by Fortress & Castle Ltd | Aug 13, 2015 | Article
The paperless office has moved beyond the metal filing cabinet, and now your business needs a platform for managing your digital documents. A document management system (DMS) can organise, store, and track changes in your electronic records. The right DMS will integrate with your current systems to maximise workflow and collaboration. Not all document management systems are created equal, so before you rush to purchase one, first consider the following:
1. Determine Your Specific Document Management Needs
You can’t buy the right tool unless you know what you’re trying to fix. While it’s tempting to throw technology at an issue, take the time to assess your organisation’s specific document management needs. Start by making a list of current issues, and engage your staff in this process so that you can target a solution that will actually work for them. Note the various software applications you’d like to integrate with your document management system. Factor in your firm’s projected growth areas so that your new DMS can handle future challenges.
2. Look for a Simple, Straightforward User Interface
Your system should offer an intuitive user interface (UI) that your staff can easily navigate. A powerful software platform with a confusing UI will only frustrate employees. Look for a system that’s simple and efficient, with clear commands and a clean visual design. After initial training, your staff shouldn’t have to constantly refer to a user manual to access your DMS. Designate a few “power users” on your team who can master the UI and share tips and tricks on getting the most out of your new system.
3. Select a DMS with Full Integration Capabilities
Your DMS needs to integrate fully with your current software systems so that you won’t have to hop between applications to complete daily tasks. Make sure your new software can “talk to” your other programs.
4. Manage Workflow
A document management system is far more than a digital filing cabinet. The best ones also act as workflow management systems, keeping your projects moving forward smoothly. Choose a DMS with project management features that meet your organisation’s specific needs. Make sure the platform also includes sufficient scalability for your business, so that your software can adapt to your company’s growth.
5. Focus on Collaboration
With more staff working off site, your system should enable users to collaborate seamlessly. Your employees need to access files simultaneously without having to log out, and they need to track revisions and document versions in detail. Make sure that the system you implement catalogues all changes, and that it lists document versions in a logical order so that your team can reference previous instances quickly.
6. Capture Data Intelligently
The right document management system will capture your data from a variety of input devices. Once your documents have been scanned, the system should intelligently extract and validate the data in the files. The software will then tag and categorize materials for fast retrieval through an easy-to-use search engine, conserving your staff’s time and increasing productivity. While many DMS options claim to offer intelligent data capture, not all deliver. Work closely with your supplier to make sure that the product you select can actually interpret your data correctly.
7. Prioritise Security
Recent data breaches have underscored the importance of guarding your business intelligence. Protect your corporate and client information with a system that includes rigorous security protocols designed to block external attacks. Reputable software suppliers will stress security as a key feature of their products. Remember that you’ll need to constantly monitor and update security levels to address evolving threats.
8. Choose Software with Administrative Control Features
In addition to external threats, you must also protect your data from within by using software that provides administrative control options. Set user permissions that are tailored to the needs and responsibilities of each staff member. Some employees will simply require read-only access, while others will need expanded authorisation to move and delete files. Work with your team to refine permissions, and develop standard “permissions profiles” that you can reference when taking on new staff. Add flexibility with temporary permissions for staff working on short-term projects.
9. Verify Support Options
Look for a supplier that can provide superior product support, preferably in a number of formats (such as telephone, email, and online chat options). Before purchasing your document management system, ask your supplier about turnaround times for support requests.
10. Back It Up
No matter how large or small your business, you can’t afford to lose your documents and data. Always choose a product that offers constant backups on secure servers. Your document management system’s backup capabilities should form part of a larger disaster recovery plan for your organisation.
The Bottom Line
Selecting the right document management system can be a challenge. Take control of your search by first understanding your needs and the available software options. Choose a reputable supplier with a proven product, insist on security, back up your data, and your document management system will provide significant return on your investment.
Source: Tim Eisenhauer, Axero
Why not consider making the transition from hard copy to electronic storage of documents, and let our intelligent document management solution take care of your important data.
View our explainer video here…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA
by Fortress & Castle Ltd | Jul 17, 2015 | Article
Speedy access to critical information separates the winners from the losers in today’s information economy. And just as everyone organises their documents in some way or another – even if it’s a ‘home made’ naming convention of always including the client name or a keyword – then, everyone who is not using document management software spends far too much time looking for “lost” documents or trying to work out which is the most recent version.
