Online Services That Can Help Manage Your Files

July 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Papers and files are the most common culprit for a cluttered office. Thankfully, online resources have come to save us from our disorganized ways. Here are three online services that can help you clear the paper clutter and see the top of your desk again.

1. Online file storage. Scan your documents into a computer (from tax forms to travel brochures), and the program will copy them, label them, and store them for easy and organized retrieval.

2. Metrofax internet faxing. Faxing online is more reliable because you don’t have to worry about a dial tone, a fax machine, or a properly printed fax. If you have the Internet, you can send and receive faxes. Even better, you can send and receive faxes simultaneously (no busy signal).

That’s why faxing via email is better in general. How does it help you manage your files and papers? It’s paperless faxing. Not only do you no longer have to worry about misplacing or storing that important fax (its already stored online for you), but you won’t have extra and needless papers floating around the office.

3. Online Billing. Your bank has probably already told you about the online billing options available to you. Most banks have created an online billing system where you can have automated payments, or just one-time payments. Either way, paying bills this way means all your bills, deposits, and payments are recorded online, and you don’t have to keep stuffing a file full of paper copies.

With these easy steps to managing your paper clutter, you can be on your way to a tidy office.

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Tips on How to Manage Your Files

July 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With the digital hustle and bustle of today’s average life, it is easy for things to spin out of control. Here are a few things to keep in mind that will help you keep your files organized.

Today, people need to keep tabs on a lot of information. Insurance information, statements from the bank, dentists, doctors, car records … the list can go on and on. Fortunately, computers provide significant help with condensing space. Instead of a filing cabinet to store paper statements, a good flash drive works just fine. Many businesses, from banks to insurance companies, email electronic statements instead of mailing out paper statements to customers who appreciate the positive effect on the environment and want to reduce clutter.

Create a good way to find information you need so you don’t need to hang on to dozens of business cards or tiny bits of information. Websites such as Canada 411 allow you to look up pertinent information on the spot and can help you eliminate clutter from your life.

Managing files is an important task that everyone today needs to learn. By transferring data to digital form, files are easier to manage. By looking for people and places online, even more files can be removed from your life, replaced by the surreal expanse of the Internet.

Of course, some things should not be stored electronically. It’s a good idea to keep proof of insurance, social security cards, birth certificates and similar items in their original form.

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4 Effective Ways to Manage a Website

July 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Does Your Website Need a Web Content Managemen...

Image via Wikipedia

Without an effective plan for information management, your website may get out of hand sooner rather than later. As your content grows, you’ll need a strategy for entry, storage, organization and retrieval to make sure nothing is lost in the shuffle. Here are four effective ways to manage a website.

1. Content Management Systems

Instead of manually changing the code on each page as you add new articles or other content to your site, invest in a feature-packed content management system to do the busy work for you. This plan can put several extra hours of available time back in your workweek.

2. Use the Cloud

As your website grows, so will your storage needs. Instead of trying to manage this requirement in-house or relying on outdated hosting services, take advantage of the power of cloud computing. With this service, you always have the resources you need, and you only pay for what your site actually uses.

3. WordPress Plug-ins

If you use WordPress, you can find a plug-in to help with almost everything on your site. Some require payment, but many are completely free. These handy little pieces of code are easy to implement and can help with everything from comment notification to the collection of user information.

4. Databases and Search Tools

Every piece of information from the shortest comment to the longest article must be stored somewhere. The best plan is to choose a database with robust search capabilities. This allows you to write targeted queries to access any piece of data within seconds.

With tools like these, managing online information is an easier task. What will you use for your website?

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Managing Information Safely

July 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

filesImage courtesy of shortsaleshift.com

In a world bursting with data, from computers to direct star tv media, it has become not only commonplace but rational to backup documents by storing them in several formats, namely corporeal and electronic systems.  Both systems offer different options as far as managing this information.

