FileHold Software for Unions and Memberships

Union locals save money by using FileHold software to eliminate paper.

A local of Canada’s largest Private Sector Union, the CAW, have discovered a way to manage critical membership documents with our document management software and have created impressive cost savings while doing so. They are able to move towards a "paperless office".

The Business Problem

CAW 4209 was out of space in their office, and were having difficulty finding documents. CAW Local 4209 decided that it was time to clear the office of the five filing cabinets that took up much of the space in their office. The team in the office were able to leverage the use of a standard multi function device (Photo Copier/Scanner/Fax) as it was plugged directly into the FileHold system. Back filing of paper based documents and records containing union due information, job bids, grievances, and correspondence provides a secure electronic environment, fast search ability and eliminates the cost of space and fear of damage to these important corporate records.

A simple file plan was established that mimicked the existing physical storage; establishing drawers, units and folders. Batches of paper files are loaded into the multi function device, these images are directed to the FileHold inbox where they are grouped, tagged and placed into the electronic repository using Windows drag and drop functionality. These new electronic documents can now be found in lightening fast time using the powerful search capabilities of our document management system.

Don Lajoie of CAW 4209 says, “It’s so much easier to look something up than the way we were doing it previously (checking filing cabinets and storage boxes). What a time saver!” Don goes further to say “This should eliminate ¾ of our filling cabinets in my office.”

How Did They Get There?

This great new process was deployed in record time. Six one hour web sessions were spread out allowing the users in the office to learn and start using the system within a few days of the software being installed.

Cost Savings

Cost savings can be easily calculated using standard industry metrics:

• Companies spend $20 in labor to file a paper document, $120 in labor to find a misfiled paper document, and $220 in labor to reproduce a lost document.
• 7.5% of all paper documents get lost and 3 % of the remainder get misfiled.
• Professionals spend 5 – 15 % of their time reading information, but up to 50% looking for it.
• The average document is photocopied 19 times.
• The average cost to send a package via courier service is between $8 and $15.
• The cost of office space has increased 19% (Office space across the world 2008).
• Other Canadian and US based union offices are using FileHold in a very similar fashion and are reaping the same outstanding cost savings.

For general information about FileHold, use our general information request form or email [email protected].

Learn more about how to buy our document management software.