Metadata in document management: the key to order in digital chaos

Document management refers to the management and organization of documents within an organization. It includes creation, storage, processing, retrieval, and distribution of documents in digital or physical form. The primary goal of document management is to facilitate document access, ensure regulatory compliance, and streamline document processes. This has a positive impact on efficiency and productivity.

Metadata plays a central role in document management. In this article, we explain why.

What is metadata?

Metadata is information about other data. It provides context and additional descriptions for understanding and organizing the meaning, structure, and use of data. Metadata can occur in a variety of contexts, whether it's related to documents, files, digital media, databases, or other types of information. There are several types of metadata:

Common types of metadata

• Descriptive metadata describes the content or type of data (e.g., title, author, creation date).
• Structural metadata describes the relationships between different parts of a data set or document (e.g. links between different web pages in a website directory)
• Administrative metadata is used to manage data and resources (e.g., file size, file format, access rights).
• Technical metadata contains information about the technical aspects of data or resources (e.g., resolution, color depth, bit rate).
• Rights-related metadata contains information about the copyright and usage rights of the data (e.g., copyright owner, license type).

The role of metadata in document management

Metadata plays a central role in document management for the efficient organization, search, and management of documents.

Metadata uniquely identifies and classifies documents. It can contain descriptive or administrative metadata. This ensures that documents can be easily found and correctly classified.

Metadata can contain information about the versions of a document. This is important because it ensures that users always have access to the latest version. This is especially important in work environments where multiple people working on the same document.

Rights-related metadata allows documents to contain information about access control and document security.

Metadata can be used in document management systems to control workflows and trigger automated processes. For example, a specific metadata field can signal the start of an approval process.

Metadata also plays an important role in document tracking and compliance. It enables you to track changes, identify responsible parties, and comply with regulations and policies.

Metadata can also include information about the long-term archiving of documents to ensure that they remain readable and accessible in the future.

Tips for effective use of metadata in document management

To use metadata effectively, you should establish clear standards for its collection and use. This should include consistent naming and formatting of metadata. Also, train your staff on how to enter metadata correctly. Whenever possible, use automated methods to apply and collect metadata. Also consider the privacy and security of your metadata; some may contain sensitive information that must be adequately protected.

If you use a document management system, integrate it with other enterprise applications to seamlessly share metadata across systems.

Challenges

There are many benefits to using metadata in document management, but there are also challenges. Some of the most common challenges include:

• Data quality: The quality of metadata is critical. Incomplete or incorrect metadata can make searching and accessing documents much more difficult.
• Privacy and safety: Metadata may contain sensitive information. It’s important to ensure that metadata is adequately protected and only visible to authorized individuals.

• Legacy systems: If you already have document management systems or legacy systems, integrating metadata with these systems can be a challenge.
• Consistency and accuracy: Ensure that metadata is entered consistently and accurately. Employees must be trained to correctly assign metadata and understand its meaning. Otherwise, inconsistencies and errors may occur.
• Maintaining metadata: Metadata needs to be updated, especially as information changes. This requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure that metadata is up to date.
• Metadata overload: Too many metadata fields can be overwhelming and affect the user experience. It’s important to capture only the most relevant metadata and ensure that it has a clear benefit.
• Time: Manual metadata capture can be time-consuming and take staff away from other important tasks. Automating metadata collection wherever possible will reduce this effort.

Document management with Microsoft Office in empower^®

Now you’re familiar with metadata in document management. But often documents aren’t found at all, or not found fast enough, despite the metadata. And just when you think you’ve found the document you’re looking for, it‘s not available in the current version. This has consequences!

When content is disorganized, finding the right content usually takes too much time, even despite the efficient use of metadata. While employees waste time wading through a content jungle, they can’t add value to the business. Worse, they don’t even realize they’re using outdated content. The risk of spreading misinformation and causing damage to your business is high.

The solution: empower^® Content Enablement for Microsoft Office. After a successful implementation, a central library is available directly in the Office applications. You can store, edit, share, and search all of your content, including slide templates, images and icons, and final presentations and documents. Its Google-like search scans everything in your library, including notes, metadata, and linked Excel spreadsheets and charts. You find what you’re looking for in seconds and always in the latest version.

International companies can manage slides in multiple languages in the empower^® library: switch between language versions with a single click!

We would be happy to tell you more about our solutions - just contact us!