Try to remember the days of all files being on a shared network drive or all data in spreadsheets. Try to remember creating and sharing the responsibility of managing a spreadsheet. What was the largest group of cohorts that you worked with to create a spreadsheet? Is that easier now than before? If you need to go back and find the final version of that file, is it easy to do? Is it easy to share internally and externally? Do you even need to create spreadsheets anymore?
Is your world any better now that you have implemented that all-encompassing, do all solution be it ERP, contract management, collaboration, or document management solution? Is it easier to create, collaborate on, find and share information? Is there better continuity after employee turnover? What is the best solution? Is it one mega app or is it best of breed? Is simpler better or not? Better still, does what we have actually work? Let the debates and exploring continue!
These aren’t leading questions, just questions. You might even answer yes and no to some of them. That’s okay. We are just trying to get you to think more about how you work and trying to help you see and accept that it may not be a perfect setup and that some change may be needed and a good thing. So, what are other determinants that might influence your answers?
The quality of the configuration of your solution is a key issue. If your solution was well thought out and training was good and adherence to procedures is all good, then that is a big plus. I hate to say this but, how old are you? Are you and your associate’s tech friendly or not? That is a big issue. How big is your organization? It is probably much easier when trying to manage with 50 people compared to 5,000.
From a corporate perspective, efficiency, data collection, security, access, legal retention and other factors all play a role in the value equation. From recent experience in the online meeting world, there are still lots of “I can’t find that file you are talking about” or “where is that report”. So, the bottom line is – how do you think this is all going? Are you happy with the choices that your organization made? Maybe more technology like AI or robots would do the trick. But maybe less wiz-bang would be better. Let’s not forget that the all-important data that is generally easier to capture in an ERP system then from thousands of spreadsheets might be the secret sauce that makes your company very successful.
If you would like to share your thoughts, please do. If you have ideas about what would work better, please share that. If you don’t know what document management or ERP is, that could be a problem, an opportunity, or an indication that your world is not so technical. It’s obvious that these types of decisions are absolutely intertwined with each individual organization’s situation and generalizations are meaningless. We don’t always get things perfect the first go around so thinking through the issues may help lead to positive change. Regardless of your age, change can be good if it works better.
Please share your answers or questions. Maybe together we can help get you to a better solution.
Millennia Group provides workflow and document management solutions with the goal to allow companies to reduce risk, increase compliance and make better decisions. Contact us or visit our website www.mgdocs.com for more information.
