Why should you consolidate multiple document management systems into one?

Document Management (DM) systems are used in all different types of organisations, from financial firms to football clubs. Some organisations have more than one, but in local authorities, it’s not a strange concept to find 20+ DM systems. It has staggering implications on cost, resource, data management, time, and downtime. 

That’s why many organisations are shifting to one, single system. Users can still perform their daily tasks, but with a standard solution that means a wider range of resources to tap into for support. 

What are the challenges of having multiple DM systems? 

• High cost. Maintaining multiple systems is expensive. It’s not just software expenses, either – it means multiple servers and other specific hardware for each system, plus user and administration training for each system you use. The costs quickly add up. 

• Poor data sharing. Sharing documents between different systems is hard. Take FOI and GDPR requests. Collecting and collating documents from multiple systems can be challenging with staff needing to search different systems with different data, different user interfaces and different ways to retrieve documents. 

• Time consuming. Training takes time. With one system, you only train once. It doesn’t matter if teams or individuals move departments. They’ll still be able to use and move information in the same way.  

• Hard to maintain. Multiple systems mean multiple patches, downtimes, upgrades and planning. Integrations don’t work across different systems, and it can be taxing on time and resource to maintain various systems.  

What should I do? 

Think about your organisation. Think about those impacts of multiple systems on cost, user needs and data protection.  

Then think, what DM system works best for us? 

Why Sharepoint isn’t the solution.

It’s absolutely essential to have a solution that includes all of the tools needed, not one that just provides a toolkit. SharePoint can be a DM system, but that’s not how it arrives. It’s a toolkit, not an oven-ready system. This means you need advanced skills to build your solution. There’s more on that here.

You need a DM system that allows you to capture, use and share information from day one.

That’s NEC Document Management.

We provide everything out the box in one solution. 

• Collect, collate and collaborate far easier with just one system.  
• We’re the market leader for flexibility and integration.  
• We have everything required as part of one single product, which completely eradicates separate contracts and systems for separate modules. 
• No need to refer to multiple organisations if a support issue arises. 
• It’s all upgraded at the same time, tested by us. 

Plus, we: 

• Provide a browser-based solution.
• Hold a mature, 200-strong customer base, with a product to match.
• Lead efficiency.  
• Offer a tangible, quantifiable ROI. 
• Have an incredibly active roadmap.  
• Provide a document management solution that’s used in every service in local authorities. 

 To find out more about NEC Document Management as a corporate solution, get in touch through the contact form below.