What is Information Management? How Should Information in the Database Be Managed?

Information management is the process of a corporation correctly collecting, organizing, sharing, and using its data, documents, knowledge, and experience. With information and document management, companies aim to ensure that the right information reaches the right person at the right time. All the curious details regarding the information management process, which helps transform information into a value-generating asset, and information management systems are in this article!

Information and document management refers to the systematic management of the entire lifecycle of all documents and information generated within or entering an institution; from their creation to archiving, and from access to destruction. Considering that information and data are extremely important and necessary for determining various strategies and realizing business goals in a company, how important information management is can be better understood. Additionally, the following can be said regarding the importance of information management:

• Access to current and reliable information enables taking decisions based on data, not intuition. Thus, management errors decrease, and the probability of acting with incorrect or incomplete information is minimized.
• Information management is also important for preserving corporate memory. Thanks to information management systems, information remains independent of individuals, and no information loss occurs during employee departures.
• Research shows that employees spend significant time searching for information. Information management saves time and costs by preserving this time.
• Thanks to information management systems, efficiency and business continuity increase.
• With information management systems, compliance with regulations such as KVKK and GDPR becomes easier, and audit processes proceed smoothly.
• When companies develop data-driven strategies, this provides them with a competitive advantage. Companies that manage information well always step ahead in the market.

Information management system is the digital infrastructure that enables the collection, storage, sharing, and analysis of information. With information management systems, all information is gathered in a single structure. Thus, a centralized and organized information structure becomes possible. Furthermore, the advanced filtering and search features offered by information management systems allow for quick and easy access to information. Authorizations such as role-based access, logging, and monitoring offer security. Information management systems are scalable according to the size of the companies; meaning there is the possibility to expand the system as the company grows. These systems play a critical role in transforming information and data into value. In summary, information management systems bring information together with speed, security, and value. Discover all the professional maintenance and management services you need for your systems to work efficiently and healthily with the privilege of GlassHouse!

Another question as important as what is information management is the question of how companies should manage the information in their database. Managing the information in the database correctly is a critical issue for companies in terms of efficiency, security, accurate decision-making, and legal compliance. Data that is not managed well can turn into risk, cost, and operational chaos over time. The following steps are important for you to manage the information in your database effectively and sustainably:

Create a Data Inventory

The first question that needs to be answered for the correct and efficient management of information in the database is "What data do we possess?". For example; data inventories such as customer data, financial data, operational and logistics data, and employee data can be created. Subsequently, for each piece of data, the source of the data, update frequency, and critical level must be defined.

Classify Information

One of the steps to be taken for information and data management is to organize and categorize existing information. Because not all data and information have the same importance. For instance, a classification such as confidential data, corporate data, public data, or low-priority data can be made. Organizing and classifying information saves time and increases efficiency, especially for businesses working with big data sets. Classification also forms the basis of access, security, and retention policies.

Standardize Data Structure

To prevent data chaos and reporting errors, information such as date, currency, and language formats must be uniform. In other words, different versions of the same information must be prevented.

Update Regularly

One of the things businesses must do for document and information management in the database is to regularly update and validate data. This will be possible with solutions such as automatic update mechanisms, validation and control rules, and preventing incorrect or missing data entry.

Apply Authorization and Access Controls

Applying authorization and access controls is extremely critical for both ensuring information security and audit processes. Therefore, role-based access, read/write/delete permissions, and logging must be applied.

Prioritize Data Security

Especially in terms of regulations like KVKK and GDPR, encryption, regular backup, meaning backup and disaster recovery plans, are indispensable.

Create Data Quality Processes

It is important to perform periodic data quality checks to prevent duplicate records and clean inconsistent and contradictory data. Remember, high-quality data means reliable insight.

Analyze, Report

Information and data on hand are meaningless on their own; they cannot generate value. Therefore, it is essential for companies to perform analyses and reporting using methods such as dashboard and reporting systems, BI and analytical tools, and KPI and performance tracking. Thus, it becomes possible to transform data into action.

Perform Continuous Improvement and Audit

Companies must manage the information in the database in an organized, secure, up-to-date, and accessible manner, and integrate this data into decision processes. Data management is not a one-time, but a continuous process. Therefore, it is of great importance to conduct regular internal audits and make system improvements according to updated needs.

Another curious question like what is information and document management is the question of what is data management. Although these two concepts resemble each other, they are actually completely different concepts. While information and document management is a solution that ensures the management and organization of existing information, documents, and files; data management is the whole of technical processes ensuring the collection, storage, security, and accuracy of data. In other words, data management focuses on the question "what are we storing and how do we protect it?", whereas information management focuses on the question "how do we understand, share, and generate value from this information?".