If you're using file cabinets, a folder on your computer, or an online storage service such as Google Drive, managing a large volume of documentation can be challenging and inefficient. Employees are expected to spend more than 2.5 hours per day looking for critical information to accomplish their tasks. The chaos of paper documents is also an overwhelming and stressful experience.

The good news is that organizations can fix this issue by switching to an online system for document management. A system that automates document processing and eliminates manual workflows can be used to help organizations collaborate with remote teams.

The best document management software automate a variety of processes, including the collection of files from scanners or email attachments and routing them according to predefined rules, which frees personnel to concentrate on more important tasks. They also include a variety of features to improve accessibility and organization of documents such as version control which tracks edits and lets you roll back documents to earlier versions. Other useful features include a powerful search tool that lets users to narrow their search by document type, index value, keywords and full-text.

Top document management solutions also offer redundancy of data so that your company can access vital information even when the server goes down or a natural disaster happens. A lot of document management systems are also fully mobile and allow employees to work from their office or on the go using a web browser or an iOS/Android application, and also offer options for integrations with accounting software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications and more.