Children are taught from an early age that organization is an important aspect to succeeding in one’s education, as well as life in general. This includes using the proper time management needed for social and business interactions, but also the physical organization of files and important documents. With the widespread popularity of electronic file management that has come alongside technological developments, particularly within engineering firms, engineering document management software has proliferated to a large extent.

Many engineering firms deal with a wide variety of clients and thus require a very complex filing system to not only contain the extremely large accumulation of files, but to organize and classify them to ensure easy and convenient retrieval. In large firms, different departments have disparate filing systems that can only be accessed by departmental employees, and thus restricts inter-departmental communication. For example, engineering designs may be stored in one electronic filing database, which could be completely separate from assembly requirements or integrity testing results, which would be again separate from hard copies of various testing reports. Although records are kept in all areas from design to testing, to follow through, the lack of accessibility of the documents as a whole greatly limits efficiency. This is where engineering document management software can help in creating an integrated and centralized electronic file management system that can have dramatic effects on interoffice communication and efficiency.

Generally, it is start-up companies that rely on scattered and poorly integrated filing systems, simply based on the lack of initial resources and a perceived lack of documentation. However, as a company grows and projects diversify, the amount of paperwork, both electronic and hard copy accumulates rapidly. Along with the growth in size and resources of a company come increased client demands, and stricter file management procedures from government watchdog organizations. It is vital for any company to protect its interests against any potential lawsuit or audit; the organized filing of all records using engineering document management software is thus vital to the legal safety of a growing company.

More specifically, engineering document management software increases each employee’s efficiency by cutting down the time consuming searches for documents in a disorganized drawer or computer system. Once the proper software is implemented, all employees can free up precious time to complete other projects. Additionally, engineering document management software cuts down on the confusion surrounding which employees or managers have access to which files. Not only does this type of software allow wider access to employees, but close to eliminates the need to search for one or two individuals that can access certain files. That being said, this software maintains sophisticated security measures so that only employees can access documentation. In addition, sophisticated engineering document management software will allow for all employees to keep track of edits that have been done to all files; automated tracking of changes eliminates the time to find and consult individuals in person, as well as reduces the chances of accessing an incorrect document that may have been filed under the same name.

Engineering document management software is a small cost considering the time and money it will ultimately help save a growing company. Lost hours and mountains of misplaced paperwork account for a large amount of lost capital, which engineering companies today cannot afford. Simply having an integrated, centralized document management system allows for more secure and confident employees and better-kept records to protect the company in a legal and financial sense.