Electronic archive in production. Versioning, revision and acceptance pathway

How does the electronic archive work in production?

The electronic document archive makes it possible to convenient and flexible file management in a manufacturing company. With its help, you can scan and place in a central register and then process many types of documents containing, for example, personnel, tax or inventory data. Everything is done in the digital environment.

Why should a manufacturing company rely on digital workflows?

With the e-archive you can dispense with the paper version of documents. This generates numerous benefits.

• Space-saving - there is no need for a separate room to store paper documents.
• Environmental protection - less paper is an ecological measure.
• Easy access to data at any time - All you need is a computer or an internet-enabled phone.
• High level of information security - Thanks to adequate security, there is no risk of documents being stolen or personal data being accessed by unauthorised persons. Nor do you have to worry about important documents being destroyed in a fire.

In addition, electronically stored documents will ensure full control over documentation. E-archive is an excellent way of streamlining processes in the production area.

How to store accounting or inventory documents in a manufacturing company?

No matter how much paperwork your company generates, an electronic system is a better solution. It allows keeping an archive without losing valuable time and space. Documents stored in electronic form are always easily accessible. This is important for streamlining their circulation, including during the revision process for projects in the production company.

What functions should an electronic document workflow system have?

For digital document storage to be effective, you need a system that allows you to comprehensive record keeping. It should allow them to be conveniently scanned and collected in one place, as well as sorted or destroyed.

Document management - recording, sorting, cataloguing

The best digital archive allows documents to be quickly entered into the register. This can be done through their scanning or integration into external systems, such as those available to the other participants in the logistics chain (suppliers of production components, transport companies, retailers).

Thanks to the electronic archive, documents can also be sorted and catalogued using various filters. You can organise them as you are most comfortable with, either chronologically or in terms of particular types of documents (HR, tax, invoices, etc.).

The automatic archive also allows archive documents. It will make it easier for you to comply with the requirements imposed by the law regarding the length of time that documents must be kept in the company. This is usually five years. This period applies to revenue and expense documents, as well as inventory or social security settlement documents. In the case of HR documents, on the other hand, it is 10 or 50 years.

Easy sharing of documents

With the digital archive it is possible to store scans of documents in the central register. They are located in one place, which promotes the efficient organisation of files and allows them to be quickly accessed by authorised persons, including:

• company executives and managers at various levels;
• accountants;
• those involved in controlling the operation of the company.

E-archive makes document circulation much easier, as it provides online access to documents. There is no need to wade through piles of files to find the file you are currently looking for. This is a significant time-saver and streamlines the operation of the production company.

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Controlling documents relating to employees or contractors

In the IT archive, there is an option to search for documents by specific filters, such as date. This facilitates the control of files, thus speeding up their circulation in the production company and ensure legal compliance issued both in Poland and in the EU (tax regulations, RODO, etc.).

Electronic archive in production - disposal of documents

This is a very useful function that allows you to destruction of documents on the basis of the period elapsed since their production (5, 10 or 50 years). The storage of accounting records in electronic form after this period is not required. Thanks to the electronic archive, it can be disposed of conveniently and securely. This is done automatically, without the need for user intervention, which will keep your files in order.

Which filing system will provide the best access to electronic documents?

It is best to transfer documents to an electronic archive that:

• can be easily integrated into other systems, both internal and CRM, as well as externally;
• is scalable, and so can be adapted to the needs of a smaller or larger production company;
• is equipped with many useful functions, For example, the saving of files in all common formats, the creation of templates or the automatic completion of metadata.

It is worth betting on solutions offered by a supplier that comprehensively assists manufacturing companies. An example is our company Nicesoft, which, in addition to the e-archive, also offers a system of monitoring working time or access control.

Selected aspects of document management in a digital archive in production

The elimination of paper documents in a production company is particularly important. It can significantly improve their review and approval path.

Efficient revision of documentation within the framework of document archiving

The e-archive allows automatically record any changes to the documentation and make them available to interested persons, for example, to members of project teams. This will enable faster review and analysis of materials, making it much easier to compare the properties of designs before and after changes. This is essential for:

• making key modifications during implementation;
• streamlining processes in the production company;
• carrying out audits.

Revision of documentation is possible from anywhere. This will greatly facilitate cooperation on an international level when projects involve specialists from different countries.

Worth reading: Archiving system for bank documents - which programme to choose?

Document approval pathway in a manufacturing company

E-archive facilitates workflow, i.e. the flow of information. This applies not only to the production area, but also to other spheres of the company's activity (procurement, distribution, customer service) and even the entire supply chain. With such a system you can conveniently configure the documentation approval path according to specific parameters and decision-makers involved in the process.

With the electronic archive you can:

• give authority to individual employees and define their role in records management;
• make the necessary modifications to the acceptance path on an ongoing basis.

Such a path you can specify separately for each process and even for each type of document. This will provide much-needed flexibility during the operation of a production company.

Finally, let us emphasise once again: with the electronic archive, users can dispense with paper versions of documents. The result is significant benefits in the area of production, including document revision and approval paths.