Like any organistion, Charities are struggling as they see less funding and donations, alongside higher operational costs. This, combined with an increase in service demand and employee workload mean that many charitable organisations are tackling the costs they can control. Adopting solutions to reduce the strain and costs of outdated document based processes immediately increases efficiency whilst reducing overheads.
Charities and NPOs (Non-profit making organisations) in the UK have specific responsibilities related to document management. They are under pressure to demonstrate accountability, transparency, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in order to maintain public trust and confidence in their work.
Charities generate high levels of paperwork and electronic files, and have high-levels of responsibility in terms of record-keeping. Documents generated such as grant applications, donation receipts, gift in kind forms, invoices, fundraiser details, etc. must be stored securely and compliantly. Staying efficient with document management and keeping the costs low is often a struggle.
Our document management software reduces administration costs, improves document and donor information security, and enhances productivity. This all equates to lower operational costs, employees with more time to focus on the important aspects of their job, and ultimately, more funds in the pot.
A document management system provides a digital document pool for all of a charity's documents. We can help remove the reliance on paper and costly physical archives and at the same time, increase efficiency and the ability to manage documents compliantly.
The system can be integrated with a CRM, finance or charity management system to link any document with a fundraisers record or invoice with a PO.
This integration streamlines two databases into one system, simplifying information access and improving customer service.
Document management software will assist a charities' Finance and HR departments by effortlessly processing invoices, Gift Aid receipts and expense claims.
We know that non-profit finance processes can be complicated. Unlike businesses, you have specific financial requirements that require very specific reporting and management. This might include:
By digitising documents and the associated processes, tasks and approvals can be automated by the system, removing manual or labour-intensive jobs that are often open to error.
The systems we provide almost always involve automated data capture and removing data entry where possible at the start of the process.
Data capture is a huge part of what we do with charities; implementing digital forms as well as extracting data from invoices, emails and other important documents.
Charities can benefit from data capture in their document management software in a variety of ways:
Efficiency and Accuracy - data capture automation improves the process of collecting information, reducing the need for manual data entry. This saves time and resources and minimises the risk of errors, leading to more accurate and reliable data. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of donor records and program outcomes.
Streamlined Fundraising - enhance fundraising efforts by capturing donor information, preferences, and giving history efficiently. This enables charities to personalise communications, tailor fundraising campaigns, and cultivate stronger donor relationships.
Compliance and Reporting - charities are required to report on their activities, finances, and impact to regulatory bodies, donors, and other stakeholders. Document management software streamlines the collection and aggregation of data for reporting purposes, ensuring compliance and transparency.
Data Security and Privacy - document management software includes features for ensuring the security and privacy of sensitive information including bespoke user permissions, ensuring staff can only access necessary documentation applicable to their role. This helps charities comply with data protection regulations, safeguard donor trust, and mitigate the risk of data breaches.
For charities, implementing a digital document management system brings significant operational and compliance benefits. It reduces the time spent retrieving and processing documents, allowing teams to focus more on mission-critical work.
Secure digital storage eliminates the risk of data loss, damage, or theft, while ensuring that important records such as Gift Aid declarations and their supporting documents are easily accessible and safely backed up.
Documents are captured accurately, automatically organised by type, and stored in a centralised digital system, simplifying audits and day-to-day administration. This approach supports compliance with UK legal requirements, streamlines the processing of volunteer and staff expense claims, and removes the inefficiencies of manual filing systems.
By freeing up office space and reducing time spent on document searches, charities can operate more efficiently and direct more resources toward their core purpose.
With our software, we've improved the audit process at The Woodland Trust. Gift Aid forms and other important legal documentation are now securely stored and simple to find. Retention rules have been applied to these documents, ensuring information isn't destroyed before it should be, or kept longer than legally required.
Wondering what success will look like with document management software?
From simple file management to full workflow solutions, document management software is the perfect solution for charities and non-profits that face an ongoing battle with efficiently storing and accessing documents.
Our document management systems are perfect for charities because they meet the legal requirements and can be customised to each organisation’s unique needs.
The easy access to documents our software provides often means charities include direct debit mandates and Gift Aid declarations amongst the information they store.
Gift Aid allows a charity to collect an additional 25% of the value of the donation from HMRC and is an important source of additional revenue.
Digital records can now be managed and maintained correctly for future auditing purposes.
For more information on how your charity can benefit from a document management system, get in touch. You can book time in our diary or call 0161 647 7040.
We are industry experts with over 75 years of combined experience within our team. We have delivered success for hundreds of organisations. You can read about some of them HERE.
With DocuWare all your documents are stored and shared digitally. It’s faster, more transparent, and more efficient than traditional paper-based methods.
Go PaperlessAutomate manual data entry, provide accurate data capture of incoming invoices and get real time information. Ensure your team has full visibility of the process from start to finish.
Streamline AccountsTo comply with industry regulations, our solutions help you to manage document version control, retentions, providing a clear audit trail and know who was the last person to amend and access documents.
Comply With RegulationsWe create digital workflows to meet an organisation’s bespoke requirements. We can provide an electronic system to track, edit, store and manage all documents associated with any process.
Digital ProcessesReduce all associated paper costs and digitally store your documents in a secure and centralised location. Documents cannot be lost or duplicated and are readily available when you need them.
Reduce Paper Use