Why should we use a document management system?

The higher education world is full of paper. Final exams, transcripts, financial aid forms, student records, and athletics documents fill filing cabinets in universities and colleges nationwide. When one of these documents is needed, finding it can be a challenge for whoever has to look through the filing cabinets, hoping the document was put in the correct place.

Traditional paper storage also takes up valuable real estate on campuses that could otherwise be used for classrooms, or to provide additional resources to students.

While technological advances have revolutionized education—Smart Boards replacing chalkboards, online testing, tablets replacing textbooks, etc.—many universities and colleges are still using old, inefficient processes to manage their paper documents. There must be a more efficient, streamlined method to handle all of the documents in the higher education world, right?

There is. The answer is a document management solution (DMS).

Many colleges and universities still utilize an archaic method of filing, which costs more than a digital document management system. Aside from cost, perhaps the most compelling reason to use a DMS is for security. A DMS can keep all your documents secure and easily accessible. Your filing cabinets are probably full of student, faculty, and other records required to keep your college running. Why risk the security of these documents?

Don’t put your students’ records at risk. Increase your efficiency and save money by using the most secure, user-friendly document management system available. You won’t believe how easy it is to go paperless!

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management September 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Jesse Wood is the CEO of eFileCabinet (www.efilecabinet.com), a best-of-breed advanced document management system. Wood has 20 years of leadership experience innovating custom technical solutions for a wide range of business applications.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.