Documents are an essential component of just about any enterprise, whether electronic or paper. Managing business information can be a challenging task, sometimes coming from several sources. CRM software captures, stores, and retrieves both paper and electronic documents, depending on the nature of your company, which can bring many key benefits to your organization.

1. Reduced Storage Space

The cost of commercial property is rising, and so is the cost of storing paper documents. The CRM software for businesses that can reduce the need for file cabinets, boxes, and storage bins is a valuable asset to any enterprise, freeing up precious office space. Documents that must be kept as hard copies can often be stored in less expensive places, such as an offsite warehouse or vault.

2. Enhanced Security

The security of the documents is vital to many businesses. CRM software gives increased control over sensitive documents. Access to documents for different groups or individuals may be controlled at the folder level. Also, a CRM software leaves an audit trail of who has viewed a document, when it was accessed, and how it may have been modified. Documents managed are highly traceable and can be tagged to allow automated alerts.

3. Improved Regulatory Compliance

The requirements for compliance with certain documents can be quite complex. Non-conformance can lead to fines, revoked licenses, and in some cases criminal liability. CRM software reduces the risk of non-compliance. For example, record retention schedules can be automated, and new documents can be classified and stored with greater ease.

4. Easier Retrieval

It can be very time consuming to find and retrieve documents-and we all know that time is money. Why manage document systems? 7.5 percent of all documents are lost; 3 percent of all other documents are misfiled. Professionals spend 5-15% of their time reading information, and as much as 50% of their time looking for it. The CRM software for businesses can be a powerful, time-saving tool. CRM software also allows accessing documents remotely. The documents can be accessed from virtually anywhere as long as there is an internet connection.

5. Better Collaboration

With CRM software, information sharing and collaboration can be a lot easier. Documents captured from different sources can be accessed from multiple locations. Electronic imagery allows the sharing of documents via email or the Internet over a network. CRM software provides greater visibility to business processes and can allow for better workflow monitoring.

6. Better Backup and Disaster Recovery

A data backup and disaster recovery plan should be included in every document management solution. The paper documents are protected from fire and flood and other disasters with digital archiving as a backup. Documents are highly traceable with CRM software and can be tracked in a range of criteria. Also, because imaged documents are centrally stored they cannot be lost or misplaced after viewing. Documents are less likely to be misfiled and are easier to find with cross-indexing if so. Documents can be digitized and archived at the point where they enter the system.

Proper document management systems can bring you and your office a great many benefits. Take initiative and schedule a demo today to see how CRM software can help you manage documents effectively thereby improving business processes and increasing efficiency.