Document Management: Types, Systems, and Media

A file is a set of ordered documents that are related by some circumstance or event. It is essential for a company to have a file, that is to sort and classify documentation in a particular way.

Why Document Management is Important

• It allows to keep, store, and safeguard information
• Information can be easily and quickly found
• To comply with the law
• It can help in the decision-making process

Types of Files

1. Active: Documents that are currently being used and queried
2. Semi-active: Documents no longer effective but kept for legal reasons
3. Inactive: Documents not valid but with a historical or documentary value

File Systems

The file system is the criterion used for ordering information.

• Alphabetical: Information classified in the order of the alphabet. The ordering word is the keyword that we will use as a reference to sort alphabetically.
• Numerical: Information or document is assigned a number to be sorted
• Alphanumerical: Information classified using letters and numbers
• Chronological: Information classified according to the date of the document
• Geographical: Information classified according to geographical locations associated with them
• Thematic: Documents are grouped according to the subject or topic they refer to.

File Media

Information is not a document until it is recorded on a material medium that allows us to check it and/or review it. Therefore, we can have paper and electronic media.

Paper

It has been the most common filing media, but it is being replaced by digital media.

Disadvantages:

• It can be easily damaged
• It takes a large space for storage
• It is not environmentally friendly

Companies are responsibly practicing the three Rs: recycle, reduce, and reuse.

Electronic or Digital Media

Advantages:

• It saves costs
• It is easier for audit processes
• It is more secure and less likely to be falsified
• It is quick and efficient
• It does not need storage space
• It is reusable

The most used digital media are:

• Magnetic tapes: Only used nowadays by some companies to perform backups
• Hard drive: It has a high storage capacity
• CD-ROM
• DVD: It has more storage capacity than a CD-ROM
• Blu-Ray: It stores up to five times more than a normal DVD
• Pen drive/flash drive: It is a portable storage device
• Cloud storage: It stores information on a network platform to be accessed from anywhere
• Memory cards
• Holographic technology: It uses laser to store computer-generated data in three dimensions

Digitization

Conversion of data information from analog to digital.