Digital Archiving with a Folder Structure? Avoid These Pitfalls!
Every day, billions of new (digital) documents are created. These documents must also be archived in a proper and logical manner. Often, they are simply stored in folders on the server. However, I frequently notice confusion about the difference between a folder structure on the server and “true” digital archiving. Although a folder structure resembles a digital archive, it is not the same thing and comes with quite a few drawbacks. In this blog post, I’ll highlight the pitfalls of digital archiving using folders on a server.
Digital Archiving Using a Folder Structure
Many people confuse a folder structure with a digital archive. A folder structure is not a digital archive, but at first glance it does share some of its characteristics. What are the major pitfalls?
- The proliferation of folders; colleagueshave their own definitions of “logical filing,” resulting in too many different folders (often with duplicate content) scattered across too many different locations.
- It's easy to lose track of things; filesare scattered all over the place and are therefore hard or impossible to find.
- Files get lost;in practice, it often happens that files are saved incorrectly or accidentally overwritten under the same name.
- Less reliable information; becausefiles are lost, the reliability of the completeness of your information is also significantly lower.
- More risks;a folder structure is difficult to secure and manage.
Digital archiving using a folder structure therefore ultimately leads to problems with (business-critical!) information. Documents get lost, are incomplete, or do not reflect the latest version due to accidental overwriting, saving them in the wrong location, or personal interpretations of how to archive them.
Digital Archiving Using a Digital Archiving System
With a digital archiving system, on the other hand, you can always find the original and most recent file. In addition, index fields ensure that the archiving system is search-friendly, and everything is always stored under the correct name and in the correct location. What are the benefits of digital archiving using a digital archiving system?
A single central archive
You can easily save documents from various sources into a single archive folder or file. Examples include emails, MS Word files, faxes, scanned documents, documents from your ERP application, etc. This allows you to create a single, centralized archive or file for, say, a customer, order, employee, or purchase contract.
Simplicity and Speed
By storing documents in a structured manner using fixed archiving criteria, you can quickly access all your documents. This is because you search by criteria rather than by folders and/or file names. Digital archiving therefore increases productivity and reduces labor costs.
Compliance with Laws and Regulations
For example, the law requires you to keep invoices for 7 years. With a digital archiving system, you can comply with this retention period and easily retrieve everything.
Archive performance does not decline as the database grows
A digital archive consists of metadata and the document itself. When you perform a search, you search based on metadata, which quickly returns a list of results. The server is only loaded once you actually retrieve the document. Because each document is stored in an unalterable format (TIFF, PDF/A), the load on the server is minimal. This is in contrast to storing documents in your primary ERP application.
Location-independent work
Digital archiving with the right solution means that your colleagues can securely access the archive from anywhere via a web browser, provided they have the appropriate permissions. This is fully in line with the current Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend.
Documents can be easily made available to third parties
If you choose a web-based archiving system, you can easily share data with customers, clients, or colleagues, for example. You can grant them access through a web portal or the archive itself, and specify which information each person can access.
No vendor lock-in
A digital archiving system that functions as an independent platform, such as Xtendis, ensures that your documents are always secure. This means the platform can be integrated with any application. If the organization you work for decides to switch ERP, CRM, or HR applications, you can “disconnect” the existing integration and connect the new application to the platform. This means you won’t have to deal with the often difficult and costly process of converting your documents.