Document Management Tips - Old School

Did you realise that you don't actually need a fancy, expensive piece of software to ensure that your documentation is managed effectively and efficiently... as with all things, a little organisation and a drop of common sense goes a long, long way.

Here are my top tips for managing your documentation...

Library Location....
An electronic document library should be housed in a central location, where all relevant staff are able to access it. A shared access drive or local intranet site are ideal. There is very little need for extensive physical document libraries in the modern office; however, when required, consideration should be given to the volume of data to be stored, frequency of access, and the duration for which it will need to be retained.

Security....
Documents contain valuable information about your organisation, projects, customers, suppliers etc... Ensure that your document management systems comply with all relevant information security policies and standards (this may include ISO27001 and/or PCI-DSS).

Library Management....
Ensure that responsible staff have clearly defined roles and responsibilities in the creation, management and on-going maintenance of the library. Responsibilities should be integrated into job descriptions and performance management objectives for relevant support staff.

Folder Structures and Naming Conventions....
Ensure that documentation and information is stored in a logical way, and that users are able to find what they are looking for. Keep filing structures simple... keeping phases or stages of a project together in line with the project management methodology, for example.

Version Controls and Change Control ....
All documents need to be version controlled. Use of minor/major numbering for version controls ensure tracking of approved changes and updates to documentation. Inclusion of next review dates in document controls will assist in ensuring that information in documents remains pertinent and relevant to the organisation.

Document Templates....
To ensure consistency of documentation design and compliance with corporate/organisational branding provide all staff with access to a centrally managed and located set of template documents.
Regularly used document templates may also include example content to ensure quality of information retained by the organisation.

These are just a few tips. If you want to know more, feel free to drop me a line.