That might all sound too good to be true, but also lead to the question of how it works? Well, there are a variety of tools that provide document tracking systems, and each type of software works in a slightly different manner, meaning there’s no definitive type to use. To provide some clarity, here are the main beneficial features of every general type of document tracking system and why each tool is so useful.

1. Engagement details

The first document tracking feature is probably the most well-known and understood one: engagement details.

Through tracking links and seeing what happens to a document once you’ve sent it, the engagement provides vital insights into your document’s journey. Although the exact specificities vary depending on the solution, some of the elements which document tracking solutions offer include:

• Who has opened a document.
• When they opened it.
• How long the document has been open.
• Which sections of the document have most interactions.

By understanding these engagement details, organizations can understand a lot more about how to optimize their documents. For example, if everyone who opens a presentation focuses on a certain slide, it probably contains vital information that should be capitalized. Similarly, if a lengthy written document is closed at the same stage by several people, then maybe the wording of the document merits further work to make it more accessible. Where documents aren’t opened, it’s time to consider the title, the time of sending, or even whether it has gone to the best person to be interested in the content.

Alongside providing insights into the document itself, engagement details also give insights into the person who is interacting with it. Particularly with sales-related content, it may be that the prospect who is viewing the content is focusing on a particular section or sharing this with other members. This provides information about the importance of that section or the difficulties within it and allows you to give further relevant information if necessary. For example, if the area focused on is related to a specific product feature, it might then be wise to send further product information to the recipient to help clarify questions they may have. By understanding the areas that recipients are frequently viewing, you can tailor the communication and ensure you are providing the information that they require.

2. Collaboration features

Secondly, document tracking software offers a clear benefit through the collaboration features which it provides.

Again, this feature varies depending on the type of system used, but almost all offer at least some form of collaboration – to put it bluntly, this means that many different people can easily work on the same document. In the complex landscape of today’s document-heavy world, it’s easy for versions of documents to be confused: when documents are exchanged as email attachments and saved to employee’s desktops then problems are rife as the version number is not always clear. This difficulty worsens when they are documents that require input from multiple individuals.

Document tracking removes these difficulties, providing a solution that means multiple people can work on the same document, which is accessed from a central location. Need input from a colleague on a section of the content? They can find it in the same place you can, and their changes are reflected in the document immediately. There are no longer difficulties with checking you’re using the latest version, as the only version is always the correct version. The benefits from this are boundless, from saving time to ensuring accuracy, and most importantly, providing a better service to the recipient who is provided with just one accurate version.

3. Integrations

Finally, integrations are a powerful document tracking tool that improves workflows and makes a more simple document creation process. 

The document ecosystem has come a long way from the days where it was a case of just opening a document creation application and working from there. These days, there are countless systems and possibilities to integrate other applications used into your document ecosystem to speed up the creation process and streamline workflows. It’s also practical as part of document tracking to ensure documents integrate with the relevant other systems, such as CRM systems or DAM systems. Productivity increases as it is quick and efficient to include the correct and needed elements into the documents created.

Although the benefits of this may not appear as obvious as being able to understand how prospects interact with your data, the time saved is hugely beneficial, especially in a fast-paced work environment. It frees up resources to prioritize on meeting client needs and ensuring documents are tailored to them.

By ensuring that all the information in a document is automatically correct, from client details to legal disclaimers and branding, the document itself has a more professional and correct finish. Consequently, it’s more likely that it will be well-received, and the organization viewed more favorably.

Overall, it’s clear that document tracking is a vital tool for improving sales performance. It enables employees to craft better documents, track how they are performing with the ability to edit them as necessary, and integrate with all the systems that are needed to streamline and speed up the document creation process while not hindering the professionality of the final product.