We would like to think that DM has finally gained full acceptance in the business world; but the truth is that some businesses still remain stubbornly unconvinced despite the facts and figures that support the business case.
Why Wouldn’t You?
According to Deutsche Bank and Gartner research, no less than 95% of the 30 billion invoices processed across Europe in the year 2010 were still done so in a way that involved manual data entry. Think about that for a minute – that’s over 28 billion invoices still being moved around from person to person, desk to desk, sometimes with as many as 10 steps to complete the whole process. The truth here is that manual processing can push the cost of processing that invoice by a factor of 20 over doing it electronically. That equates to £80,000 for 20,000 invoices at £4 each (done manually) versus the much lower £4,000 if they were done electronically (so at 20p each). And 20,000 invoices isn’t really a lot if you are a multinational.
Another statistic has it that the average office worker in the UK uses 15,000 sheets of paper every year with a cost implication of approximately £170 per person. At roughly 10 million UK office workers, that amounts to nearly £2 billion pounds being spent on possibly unnecessary paper.
A 2012 IDC report (‘The High Cost of Not Finding Information’) found that information workers spent up to 20% of their time filing and searching through paper documents. On top of that, they wasted over 10 hours a week searching for, but not finding, documents, recreating lost documents and other time-consuming tasks. IDC has gone so far as to cost out three scenarios – Time Wasted Search, Cost of Reworking Information and Opportunity Costs To the Enterprise – that can help companies estimate the cost of not finding information and the productivity gains that can be achieved when they do. Using these three scenarios, IDC estimated that an enterprise employing 1,000 knowledge workers wastes at least $2.5 to $3.5 million per year searching for nonexistent information, failing to find existing information, or recreating information that can’t be found. The opportunity cost to the enterprise is even greater, with potential additional revenue exceeding $15 million annually.
Plans, ideas, and thought processes have to be reinvented and recreated because an original document cannot be located and retrieved or – as sometimes happens when people retire or move on – other people are unaware of its existence. These figures, and many more like them, can all be attributed to the problems inherent in hardcopy document management – problems that have been known about for a long time.
This is something that should concern everyone in business, as despite all the cheerful headlines about a recovering UK economy, most businesses are still not increasing their spending – which means that money spent carelessly like this if there really is no need is not really on.
‘Must-Have’ List
There is no room, then, for complacency. Until DM software is on everybody’s ‘must-have’ list, there is still work to be done. The DM market is still a very healthy one and there is great scope for selling more of the sector’s wares. But unless we start working with customers – new and old, frankly – on the need to get the efficiency beyond the Finance office to the rest of the office, making the internal handling of the payment cycle a much slicker process and close out the situation where invoices can spend three quarters of their time in a company doing nothing, then we don’t have time to relax.
Source: Document Manager
Why not consider making the transition from hard copy to electronic storage of documents, and let our intelligent document management solution take care of your important data.
View our explainer video here…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA
by Fortress & Castle Ltd | May 29, 2015 | Article
Over recent years, the world has seen a massive rise in the number of small businesses and startups. While this is a positive trend in many ways, it does bring its own set of challenges with it.
These days, almost every business is heavily dependent on technology and global connectivity. As a result data security, confidentiality and accessibility are some of the major challenges that small businesses are facing today. Effective use of data, in an increasingly connected business environment, has also become an important need. Fortunately, the rise in these challenges has given way to innovative solutions as well. As a result, services like cloud storage have become some of the most sought after business needs. Cloud storage services take away the burden of data management from their customers’ hard drives and places the data into secure, well-managed and highly connected storage devices.
Here are 7 major benefits of cloud storage for small businesses.
1. Foolproof Data Security
As a small business, you do not have the luxury of investing thousands of pounds in securing your data. But you can still protect it with cloud storage services. Leading cloud storage companies take several security measures to ensure that your data remains perfectly safe. Here are a few of them:
- All the data is maintained in your cloud storage in encrypted form that can only be accessed with a unique encryption Id.
- Regular virus scans and security checks are run on your data to eradicate any potential threats.
- Multiple security layers are implemented on your data to ensure that only you and your authorised users can gain access to the it.
