Managing and securing documents has never been more important in the workplace.
In a work environment that has shifted increasingly remote and technology that has gone progressively digital, having a document management system for your company’s files is more crucial than ever.
Xerox’s DocuShare platform could be your answer if you’re looking for a digital, cloud-based platform to manage, store and share your documents with your workgroup.
However, this platform does cost money, which means you need to know what you’re getting into before purchasing.
As a Xerox Platinum Solutions Partner, we have the expertise necessary to answer your most pressing questions about the platform, including what it is, how it can benefit your company, some cons to the platform and how much it costs to purchase.
After reading this, you should feel knowledgeable enough to make an educated decision on whether Xerox DocuShare is something that would be worth investing in for your company.
What Is Xerox DocuShare?
Xerox DocuShare is a cloud-enabled enterprise content management (ECM) platform that provides organizations with the tools to aid their transformation to a more digitally based document infrastructure.
According to Xerox, only 7% of companies have made a full digital transformation, meaning that over 90% of companies have either not started or have not finished a transition to digitizing their documents.
Since 26% of U.S. employees work remotely, and 36.2 million Americans are projected to work remotely by 2025, according to Zippia, companies now must rely on remote solutions, like DocuShare, for their files.
Let’s discuss what Xerox DocuShare can do to digitally transform your document management processes:
What Are the Benefits of Xerox DocuShare?
There are a lot of features that come with Xerox DocuShare, and we won’t be able to go into everything that comes with the platform.
But some of the main benefits you get with Xerox DocuShare include:
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An easily customizable, mobile-friendly, user interface that allows you to tailor it to your company’s brand and access the platform from multiple devices.
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Intuitive features, like a drag-and-drop functionality, that lets you upload and organize files as you wish.
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Application integration with your CRM, ERP and LMS that lets you capture documents from your database at your Xerox printer.
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Process automation that allows you to “configure workflows with routing capabilities, automated content rules and advanced business process management,” according to Xerox.
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Allows content administrators to create and manage retention policies from one singular location.
As you can see, Xerox DocuShare comes with many features, and the ones you might desire the most can depend on your specific industry.
For instance, a sales team would likely be intrigued by the application integration feature of DocuShare to connect to their CRM, while a finance team could find automating their accounts payable process beneficial.
For a look at the benefits of DocuShare’s features by industry, see the graphic below, courtesy of Xerox:
“DocuShare makes capturing, converting and sharing hard copy documents simple while allowing you to organize existing digital content effortlessly,” according to Xerox. So you can stop working harder and start working smarter.”
Since it is an all-encompassing platform with many different features, it would be helpful to read through Xerox’s DocuShare brochure if you want to see more specifics on how it can benefit your company.
What Are the Cons of Xerox DocuShare?
While Xerox DocuShare comes with many benefits, there are a few notable cons you need to know before purchasing:
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The cost of the platform, which we will discuss in the next section, is not readily available on the website.
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It can be difficult to set up on all your computers and printers if you don’t have an IT staff or are not receiving assistance from someone who has experience setting up the platform.
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Because a large number of files can be stored in DocuShare, it can sometimes be hard to search and locate the specific documents you’re looking for.
If you do decide to fully invest in a document management platform, it will take time to get everyone adjusted to using a remote-based system for company files. That’s why some sort of training is usually recommended before implementing the platform throughout the organization.
How Much Does Xerox DocuShare Cost?
The cost of Xerox DocuShare can vary and can depend on multiple factors like the number of users, add-ons, etc.
There are multiple versions of DocuShare that will be priced differently depending on which one you choose. There’s the standard Xerox DocuShare, Xerox DocuShare Flex and Xerox DocuShare Go.
They all accomplish similar goals but differ in who they’re built for. For instance, Xerox DocuShare Flex is for Saas (software-as-a-service) content management system and Xerox DocuShare Go is for businesses that want to achieve smart cloud file sharing.
No matter what version of Xerox DocuShare you get, it does cost money and you need to make sure it’s worth the investment before purchasing.
How Secure Is Xerox DocuShare?
Because you’re going to be putting hundreds if not thousands of documents into the DocuShare platform if you decide to use it, it’s important to know the security features associated with it.
Some of the features that help protect your data in DocuShare include:
1. Multi-level permissions, which control which types of users can view certain documents.
2. Audit trails, which lets you view a record of document access and edits on your account.
3. Encryption, which protects your personally identifiable information (PII) with 128-bit AES encryption standards.
4. Cloud security enhanced by Microsoft Azure.
5. Backup and disaster recovery that allows you to create copies of important files in case of a disaster.
Office security has become extremely important, especially with cyberattacks on the rise. This is a good time to mention that printers can be the entry point into your network and are a popular target among cyberattackers because of their perceived innocuous state.
Read our blog on the four proactive steps you can take right now to protect your printers from cyberattacks.
Interested in Xerox DocuShare?
Xerox DocuShare is an enterprise content management solution that comes with many benefits that can help transform the way your company handles its important documents and files.
If you’re a company that wants to move toward the digital space, Xerox DocuShare offers you a platform to securely store, manage and organize your documents. It’s especially a good fit for companies that are primarily working remotely or are constantly in different locations.
However, the platform does cost money and can be difficult to implement at first, especially if you’re a company that’s relied on physically storing documents for a long time.
It won’t be a fit for everybody, but you should now feel confident in deciding whether DocuShare is something you want to look into more.
As mentioned in the introduction, we are partners with Xerox and can help you decide whether or not investing in a content management platform is right for you. If you decide that it is, we can provide you with Xerox DocuShare and offer our expertise to help you incorporate it into your workplace.
If you’re interested in inquiring about DocuShare, reach out to us and one of our trained professionals will get back to you shortly with the next steps.
