Have you ever considered how transforming your stack of paperwork into a streamlined digital system could revolutionise the way your business operates? Imagine a day where business documents like purchase orders, invoices, packing lists, bills of lading and delivery confirmations are managed with the click of a button.
So, what is data digitisation? Simply said, it is the process of turning documents, whether paper or digital, into formats suitable for a variety of business uses. Benefits are substantial as you grow your electronic trading reach, increase efficiency and productivity, improve data accuracy and quality, and enjoy operational cost savings and enhanced security and compliance.
Transformation isn't just about technology; it is about reshaping your company's culture to embrace change and encourage innovation. Success lies in planning, picking the best technology, and integrating it smoothly into your business. Like all great things, it is a journey of continuous improvement.
Let's break down the transformation into simpler, guiding questions:
1. What data do you have?
What types of information are crucial to the success of your business? Where are they stored and who has access? These are some of the questions you need to ask before you begin your digital transformation journey.
2. What is the desired outcome?
Is your industry moving towards digital commerce? Is online or mobile experience essential to your customer moving forward? Having a good idea of what you want to achieve will guide your decision- making process.
3. Do you have the right resources for the job?
Turning documents into different formats for a variety of business uses may seem like a simple job, but it still requires individuals to oversee the process. Are you prepared to put resources into this area of your business? You need provide training to staff on how to use the new digital document system and processes and help them transition to the new digital approach, addressing resistance and fostering acceptance.
4. Do you have the right technology?
Scanning tools are readily available but to reap the economies of scale from digitisation would require smarter technology. Using AI-powered scanning tools such as DocProStar can help you identify and fix errors and become smarter as it scans is key to success.
5. Have you got the workflow set up?
Defined business rules and triggers to automate tasks, such as routing documents to the appropriate person or department, can help make the process smoother and more efficient. You will also have to consider assigning unique identifiers or creating indexes for version control, access control, and backup. In addition, you will need search capabilities that allow users to quickly find and retrieve documents.
6. What security do you have in place to keep your digital data secure?
Access control is crucial to ensuring your data integrity. There should be clear audit trails that maintain logs of all activities performed on documents. Apply encryption and other security measures to protect sensitive information.
7. Do you have any compliance or retention policies?
You will have to ensure all digitised documents comply with relevant industry regulations and standards. Retention policies must be put in place too to help your business decide how long documents should be kept before they are securely disposed of.
8. Can the tech integrate with your current business systems easily?
Ensure that documents and extracted data can synchronise easily with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
9. How can you measure success?
Deploy tools to monitor the efficiency and accuracy of the digitisation and automation processes, generate reports to analyse the performance and to identify areas for improvement.
Are you ready to grow your business, improve efficiency, reduce reliance on manual handling, minimise errors, enjoy cost savings and experience an improvement in customer satisfaction?
Connect with us to discuss your readiness for data digitalisation and to find out how you can make it happen.