Cloud-Based Document Management

With a cloud-based solution, your files are stored on a third-party server in the cloud, which is maintained by your service provider.

With cloud-based technology, you can easily digitize your documents, automate tasks, streamline processes, and operate your business far more efficiently.

The biggest differences between on-premise and cloud storage are where your documents are actually stored and who is responsible for maintaining the file servers and data backups. Proper server maintenance is extremely important because weaknesses here can lead to security vulnerabilities or slow down the system, making it difficult to access files.

Many businesses are switching to cloud-based document management solutions due to the cost-savings and peace of mind they provide. SmartVault is the easiest and most secure way to optimize how you, your staff, and your clients gather, store, share, and eSign documents in the cloud. Streamline how you work, collaborate with clients more easily, and reduce costs — through one integrated document management and client portal solution.

A document management system (DMS) gives you and other approved users 24/7 access to your files from wherever you are located. If you use a DMS in the cloud, you can access your system from any internet browser. The DMS also makes it easier to securely share documents with your staff, clients, and third-party contractors. Users you approve, like your employees or clients, can also access and upload documents into your DMS.

A client portal is a secure, private, and authenticated online platform that empowers businesses to better collaborate with clients online.

A client portal will typically sit on the company website, with a link for clients to log in with a username and password. To create a client portal for your business, consider partnering with a trusted vendor who can provide a client portal and an integrated document management system (DMS). A document management system — also known as document management software — allows businesses to quickly and securely store, organize, access, and share documents. It’s a core part of having a beneficial client portal experience.

A document management system and secure client portal have many benefits for business owners, their staff, and their clients.

A DMS can simplify your everyday workflow, giving you more time to focus on truly value-adding activities. One way it does this is by automating routine tasks. Just this alone can save your business hundreds of hours of work. For example, instead of using emails to exchange documents, your DMS should offer secure file sharing capabilities through a private client portal. This removes the manual steps of including attachments, writing an email, and sending it. Plus, the client portal is much more secure than emails.

Many cloud platforms offer added features such as customizable folder templates, eSignature integration, and core workflow software integrations that connect your essential business tech stack with each other.

Reduce manual tasks with powerful integrations with the leading accounting and tax applications you already use and trust like Lacerte, ProSeries, QuickBooks, and more. SmartVault has a desktop app too, so you can access everything through your browser or Windows File Viewer.

Your DMS should let you configure automatic notifications, create templates, and establish a centralized location for your information and important documents to live. Imagine sending a form for signature with one click, receiving a notification once it’s been signed, and having the executed document automatically saved in the correct folder in your DMS. It would save you and your business a lot of time. It also reduces manual, error-prone processes, like when someone accidentally saves a document in the wrong client folder.

A client portal is a secure, private, and authenticated online platform that empowers businesses to better collaborate with clients. Using a secure client portal allows your customers to access their documents whenever they need to and from wherever they are. This frees up time for you that might have otherwise been spent sending (or resending) documents to customers.

A branded, customizable client portal gives your clients a secure, easy, and professional way to collaborate with you from wherever they’re located. It’s easy to invite clients to the portal, and they can access the portal directly from your website. Customizable folder templates automatically put the right folders in each client portal, which makes onboarding a breeze.

At a higher level, when you make things easier for clients, they may be encouraged to return and refer your business to others — which better positions your business to thrive. SmartVault’s customizable client portal delivers capabilities that make it easy for your clients to securely share files and collaborate with you online.

Your customers want to access the information they need at a time that suits them. You will find you have happier customers when they are able to find and share information outside of normal working hours. Also, if your client portal integrates with eSign technology like DocuSign, it means they can sign important documents directly within the portal. This eliminates the need to print, sign, copy, and send (or post!) a signed document. The time and hassle your clients save by not having to go through those steps should be greatly appreciated by all.

Using a client portal can help you:

Prevent loss of files and emails.
A client portal allows both you and your clients to send, receive, and access documents from one, easy-to-view location.

Access files anytime, anywhere.
Don’t lose valuable time because a file exists only on one machine that might be temporarily inaccessible, or worse, destroyed.

Sign documents instantly.
No longer do you need to spend hours or even days printing, scanning, or mailing documents. Built-in tracking allows you to see who has opened or signed a document.

Back up files along with version history.
Document version history provides a backup of your files in case of deletion or errors in recent versions.

Organize files automatically.
Documents are filed automatically to the correct folder.

Send batch communications.
Save time by automating the distribution of routine documents to clients. Send documents to 5, 50, or 500 clients with a single click.

Automate notifications.
You and your clients know right away when a file is uploaded, downloaded, or signed thanks to automatic notifications.

A client portal that’s built with security and compliance in mind will offer the following measures:

Encryption of data during transit and while at rest.
When sensitive data is at rest or being exchanged over the internet, it’s crucial that your data is encrypted every step of the way so no one can hijack your information and use it for malicious purposes. By using advanced encryption methods such as SSL and AES-256, a cloud DMS could provide stronger protection for your data.

Controlled access to information.
How your information is stored and who has access to your information are critical to your overall security and compliance framework. With a security and compliance-first cloud-based DMS, you can easily set granular access permissions to folders and documents, then allow access to files through authenticated logins only. These added security and compliance steps help enhance your data and document security measures, which could help you stay more compliant with various regulations.

Secure data backup.
Your documents and metadata are always stored using highly redundant replicated storage. Multiple copies of metadata and documents are stored in multiple geographical locations and backed up regularly to ensure data availability.

An activity log.
An activity log is an automatically generated, time-stamped trail of all activities that happened in your document management system. It tracks all events from all users — including document creation, download, and deletion — and generates an audit trail of what’s happening in your account. No person, including the engineers of the platform can make any changes to this trail, making it the authoritative record for auditing purposes. This feature is a requirement from several industry-specific compliance regulations. Depending on your industry, it could very well be the single most important determining factor during your cloud DMS vendor selection process.