Online document management has long been known to enable organizations to eliminate errors associated with lost documents, duplicate documents and document access. By storing your documents in a secure central repository you can minimize, if not totally eliminate, the mistakes that are caused by people handling paper, and even in some cases, electronic documents.
Throughout our website, you can read about the benefits of online document management and the usage of document management by industry.
In addition to the tangible benefits online document management provides in terms of cost reduction and increased efficiency, another equally important justification for conversion to this software is the potential for International Standards Organization (ISO) certification. ISO 9001 is an internationally accredited form of business certification which recognizes companies for consistent quality improvements which contribute to increased performance and stakeholder value.
Research has suggested a positive correlation between ISO certification and greater efficiency, increased customer satisfaction, improved employee morale, increased profits and higher productivity. These are the same benefits that online document management can deliver.
Two primary components are required for ISO certification:
1. Control of documents
2. Control of records
ISO 9001 defines their general requirements as the ability of an organization to “establish, document, implement, and maintain a quality management system and continually improve its effectiveness in accordance with the requirements of this International Standard.” In layman’s terms a company must be able to demonstrate documented procedures for document control.
Online document management applications facilitates meeting this standard by provision of a central repository where documents are captured, stored, indexed, automatically routed and controlled through user permissions. The processes and procedures for document access, modification, and storage are standardized across the entire company, which eliminates manual processes that often lead to loss of document control.
Companies that desire ISO certification must be able “to provide objective evidence of the effectiveness of its processes and its quality management system.” This means a company must provide evidence of process improvements via measurement or audit of business processes before and after implementation of a quality management system.
Most companies become painfully aware of the need for process improvements through lost revenue, customers, employees, productivity, or any combination of these. Therefore the benchmark already exists prior to implementation of a document management system. Once the system is active it is easy for an organization to compare its business practices before and after implementation, and present this evidence to the ISO for certification purposes.
To learn more about how online document and records management can help your business move towards ISO certification standards, please visit and sign up for a 14-day trial.
