Electronic document & records management system to manage records like money

June 27, 2022

Richard O’Brien, Director at GilbyIM, looks at an electronic document & records management system for efficient information management

Imagine walking into a bank and being told you can see your balance, but not your withdrawal history. Or that the money you deposit may not be valid when you decide to withdraw it. Sounds farfetched? Not in the world of Information Management. The answer is to use the right tool for the job – an Electronic Document & Records Management System, which manages documents and records with precision and control, just like banks manage money.

Documents are created and received by everyone. They vary in importance, and some have more value than others. Given that so much reliance is placed on documents and records, why is it that document repositories only tell you what you hold and not what you’ve deleted? And, with so many different content types, combined with multiple formats and technologies spanning so many years, how can you guarantee you can access the records when you need to in years to come?

The benefits of an Electronic Document & Records Management System (EDRMS)

An EDRMS is purpose-built to manage records to the highest standards. It can manage electronic and paper records, archives, libraries, image collections and back-scanned projects. It allows the application of strict rules and in-built controls to ensure that what is placed in the system is properly managed throughout its lifecycle.

Is there a need for an EDRMS?

Yes. Every organisation has the need to manage some records, but not everything has to be managed as a record. There are internal projects, works in progress – transient and ephemeral documents – which can be stored in file shares and collaboration platforms; and then there are long-term records like HR, finance, contracts, health & safety and board meetings which demand an EDRMS.

Typical EDRMS deployments

Traditional deployments involve large upfront investment in software and hardware. Project implementation teams followed by ongoing support and maintenance by a central team can be costly. Deployments can be time-consuming when the system is configured separately for each team.

Due to these cost barriers, only large organisations have been able to afford to roll out an EDRMS. This approach has met varying degrees of success. From a user perspective, some have welcomed the structure, compliance and functionality. Others have resisted due to system complexity, fear of change and disruption to processes, as well as not seeing the benefits the system brings to the organisation.

Electronic Document & Records Management System, data, digital, documents, record

Where do collaboration platforms fit?

Collaboration platforms such as O365, Google Workspace and Dropbox are useful tools. They allow a great deal of flexibility for users to access, create and collaborate on content. However, if they are configured to act like an EDRMS, they lose much of the functionality that make them such great platforms to work with. Rights need to be removed from users and complex processes need to be created and documented. And what is more, all these actions need to be managed by a central team.

Where does that leave us?

As we know, all organisations create records but, depending on the industry, the need to place records in an EDRMS as opposed to a collaboration platform can differ greatly.

Collaboration platforms are used for most of the day-to-day work of many organisations, where there is a need to share access and collaborate.

Long-term records should be stored in systems designed for records: where full audit trails on every action are recorded and kept for the life of the record; where complex access controls are carefully thought through and effectively managed; where retention schedules are formally agreed and implemented, which can prove that a record has not been amended or deleted and, when something has been deleted, by who and when.

Why is GilbyIM so different?

Gilby IM is a fully managed service and opens out the benefits of an EDRMS to all organisations, from large to small. It allows the management of specific record sets without the need for expensive organisation-wide projects or support teams.

Unlike traditional EDRMS deployments, GilbyIM is offered as Software-as-a- Service (SaaS) and can be deployed within a few days. Organisations have the option to adopt a templated solu- tion or have the platform configured to their specification.

As a fully managed service, GilbyIM gives organisations the freedom to deploy quickly an EDRMS just for the information assets that need manag- ing without the need for a full deploy- ment. This dramatically reduces costs. Whether it be electronic records covering HR, contracts or finance, paper files or back scanning a whole file range ready for an office move, GilbyIM solves this problem and solves it quickly.

Trusted technology

The GilbyIM platform gives you access to a system that provides assurance from the start. The technology that underpins GilbyIM manages records for over 2,500 government organisa- tions worldwide. It conforms to ISO 15489 (the international standard for records management) and is approved by the National Archives.

Simplicity, fast deployment & agile working

The whole look and feel has been designed around the user. It is intuitive, uncluttered and requires zero training.

Our combination of a SaaS model and templated solutions means that organisations can reduce a records transformation project to days, minimise reliance on paper records and bring unstructured data under control once and for all. Not only that, it can be accessed from anywhere.

Value for money

Simplicity has been designed into GilbyIM from the outset, which enables high levels of user adoption which remains high and guarantees you project success. And because you only pay for what you use, it can be scaled to meet any organisation’s needs. From small primary schools to large councils, GilbyIM provides an excellent solution and great value for money. The GilbyIM team sets up everything and provides expert advice throughout the project. Users are fully supported and software is regularly upgraded all as part of the SaaS subscription cost.