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Avoiding common mistakes in document collaboration

by | May 24, 2023 | Collaboration

In the past, managing a business meant manually organising hundreds of paper documents and transferring them between departments, leading to cluttered and space-consuming filing cabinets. However, document collaboration tools have revolutionised the way businesses work. Collaborative documents are files that allow multiple users to edit and contribute to them, resulting in a single updated final document. These documents can include files, presentations, whiteboards, email chains and more. The goal of document collaboration is to create a shared access system for employees to work together on documents, calendars or other files, regardless of team size.

Document collaboration offers numerous benefits, including faster collaboration, streamlined communication, reduced errors and less time spent reviewing multiple edits. Different types of collaboration methods are available to suit various project requirements. By collaborating on documents, teams can work together in real-time, share feedback and generate a final document that reflects everyone’s input. This not only increases efficiency and productivity but also enhances the quality of the end result. To use document collaboration tools well, it’s important to follow good practices and avoid common mistakes.

1: Not establishing clear roles:

To facilitate effective collaboration on documents, it is important to establish a clear division of roles for document editing. In situations where a team comprises members with varying roles, it is also important to assign relevant permissions based on their responsibilities. For instance, an owner has complete control over the document, including the ability to view, edit and grant or revoke permissions. The owner can also lock editing when necessary. Collaborators can view and edit documents, allowing them to contribute to the document’s development. Readers can only view documents and cannot make any changes. Commentators can view the document and provide comments or feedback, but they cannot edit the document.

2: Not saving past conversations:

Effective collaboration on documents requires preserving past interactions, such as conversations, feedback and ideas, to ensure that the team builds on previous work and maintains a cohesive vision for the final document. Keeping previous versions of the document allows team members to view personal notes, comments by others and suggestions from external stakeholders before making new changes. During brainstorming sessions and meetings, team members exchange viewpoints and suggestions that may be lost if not recorded. Taking notes and recording crucial points discussed during team meetings helps to ensure that collaboration efforts are not lost.

Overwriting or deleting text:

Commenting is a better way to provide feedback and suggest changes without interfering with others’ work. Commenting enables collaborators to pinpoint specific sections and tag relevant team members to notify them of feedback.

Not revoking access for third-party members once the job is done:

To ensure compliance with security protocols, it is important to revoke access for third-party members once their job is completed. Owners can also limit the copying and printing of documents at external locations under certain conditions. These measures help prevent unauthorised access or malicious use of the document.

Not using messaging platforms while working on the document:

By utilising messaging platforms, team members can quickly resolve questions or disputes that arise while working on a document, ultimately saving time and preventing the need for multiple revisions.

Looking for a cloud-based document management and collaboration tool to streamline your team’s workflow?

Zoho WorkDrive is one of the popular cloud-based document management and collaboration tools used by businesses of all sizes. It offers a platform for teams to collaborate on documents, take notes and use social features to work efficiently. Its security features ensure that only authorised personnel access the documents. Zoho WorkDrive offers social features, such as tagging and feeds, making it easy to track and engage with the work.

To know more about Zoho WorkDrive, get in touch with us. We are a leading Zoho Premium Partner in the UK. Our team consists of skilled developers who are passionate about innovation, and we have extensive experience in handling Zoho packages. We take pride in managing all aspects of Zoho implementation in-house, ensuring top-notch quality for our clients.

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