Document Management Solution

Components of DMS
The components of DMS can be broadly divided in four parts
1. Document Capture and Storage
2. Document Work Flow
3. Business Rules for work flow
4. Analysis and Reporting on DMS

1. Document Capture and Storage

Batch Scanning
The format of incoming documents in an organization is difficult to control ; So it is important that document imaging systems are able to scan a mix of these documents in bulkPermanent and Accurate Storage Permanent and accurate storage deals with the conversion of hard-copy business documents such as invoices, statements and remittances into unalterable digital images. It is important that the images of accounting documents captured by the system are unalterable since they form a key part of the accounting records retained by the business. This means, for example, that even where document styles and layout change over the year that the original is a faithful copy. In addition, where matching with an accounting system identifies relationships between documents, for example a Purchase Order, a GRN (Goods Received Note) and Purchase Invoice it is important that the document management system retains this relationship when storing away the image so that the information is preserved and available if the accounting system is subsequently replaced. Using these relationships, a modern document imaging system should also present automatically related documents, such as an invoice and its associated purchase order and proof-of-delivery.

Intelligent Data Capture
Intelligent data capture is the cornerstone of a document management system and an area that has benefited from rapid advances in technology. This technology enables the automated capture of data from whole batches of incoming documents, such as supplier invoices, using OCR (Optical Character Recognition). It is vital that data capture technology can handle mixed batches of document types and sizes and recognises different fonts, layout and colours whilst intelligently interpreting the contents with a high degree of success by matching against valid data held within an integrated accounting system or other database. For example, using this technique, a supplier name or VAT registration number on a scanned purchase invoice could be matched with the supplier's account number held in the accounts payable module. Unmatched data should be clearly highlighted on screen so that operators can view the scanned image and correct the interpreted data where necessary so that future instances of the same document type can be scanned without delay.

Secure methods of data storage
Storing digital images within a document management system provides unique advantages over manual storage of paper documents, for example, space savings, fast document retrieval and ease of backup. But data storage has to be secure from unauthorised access, inadvertent or malicious changes, i.e. apply a similar level of user permissions to the original records as the accounting system itself. In addition, the system should avoid proprietary technology so that images can be transferred to alternative hardware configurations as the organisation grows.

2. Document Work Flow
The documents in an organisation have workflows attached to them for example if we consider an invoice it is generated ,checked for essential information ,goes for approval ,approved ,email /sms notification send to concerned department for payment ,the approved invoice is archived. The ability for approvers to append ‘sticky notes' on the electronic document, without affecting the original image whilst enabling the accounts administrator to track the whereabouts of individual documents should be available.

3.Business Rules for work flow
The flow of a document in an organisation is governed by simple rules for example there may be rules for approval of invoice based on financial power of designation like up to Rs 100 approval can be done by clerk ,from 100-5000 by section officer ,from 5000 -50000 by accountant and so on. These rules if nested in the work flow are very useful in automation of whole process.

4.Analysis and Reporting on DMS

The audit trail and reports on the documents helps to monitor the cost involved ,speed and accuracy of work. Any DMS should be able to generate the reports regarding the documentation carried out for example for invoices a report should be available giving details of number of incoming invoices ,withheld for approval ,approved ,rejected .The other important thing is that at any particular instance the end user should be able to know the status of particular document .This also helps in resource optimization as well as removing bottlenecks from system making it more efficient