Information and document management is critical to a company’s success and their ability to save time by being able to access information promptly and accurately.  Although some technophobes prefer traditional organization methods, such as filing cabinets, computers have staked their claim in information management in a big way.  Storage within a computer unit can occupy a dozen centimeters of space, whereas filing cabinets can consume a dozen feet in an office.  Companies also appreciate the computer’s ability to pull up documents faster than a secretary can pull open the door to a filing cabinet, leading some to exclusively store information electronically.

However, technology is not imperfect and even computers protected by anti-virus software and backup systems can crash and lose valuable data, or be hacked into.  This is why more and more information management specialists recommend not relying on one method, but rather choosing the safest route and storing data in both forms: concrete and electronic.  They recommend allocating space in an office specifically for information storage.  This area should contain physical documents that are organized proficiently in a filing system, and electronic documents that have been saved onto external hard drives and kept in a locked case, should there ever be a computer crash and lost documents need to be retrieved.  Employing both old and new technology is the safest way to handle information management.

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Cohesive Organization is Key to Success

May 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Two tall metal file cabinets for work or home use 

Image via Wikipedia

Many businesses have started up and been quite successful based around the premise of helping you to keep your disparate information in some sort of order. Referred to as information management, one could argue convincingly that this is a large part of the reason that computer were invented in the first place. By helping to crunch and store data, computers became the equivalent of filing cabinets. It took decades, but eventually it was possible to keep virtually all of one’s personal information on their computer. Bills, ownership records, certificates, account information, and documents all found their way into the cyber world. So too did pictures, videos, and other formerly non-digital items.

 

And all of that information in one place led inevitably to the one result: The Jumble. When you take everything that you own and store it in one storage unit, it’s hard to find any one item. Even in a neatly organized space, there are scores of boxes, each hard to reach as many boxes are stacked on top of it. And that’s exactly what a catch-all computer ends up looking like – jumbled!

 

To keep a computer in its intended position as an asset, it’s necessary to utilize information management. This process begins with coming up with a structure for your data that works for you or your organization. Whatever your organizing strategy, the key to building a suitable information management system is to adhere to the system. Everyone with access to the computer or network must be on the same page as far as organizing information. Otherwise, important parts of your organization puzzle will be missing when you need them the most.

 

Filed Under: Document Management, Information Management Tagged With: , ,

Questions to Help You Determine If a Document Management System is Right for Your Business

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

There are multiple ways to implement a document management system. Some businesses have all their files saved on a server or storage bin right in the office, while others will save their files on a document management system website that is hosted outside of the office. If you are considering using an outside document management system there are a few questions that you should ask yourself to make sure that the website and application is right for you.

Here are the questions you should ask yourself.

What type of security does it offer? You will want to make sure that the site that you are using is safe, secure and trustworthy. There are many legitimate website out there but there are also many scam websites. You must do your research and look into security and history of the website you plan on using.

What organization system does the site use? Each document management system will store things a little differently. Some will allow you to use folders, while others use separate storage locations for the documents. Research what type of organizational system the site uses so that you can be comfortable with the setup of the system.

How quick can you access the documents? Try to access the speed of the servers of the website. Will you be able to access documents quickly or is the load time slower? If you need the documents for customer service you may not be able to wait for the documents to load. Another thing to consider is how you access the documents some document management systems let you access it through a link on an internet browser while others require you to sign into a website to get the documents. These can all effect the speed at which you can get documents.

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Factors to Consider When Looking for A Document Management System

March 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Businesses are rapidly moving into the modern era when it comes to how they store their information and documents. Almost all businesses are starting to store their documents in a system known as a document management system. These systems allow for quick retrieval of the documents as well as the ability to save on space and paperwork.

While all businesses might be making the switch to a document management system, not all document management systems are the same. This means that what one system works for one business it might not work for another business. So how do you know if the document management system is right for your business? Here is a look at some things you should consider about the document management system.

