?
