How to get the Most Out of E-Filing Systems

If you have been involved with any business, at any level whatsoever, piles of data is processed, a never ending stream of paperwork has to be completed and more than one department is usually involved.

Could you imagine the chaos a conventional business thrives in? Can it be made any simpler? Of course it can be, thanks to technology. Our Proline 3.0 — Business Intelligence Software — has a nifty E-filing feature which is, at the risk of exaggerating, god-sent.

As a starting point, the E-filing system basically allows you to store all the documents of importance in an organized manner. Just doing so allows you to increase your productivity considerably.

You may organize your main documents area into respective folders, each pertaining to different business functions and upload scanned documents, forecasts, spreadsheets, business letters, Internal memos, photos and save them all. Each of these folders can later be set-up to be shared between authorized personnel within various departments as you deem necessary.

What are the benefits of E-filing?

• Saves considerable amount of time
  With an e-filing system, you know precisely where respective files are located and within which folder. You would also have a list of staff associated with these files or folders if you need to collaborate with them. It obviates the need for you to spend time looking for a document edited about 3 years ago and then to retrieve. Also, you don’t need to worry about trying to find out who was responsible for editing that document or to figure out which department is now responsible for working on this particular document.
• Less clutter leads to more productivity
  By arranging all your work files in folders and sub-folders, you are avoiding clutter to a large extent. Avoiding clutter and keeping things organized is the primary step to be taken to achieve stellar levels of productivity within an organization. Also, since most of it is systematic, it doesn’t take too long to train new staff or those who need to be acquainted with the system.
• Work with ease, go paperless and save money
  Log-in and shuffle, work and collaborate is the new mantra when working with numerous documents within an organization. Scanning all documents and storing them on your hard-drive, back-up systems ( both online and off) helps you to save on office space to a large extent. Any time saved looking, retrieving and trying to figure out what to do with existing documents is money earned for an organization. Also, just by taking to the e-filing system, you help save paper and work towards a smart, digitized office.

Start your E-filing System with 3 Easy Steps

Step 1 — Get a scanner: One of the most important pieces of equipment you will need as an aide to (multi-function printers MFP have scanners as well) your e-filing system is a scanner (The best scanners available for you to pick makes for another great post, don’t you think?).

You also have multi-function printers capable of scanning documents as well which you could consider.

Step 2 — Develop a system for filing: have a SOP (Standard operations procedure) in place: If you leave it to staff to make their decisions of their own when it comes to filing, you could very well imagine the resulting chaos?

Hence, develop a systematic way to file your documents. You could make it a company-wide policy. Such an over-arching policy concerning doing a business process systematically is called a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and it makes sense to have a firm one in place.

Step 3 — Take back-ups: Last but perhaps more crucial than anything mentioned above, it is very important to take back-ups of all documents in your e-filing system. Any data lost or compromised is a direct, sometimes irreversible loss, for your company and when it’s avoidable, you really run out of excuses to back-up your data, don’t you?

Proline 3.0 has a robust e-filing system in place making it all simple for you to use and execute. Scan and upload documents as files categorized into various folders and sub-folders. Retrieve them when needed and use our unique file collaboration system which is much like sending emails with attachments.

Be it an cheque, sales memo, financial spreadsheets, etc., all you need to do now is to send the files off to concerned staff just like you send an email with all the related files as attachments.

It can’t get any easier and effective than this, can it?