Ease of Use. Not everyone in your business is going to have the same technological knowledge. You will want to make sure that the system is easy to use for all employees. Businesses that have varying levels of technological knowledge will want to make sure that everyone can use the system properly to ensure that the business runs smoothly.

Editing Documents. Some businesses will require that some documents be edited while they are in the system. It is important that you consider how the system allows you to edit the documents. Can documents be edited in the system? Do they have to be checked out to be edited or does a completely new document need to be created?

Viewing Documents. Some systems allow multiple people to view a single document at one time, while others will only allow one person to look at a document. It is important that you look into how many people can view a document at a time. This is especially important if you run a health care business as laws require you to make sure only one person can view a document at a time.

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The Use of Document Management Systems for Patient Records

March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hospitals are always trying to stay up with the latest technology. One of the ways that this is evident is through the hospitals use of a document management system to keep and maintain patient health records. A document management system allows hospitals to easily store and access information and documents that are vital to ensuring that all patients are receiving the best care possible.

A document management system that revolves around the use of patient records is a fairly simple document management system. The document management system only contains files that are considered the patient’s health records. The system is usually implemented throughout a hospital or health care system and allows any health care worker within the system to update the electronic health record. This means that they can put what care is being received, what medications are prescribed and any problems that might happen. This unified system allows for a more effective health care system.

A document management system also offers another great benefit for those that are receiving health care from that hospital or clinic. The system allows for administrators to easily input any recorded data that might have come from another center, allowing for a cohesive unit that makes health care a smooth process.

By having the ability to track, document and see what health care a patient is receiving it reduces the likelihood of hospitals and health care staff performing unnecessary procedures. It also reduces the amount of paperwork that is going around the hospital and allows health care providers to focus on the health of the patient and not have to worry about losing any important documentation.

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A Look at the Document Management System Open Text Document Management

March 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Businesses are always looking for ways to manage the information and documents that come into and out of their office. One of the ways that businesses regulate this process is through the use of a document management system. A very common document management application that many businesses use is known as the Open Text Document Management application. The Open Text program has many benefits that allow a business to better organize their documents and create an easy to use document management system.

The first benefit that Open Text has is the ability to sort documents into a file system. The file system online is created by the business so that it is set up for the business’ needs. It allows content managers to create a system of folders so that all documents are properly sorted.

Another benefit of Open Text is the rating system. Content managers are able to assign ratings and values to all documents that come and go to the system. This means that certain documents or folders that are accessed more often than others can be given higher priority and be available at the top of the list. This allows all users of the system to retrieve documents from these folders quicker.

The last benefit of the Open Text is the ability to show where a document is in the document management process. Open Text can chart where a document is, what folder it is held in and where it should go. It can also show users if a document needs to be reviewed, changed or approved for the system. This feature makes it easier to sort out documents and allow other users to see if there are documents that need their attention.

Filed Under: Document Management, Information Management Tagged With: ,

Common Security Protocols for Document Management Systems

February 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A document management system is often used to help a business or organization store and retrieve information in a quick and effective way. When using a document management system those that retrieve the information will do so through a computer system or an internet browser. Due to the fact that document management systems are held on a computer there are various security protocols that must be put into place to ensure that all information is safe. Here is a look at some of the security protocols that are available for those that use a document management system.

Firewalls. A firewall is the basic type of security protocol. Firewalls ensure that no one can get inside the computer that is storing the information and retrieve any of the valuable pieces of information. Firewalls will also block any spyware or malware that is places on a computer that can copy the documents.

User Tracking. A document management system protocol that is sometimes put into place is known as a user tracking documentation. This system will document who signs into the system, where they signed in and how long they were in the system. This is often used for systems that contain extremely sensitive pieces of information such as government documents or health care documents.

User Access Codes. Some companies will have various levels of authorization. The use of a user access code can be used as a specific type of security protocol. These access codes will allow certain individuals to have access to files while others will not have access them. This controls who can look at documents and who cannot. User access codes are often used by government document management systems or health care files so that only those that have permission to view the documents will be able to view them.

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