In public administration, file management is an essential task that goes far beyond the mere filing of documents. It is about recording business transactions in an audit-proof and traceable manner.

In Switzerland, administrations at cantonal and municipal level are required to keep this documentation systematically in order to ensure transparency and legal certainty. Similarly, municipalities in Germany require proper file management in order to create a comprehensible basis for official decisions and ensure the necessary transparency.

The key advantages of digital file management

Digital file management is the backbone of efficient administration. Imagine having documents at your fingertips at all times. No unnecessary search times, no multiple filing. The structure is clear, access is child's play.

This has been proven to result in:

• Significant time savings: Documents are available immediately. No more time-consuming searches that disrupt the workflow.
• Fast familiarization: New employees find their way around in no time and become productive more quickly.
• Legal security: Every process is traceable and every piece of information is documented in an audit-proof manner.
• Transparency for the public: Citizens want transparency. Professional file management ensures that information is reliably available on request.

File management is not an annoying administrative act. It is the foundation that strengthens the administration, builds trust builds trust and ensures clarity - with every document, every access, every check. 

What could state-of-the-art automated file management for administrations look like?

The following four steps illustrate a possible file management process for an administration:

Step 1: Rely on centralized electronic dossier management

The first step towards efficient digital file management is to set up a central, electronic dossier. With a solution such as the CMI dossier from our partner CMI, all relevant documents - whether emails, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets or PDFs - can be stored in a structured manner in one place. The dossier guarantees secure management and ensures that all important information is available anytime and anywhere.

The electronic dossier is more than just a filing system: it is a comprehensive document management system (DMS) for modern administration. Such a DMS brings structure and transparency to your administrative processes, saves valuable time thanks to fast search functions and automates routine tasks. It accompanies the entire life cycle of a file - from creation to processing to archiving - and ensures that all relevant data remains available and in view at all times.

Source: Website of CMI

Step 2: Use integrated template software for consistent documents

Standards create structure: With template software such as primedocs, Microsoft Office documents remain consistent and clear. Template software ensures that all important templates are always up-to-date and centrally available. One example of this is the use of ready-made text modules, which reduce the number of templates in your administration many times over. Whether individually per user or centrally predefined - the correct formulations are simply selected by drag & drop and used in the documents, significantly reducing the risk of incorrect content and increasing the legal certainty of the documents.

primedocs also ensures that the corporate design requirements of your administration are met across all departments. Many renowned cantons, cities and municipalities, including the canton of Bern, the municipality of Rorschach and the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, already benefit from primedocs' entire range of functions, which make document processes in public administration more efficient. You can find a selection of our customers in the public sector under Case studies.

Step 3: Create seamless communication between administration software and template management

For a smooth workflow, administration software and template management should work together perfectly. A fully Microsoft 365-compatible solution like primedocs gives your team quick access to the latest templates, regardless of whether they work with the local Microsoft Office version, Microsoft Online or a combination of the two. 

Thanks to a generic data interface, primedocs can be seamlessly connected to upstream or downstream systems such as CMI or tel.search and thus map comprehensive, value-adding workflows. Depending on IT preferences, the solution can be flexibly implemented in various operating forms (on premises, customer cloud or SaaS).

Step 4: Develop a well thought-out filing system

A clearly structured filing system forms the backbone of efficient file management. It controls the entire life cycle of a document - from creation to archiving or deletion - and ensures that relevant information can be found at any time. Such a filing system fulfills all legal retention obligations and keeps your documents clearly organized and legally compliant at all times.

Video: Perfect integration of CMI and primedocs in practice

Records management

In Switzerland, the term “records management” is often used synonymously with file management, while in Germany the terms “Schriftgutverwaltung” and “Aktenverwaltung” are used more frequently.

It is important to know that in terms of content, it is about the same process: the management of the entire document life cycle - from creation to archiving or destruction.

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