Moving Schools From The World Of Paper To Electronic Efficiency: Ten Ways Document Management Helps Administrators Do More With Less By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology, Inc.

Primary and secondary schools create and distribute an incredible amount of paper every day. Papers created in the classroom typically last for a short time before newer materials are created. In contrast, the administrative papers and files that follow students, teachers, and administrators behind the scenes often have to be retained, organized, and accessible long after they leave the school system. Whether information is needed for internal administration or personnel issues, student inquiries, or audits, easy and secure file access can present challenges.

From student enrollment, performance records, disciplinary reviews, and transfer documents through alumni donor histories, a heavy paper trail follows each student's moves. On the administrative side, contracts, records of continuing education requirements, payroll and payables, retirement-related requests from former employees, and board meeting minutes lay an equally thick path of paper that must be organized and accessible. Rules governing document retention result in on- and off-site storage challenges, with filing cabinets and boxes full of materials whose contents can be tough to find when they are needed quickly.

Despite mounting regulations that affect school record retention and access, administrators today are allotted fewer staff resources to manage the plethora of paper. This article introduces solutions for these and other challenges faced by schools as they struggle to gain control over their information and increase efficiency with limited funds and resources. It provides administrators with tips for how they can accomplish more with fewer people, and comply more easily with stringent regulations and audits. It also provides practical advice to consider when implementing EDM in a school setting.