2. Regular Data Backups
One of the most common reasons for data losses, is the unavailability of a properly managed data backup system. By using a cloud storage service, you eliminate the need of managing backups of your data. Your local storage is directly connected with the cloud service where multiple backups of your data are created at different locations that are completely synced with each other. The moment you make any changes to your data, it is reflected in the backup storage as well.
3. Consistency and Reliability
When not protected properly, access to your data can be affected in a number of ways including power failure, internet connectivity issues, natural disasters. Cloud storage services take all these threats away from your data and make it extremely reliable and consistently available for you. Your data is saved at multiple highly secured locations. So there’s no threat of any power failures or natural disasters to all of them at the same time.
4. Global Data Connectivity
Many small businesses work with remote teams that need to access data from a centralised location. Cloud storage services give you the ability to grant access to as many users as possible anywhere in the world. You can also manage data rights for different users to ensure proper security. All the changes that are made to the data are completely synced together, giving you the most up to date version of your data. This, of course is a major advantage that you cannot get from your own storage device.
5. Enhanced Accessibility
Unlike local storage devices, cloud storage services can be accessed from anywhere in the world using a number of different devices. Apart from the regular PC, you can also directly access your cloud data with your smartphone and tablets. So unlike local storage, if you need to access a particular piece of data from your smartphone, you do not need to carry it with you all the time. You can simply access it whenever you need and delete it from your smartphone storage as soon as your need is fulfilled.
6. Reduced Infrastructure Cost
Managing a data backup system requires huge investments both in terms of man power and technology. Backup systems also demand additional energy costs as they need to run round the clock. However, by using a cloud storage service, you get rid of a number of infrastructure needs as well. You do not need to employ dedicated professionals to look after your data security and management. You also don’t need to spend extra money on computers and backup servers to store your data. All this can lead to substantial cost savings in the long run and add to the overall profitability of your business.
7. Environmentally Friendly Impact
A strong reason for using the modern cloud based storage services is the positive impact that they have on the environment. Many leading cloud storage companies intentionally employ environment friendly power generation methods for their storage units. Environment friendliness is one of their major considerations while making purchases for their infrastructure as well. Moreover, when you shift your local storage to a cloud service, you effectively save tons of energy that would’ve been consumed throughout the year. When you apply this scenario to hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of cloud storage clients, you can naturally understand the positive impact it will have on the overall environment through reduced power consumption and efficient energy usage.
Cloud storage has become an essential need of small businesses in today’s fast moving business environment. As a business owner, you should look to invest your energies on your most productive activities.
Why not consider making the transition from hard copy to electronic storage of documents, and let our cloud-based intelligent document management solution take care of your data.
View our explainer video here…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA
by Fortress & Castle Ltd | May 22, 2015 | Article
The business value that can be realised from workflow automation is much more than higher efficiency, better time management, and an increased level of organisation.
The core competency of a company lies in how it operates and serves its customers relative to its competitors, and workflow lies at the heart of a company’s operations. Organisations are also looking to gain competitive advantage across the entire value chain, and the ability to effectively collaborate with colleagues, customers and partners anytime, from anywhere, is crucial.
Nowadays, little in business does not involve some sort of a process. But the increasingly global nature of business, with colleagues and customers working in offices and on mobile devices spread across the world, is driving an evolution in how business processes are automated and deployed across organisations. Technology is transforming the way people work. It’s one of the biggest influences on how people within a business connect, collaborate and communicate.
Workflow automation has the potential to help companies get ahead and stay ahead of their competitors by constantly improving everyday processes.
“It’s no longer just what you do that counts. It’s how you do what you do – and how quickly you can modify your business processes to take on new opportunities and challenges – that’s really important.” Andy Mulholland, Jon Pyke, and Peter Fingar, “Enterprise Cloud Computing – A Strategy Guide For Business and Technology Leaders“
Digitisation provides endless opportunities to create new value for an organisation’s products and services. But this value won’t be realised if you merely insert digital technologies into existing business processes, rather than rethinking the work that is the essence of the business process.
With Castle’s outsourced provision, we deliver a cost effective and streamlined solution to significantly improve your business process. Contact Us today for a free, no obligation appraisal of your current business process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA
Source: CMS Wire
by Fortress & Castle Ltd | May 15, 2015 | Article
The mailroom is responsible for managing your most valuable documents and sensitive information. Outsourced mailroom services can address a range of operational issues.
