Intro
Coca-Cola was invented more than 130 years ago, but people still don’t know its formula. It’s one of the best-kept secrets in the industry, and even though many have tried to replicate it, they have never succeeded because Coca-Cola keeps its information safe, stored, and secure.
You can also secure your information like that, providing access only to those people who need it and ensuring you’re always compliant with regulatory bodies by using document control software. So let’s see what document control is, why it matters, and what elements you should look into when picking your document control software.
What is document control and why it matters
Document control is the process of creating, reviewing, distributing, and disposing of documents, by which a company handles version control, change management, and adheres to regulatory requirements and industry standards. The more organized and systematic the process, the better the document control is within an organization. The process involves tasks such as:
- Storing information
- Organizing information in an efficient way
- Tracing the information to make sure it’s up-to-date
- Distributing necessary documents when needed
Document control is necessary for any organization that wants to maintain consistency, accuracy, and compliance with regulations in its field. The best way to ensure this process runs smoothly is to invest in good document control software.
A good document control software will ensure that all of your documentation is stored in a centralized directory, that the information is regularly updated, and that the right people can access the right information at the right moment. With Intranet Connections, you’ll get the following document control features:
- Document library with version control. The document library will have built-in version control to avoid duplication and ensure employees can access the latest version.
- Metadata, tagging, and search. You can add flexible custom metadata (tags) to documents or tags to pages or apps that include documents. Tag-driven search really helps your users to find that elusive document much more quickly than endlessly searching SharePoint sites or looking through dusty network drives.
- Access control and personalization. Not everyone needs to access all information in your depository so you can restrict access to particular groups. And with governance and lifecycle management features, you can provide editing or viewing rights to certain people and have an approval workflow in place for adding new documents.
No matter if your industry is healthcare, finance, or government you want to stay compliant with laws and regulations and document control software will help you with that.
The importance of document control in regulatory compliance
Even though document control can look quite different from organization to organization, it still follows the same baseline:
- Creating templates that allow for easier formatting and document consistency
- Developing a clear folder/labeling system for information so that each member who has access can clearly find the information under the right folder
- A central repository of information. If there’s anything people hate, it’s using 56 different information hubs to access the information they need.
- Version tracking system that allows everyone to work on the same (current) version of the document (Google Docs beats Microsoft Word).
- A clear guiding process on how to use/reuse/revise/change the data in the central system. Everyone needs to know the process of reviewing and updating the information in the system.
- The right access controls to the repository; give access to people who need to have access instead of to everyone because that can create a data security problem such as information leakage.
- Information removal process that explicitly states how, when, and what information you remove from the process.
This can seem overwhelming, but with the right document control software, you can automate plenty of these processes and make the document control software work for you, not the other way around.
*Check out this success story
[The intranet] allows us to store dated forms and communications, and that plays a role when we have audits and helps with the legal process. Any auditor can come in, and we can answer those calls with confidence, because we can go back to the intranet and refer to those past documents.
Erin Roberts Digital Marketing Specialist at Wheelhouse Credit Union
3 elements to look out for when choosing your document control software
Not all document control software is made the same— you need to pay attention to the following elements when choosing your document control software:
- Easy usage. No matter how good the document software system looks like on paper, if it’s difficult to use, you won’t get the value from it. Since this is a repository system for all of your company information and many people in your organization will use it, it needs to be simple enough so that a large portion of the company can use it with ease. You want a smartphone, not a BlackBerry.
- Scalability. You want a document control software that follows the growth of your information. The last thing you want to deal with is changing your entire information storage system when you’re a massive company. That’s why the software you choose needs to scale well with additional teams, people, and information and still remain functional and easy to use.
- Custom permissions. The right document control software will allow you to easily and securely give permission to the right people in your organization so they can access the information repository. You should also determine the level of access these people should have. For some employees, it’s enough that they can only view and access the information, while others should have editing rights for various documents.
Conclusion
The right document control software will ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations. If you’re still on the fence regarding choosing the right document management system, learn more by downloading our free webinar “Navigating Knowledge Governance: Strategies to Uncover and Leverage Hidden Expertise.”
