EDM to amplify collaborative work

The benefits of collaborative work in business are well established. In fact, according to a survey by Ipsos, more than one in two employees think that it is the ideal option to reduce time losses, quickly solve problems, increase creativity or even maximise team productivity.

This work method is becoming increasingly essential within organisations and in certain sectors such as construction. Indeed, construction projects involve many stakeholders who may be internal or external to the company (suppliers, subcontractors, architects, etc.) and come from different trades. Being able to share and exchange data more simply, automatically and securely through a collaborative platform has many advantages. Find out how EDM fosters collaborative work on a site and what the benefits can be.

EDM: the perfect tool to promote collaborative work and guarantee the accessibility of documents to all employees concerned

EDM solutions currently available on the market include many features. Accessible anywhere by all the employees concerned, EMD software represents a real asset for collaborative work on construction sites.

EDM gives all stakeholders access to a project’s information

EDM (Electronic Document Management) is currently an essential tool for the management of construction projects. It is interoperable and also offers stakeholders access to a site’s information. This computerised document storage and sharing system greatly encourages collaborative work. All stakeholders can thus deposit documents (contracts, plans, etc.) on the platform, giving the relevant professionals real-time access to the progress of the project.

EDM brings all trades and professions together on one single platform. Through its features, it is possible to exchange easily with all the stakeholders of a project and monitor the production of documents more efficiently. However, each EDM must meet the specific needs of the project and can allow precise configuration of the actions of each stakeholder with access according to their mission in the project.

Furthermore, it is important not to delete or modify key documents by mistake. As you will have understood, it is essential to ensure that access is given to the relevant professionals as the project progresses to maintain the confidentiality of the data. To avoid any pitfalls, it is better to call on document management experts who manage and ensure the proper functioning of EDM software.

EDM ideally coordinates all project stakeholders

Through EDM, it is possible to coordinate the different stakeholders and carefully monitor the tasks assigned to them. This greatly facilitates project monitoring, since it is possible to know at a given moment whether deadlines are respected, or conversely, whether one of the stakeholders is behind schedule. In this case, corrective action may be taken to ensure that deadlines are met.

The importance of having appropriate support and training new users in EDM

Expert support for customised advice

The expert will support the EDM user in defining the document management requirement.

Like all new complex technology, it is necessary to support users in the commissioning of the EDM tool so that it becomes an indispensable part of the project.

The expert assists new users in discovering the tool (functionalities, proposal strength on processes and answering customer questions). For more experienced users, even if they know the basics of the tool, the expert will bring their digitisation experience to their document management methodology.

It can be valuable to provide support for current and available EDM to answer users’ questions. The mission of this team is to help users in their daily use, to ensure the successful accomplishment of their tasks.

Each professional present on the site is not necessarily familiar with all the document management software available on the market. For this reason, it is important to train them too, so that they are able to use this tool during the execution of the project. As a result, they will be able to use EDM and the error rate will also be significantly reduced.

In general, even when professionals are familiar with the tool and it is easy to use, the application is configured and customised to meet the specific needs of the project in question. Again, having a dedicated software expert is the ideal solution to get new users up and running faster.

While it is true that EDM promotes collaborative work, it must be properly configured and used by all stakeholders to be effective. To do this, it is possible to call on a neutral third-party player such as Kalidoc, who, through their business expertise and experience, will be able to support you in the implementation of EDM adapted to the needs of the project and its management.

EMD and collaborative work: everything you need to know

What does EDM bring to teams?

EDM is a tool that centralises data, provides a platform for the smooth and secure exchange of documents while ensuring their traceability. Using it makes it possible to reduce the time devoted to documentary monitoring to focus on other critical tasks of a project (monitoring of quality, safety on the site, etc.).

How to take full advantage of the installed EDM solution?

It is true that EDM is a tool that can have a strong positive impact in construction projects and has many benefits to its use in the sector. However, to really take advantage of this software, it is essential to:

• train new users in EDM:
• to be accompanied by an expert who will give advice, support if necessary.