Using high-volume production scanners and a combination of manual data entry, automated form classification and intelligent data capture systems, we transform your paper documents into digital information delivered quickly and efficiently to the right people at the right time. Our digital mailroom solutions incorporate time and cost-saving improvements for mail workflows, and all associated business processes.
Working with you towards a solution
Our consultants work with you to help you understand your current service and identify areas for improvement to efficiency and effectiveness. We deliver financial value through precise process efficiency and technical innovation. By providing a professionally managed digital mailroom service, with clearly defined SLAs, we help you improve the service you offer your clients. We introduce transparency and control through streamlined processes and detailed management information.
Significant savings and improvements
– Eliminate costly mailroom overheads
– Reduced paper storage costs
– Eliminate delays in receiving important mail items
– Save time by receiving electronic post instantly
– No need for costly equipment, maintenance and consumables
– Improved compliance and visibility
– An auditable process
The effective management of your mail can impact on the success of your business. Contact Us today to find out how we can help your organisation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA
by Fortress & Castle Ltd | May 12, 2015 | Article
Large enterprises. Mid-sized businesses. It seems like they’re all vulnerable to data security breaches today. It’s no longer as easy as locking up the front door of the business. Just ask Slack, Target and even Salesforce, each of which dealt with cyber attacks on some level in the past few years. Businesses don’t have to be entirely vulnerable, though. In this discussion point, CMS Wire asked several security industry officials to weigh in on the sources of breaches at large enterprises.
The Question: Why do large enterprises have security breaches?
PJ Kirner, CTO and founder, Illumio says:
“Large enterprise data breaches fall into a clear pattern. At a high level, attacks that lead to data breaches follow a sequence — the initial attack, followed by propagation to other vulnerable systems in the network, collection of sensitive data from compromised systems and finally exfiltration of information.
Over time, attacks have become more sophisticated and targeted with many variations in the modus operandi of the initial attack, from opportunistic attempts driven by security errors to malicious insiders, organised crime rings and hacktivists. But the processes by which the attack takes hold and the attacker makes away with sensitive data still remain largely the same.
Enterprises have focused a lot of attention on efforts to stave off this initial attack. They have spent billions of dollars bolstering perimeter defences in the hope that the attack can be prevented from even arriving at the door step. However, recent events and high profile breaches have highlighted the problem of this one-dimensional approach to security which allows attackers to exploit the weak insides of data centers or clouds after they sneak past the perimeter.
Enterprise data centers and even public clouds suffer from a problem of gratuitous connectivity — or the ability for servers to communicate simply because a network path exists. This is the single biggest vector by which attacks spread laterally from one compromised system to the other. The lack of visibility and control over the traffic between servers behind the perimeter means that attackers have very little resistance once they’re inside.
Security solutions must address the issue of unintended connectivity by decoupling the enforcement of security from the network. They must dynamically secure the communications between server with granular and automated controls to restrict interactions based on application needs. With the right application segmentation and isolation, enterprises will have a better chance at preventing data breaches even after the initial attack.”
Rehan Jalil, CEO, Elastica says:
“A key challenge enterprises face in modern security breaches is that attacks have become an asymmetrical threat — in favor of the attackers. Whether it is nation-states, criminal enterprises or rogue individuals, any one of them needs to find only one weakness in a complex web of technology and data. With immense resources at the attackers’ disposal, organizations need to think very differently about security.
Furthermore, the economics of data have moved away from direct payment information (e.g. credit card numbers) and more into detailed records (like healthcare records). Recent reports even claim that cyber theft is more lucrative than the illegal drug trade! Enterprises need more sophisticated analysis to help detect and stop these data breaches. The typical perimeter and defense-in-depth approach may be necessary but no longer sufficient with the high mobility of both workers and data.
Enterprises need to think about leveraging the power of web scale systems coupled with modern techniques such as data science and machine learning to continuously monitor user behavior and identify suspicious patterns, without requiring constant human supervision. It is through data science that companies can help level the playing field without dramatically accelerating security spend.”
Source: CMS Wire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjh5Y9-zAA