Anyone know who works in a Human Resources department knows about the time, money, and regulations associated with documents. But when you implement an HR document management system, it will lead to more efficient processes, reduced costs, time savings, and fewer tedious tasks for your staff members.

Here are four things to consider when you’re ready to implement a document management system for your HR department:

1.) Research industry-specific retention standards.

Some industries require longer record retention periods. In the education sector, for example, student and personnel records require safekeeping, even after a student has graduated, or a teacher has left. The same is true for employee records in many instances, so it is imperative that you’re familiar with your industry’s record retention standards, as they will determine the rules for your system. Once it’s set up, you can automate retention processes.

2.) Establish rules for user permissions.

Establishing who can access information, along with unique login credentials for each user, will ensure compliance. With cloud-based document management services like ImageSilo, information is protected under five layers of security, which means only those with explicit permission can access sensitive documents.

3.) Establish naming conventions.

Naming conventions are sets of uniform, specific rules that dictate labeling rules for every file and document in your system. These rules make it easy to retrieve the right document(s) quickly. Try to keep names succinct, yet easily recognizable. For example, you might label files in the following way: Department_ShortenedDocumentTitle_DateCreated.

4.) Set goals for your new system.

To ensure success, set goals and measure progress by determining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) prior to launch. For instance, you may want to reduce the time it takes to process invoices. Before the implementing your system, take baseline measurements, so you can compare future data.

A carefully planned document management system can be a powerful tool for any HR department. Document management systems with automated processes will save the department time, money, and significant effort. To get the most return, however, thorough planning and research is necessary.