In a previous post, we discussed how organizations sometimes operate using different versions of the same information.
The members of a team or department might work under different assumptions and perceived direction, whether they receive information from different sources, they have different recollections, or the information and facts have simply changed, and this is a problem for a number of reasons.
One solution to this problem is to use a shared document system. One system many are familiar with is the NT File System, or New Technology File System (NTFS), which creates, via an internal network, a set of folders and files that are accessible to a certain group with the company.
In other words, it is a set of files on a network instead of one person’s machine. Here are some advantages of using a system like this as a repository for information.
Central, Official Repository
Employees may end up working under a different version of the same information because they remember things differently or they received the information from different places, but with a shared file system, they would have a single, official, authoritative repository for that information.
And as this information is updated—for example, if dates change, the scope expands, team members leave or join or change roles, etc.—the documents can be updated so they are accurate when people are accessing them.
Organization
It can be a nightmare trying to search through your in-box for information from a meeting that happened several weeks ago, but a file share system, which has the same file structure that’s available in a personal computer file system, including hierarchies of documents, has the potential to maximize efficiency through better organization. However, this is only as effective as the people maintaining it (but more on this in a follow-up post).
Available on Demand
Sometimes, it may seem like a particular individual has all of the information we need and is the only one, or at least the best one, to provide it, but what if he or she is in a meeting, is on vacation, or quits? Instead of relying on stored information in someone’s head, having the information in a shared file system makes it available on demand 24/7 to those who have access.
Here, we’ve looked at some of the benefits of using a shared file system for tracking an organization’s information, and in a follow-up post, we’ll discuss some best practices for using such tools.