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PortugalDocument Management
Workflows of optimal document management
Streamline your document management workflow with HR software. If you want to know how, we're waiting for you on the blog. Read us!
Marcos Lopez
HR Consultant
11 of April, 2025
When we talk about HR tasks, we all think about talent management. In the workplace environment. And we often overlook document management. Controlling the document management workflow is another of their responsibilities.
It must be taken into account that a company generates a vast number of documents. Even the human resources department itself will do so. Work contracts, payrolls, absence justifications or leaves of absence… These are just some examples of the documents HR works with.
To these we must add the documents generated in the day-to-day running of the company. Here we have invoices, receipts and delivery notes, contracts with clients and providers, agreements, memos…
Without forgetting meeting minutes. Or the projects submitted. Documents with which one must work with a good document manager.
Document management workflow controllers
It’s not always easy to relate the workflow of business processes with the generated documents.
For this, we have the help of the controllers of the document management workflows. Their different functions should help us to establish the workflow system through which to manage documents.
The key is found in automation. In the automatic movement of documents, if we want to be more precise.
A workflow is essentially a series of processes that everyone must assume. The way to manage documents is set beforehand, and all collaborators comply with it.
In this way, documents are linked to their real-time status.
For example, when an invoice arrives. It can be received, approved, paid, with a pending issue to be solved… An employee’s payroll can also be delivered, paid, or with an issue.
Applying workflow to document management helps to automate the process. It also helps to exert greater control over documents in their journey between workers.
The fact that the process has been predefined helps to prevent documents from being lost or stored in the wrong place.
With document management workflow controllers we manage any document regardless of its origin.
It doesn’t matter if it’s been generated via ERP, if it comes to us by email or if we’ve digitized a paper document. Any document is always controlled.
We’ve talked about process automation, but we also have to mention standardization. Standardizing both the process and the way of storing documents will help to improve document management.
For this, we have resources such as document management workflow software.
5 advantages of document management workflows
- The automation of processes helps us to improve the productivity and efficiency of document management
- The working methods are normalized thanks to the previously designed and established procedures
- We can optimize the circulation of internal information, thereby strengthening the internal communication in the organization
- We save time, effort, and resources by automating repetitive, obsolete, hardly necessary, and/or low-value tasks
- We facilitate the decision-making process in terms of document management, reducing the margin of error
How to establish an optimal document management workflow
At this point, you should know that each company has its own workflows.
There isn’t a standard formula or a unique procedure when developing the document management workflow. Despite the differences there may be between organizations, the advantages are always the same.
To give us an idea, imagine two companies from the same sector and of the same size. The workflow of one may not work in the other and vice versa.
Each company establishes its rules, which explains the differences. Our corporate culture also plays an important role in this.
Thus, the HR department and the Management of the organization should design the document management workflows.
This should include, among other things, the choice of document management workflow software. Getting it right will make the difference between good and bad document management.
Before we look at these programs, let’s remember the key aspects for correct document management. If we take them into account, the document management workflows will be more efficient:
- Status control: a color code that tells us the status of the task. It also allows us to identify documents by their characteristics, such as a department, confidentiality, etc.
- Pre-filled forms: for repetitive forms, this helps us to complete them automatically and in a standardized way.
- Task reassignment: sometimes, documents require an additional task. This is something our document management cannot overlook if we want to achieve efficiency.
Document management workflow software
As we mentioned earlier, one of the keys to document management lies in the program you use. A common mistake is to look at the functions that packages offer us, and not what we need. For this reason, we’ll choose a program according to our needs.
Sesame HR is one of the most interesting options. On one hand, the document manager is integrated into the HR software.
On the other hand, it allows us to cover our needs. Thus, the document management workflows are guaranteed. And all in a 100% secure environment.
In one single space we can store the work documentation of our staff. Payrolls, justifications, contracts, and other work documents are centralized in the same place.
When we need the document, it won’t cost us anything to locate it. And we’ll receive a notification when a new document is uploaded.
Another advantage of Sesame HR to guarantee the workflow is the advanced digital signature. With this, we can sign any document, including work contracts.
Employees will also be able to upload documents such as tickets or expenses, facilitating their management.
Want to know more about document management workflows? Don’t miss related content on Sesame HR’s blog, your reference HR software.
Need help?
I'm Marcos López, HR consultant at Sesame HR. Book a meeting with my team to help you.