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Eliminating Boxes of Paper and Increasing Storage
Introduction
Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC®) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, world-wide organization whose work is focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. Their vision is to serve as a model of positive leadership and advocacy for ensuring inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all military children.
The Business Problem
MCEC® was trying to eliminate the need of having to maintain hard paper copies of documents for references and alleviate the problem of having to store all papers and documentation in a storage facility and in the office thus reducing precious space. The paper files could not be easily found and retrieved due to the increasing number of boxes.
MCEC® provided some images of the amount of paper that was taking up their office space — these images represents only a small portion of their boxes and paper.
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Actions
MCEC® needed to find a document management and scanning solution so all the hard copy documentation could be relocated digitally to an in-house server for easy search, access, and reprints. The document management and scanning solution needed to:
- Allow for easy scanning of paper training documents, evaluation forms, human resources, and archived company files.
- Be able to easily search for documents for future references.
- Reduce the amount boxes of paper in a storage facility.
- Reduce the number of boxes of paper cluttering up the office space.
Software Solution
FileHold document management software offered a total solution for document scanning, storage, and easy retrieval of files. MCEC® is using FileHold’s Watched Folder functionality to get the paper files into the document management software. Watched folders create a kind of direct line that allows scanners to send their documents into the Watched Folders and from there they are automatically brought into the document management system.
Using network scanners, the documents are scanned to a network folder that FileHold is “watching”. Any new documents scanned into the folder are automatically brought into the FileHold Desktop Application (FDA) Inbox for processing. In the Inbox, the metadata for the documents are captured and a destination folder is set. Once that is completed, the documents are then sent into the document management Library where they can be easily located using a simple or advanced search.
At MCEC®, about 50-200 documents get scanned into the document management system on a daily basis. The scanning project is approximately 50% complete after 1 year with only one person scanning. This is saving a significant amount of space in their office and storage facility.
Systems Benefits
Documents can now be easily located using a simple search instead of having to sift through boxes and boxes of paper. Instead of spending hours looking for a document, it can now be found in seconds using the simple search feature in the document management system. The office space can now be reclaimed as the number of boxes is reduced.
As an additional benefit, documents are now backed up daily for additional security. In the event of a fire, theft or damage to the original documents, they can now be fully recovered.
"FileHold has to be THE, if not, one of the easiest, most user-friendly, document management systems available on the market today. We are now able to save time, space, headaches and stress looking through HUNDREDS of storage boxes for one piece of paper. FileHold is ideal for ANY company, and will definitely be a valued asset within ANY company that has it. Referring to FileHold as ‘Highly Recommended’ would be like calling a 757 jet a ‘paper plane’…….. COMPLETE UNDERSTATEMENT."
– Daryl McLauchlin, Military Child Education Coalition