- October 15, 2020
- FOXITBLOG
There are many online services for file compression, but if you are constantly working with large documents, it may serve you better to invest in a tried and true solution. Here are 5 reasons to utilize document compression software:
Better for sharing
Compression software can reduce black & white image file sizes by up to 10X, and up to 100X for color images). This makes them much easier to email and transmit, as they will take less time to upload. Email attachment size limits can also quickly become frustrating, especially for paper-heavy industries such as legal and insurance. When you often have to work with large documents, it’s unsustainable to send them back and forth at full size.
If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a large file attachment, you know that it’s no fun waiting endlessly for it to download either. Use a compression software to make your files much quicker and easier to access. Your colleagues and friends will thank you.
Better for mobility
Compression facilitates mobile accessibility, which 81% of respondents say they need, as shown in the 2019 Intelligent Information Management Benchmark Report. Making documents smaller and therefore mobile-friendly enables you to view or download them anywhere, anytime – which is especially helpful as business is increasingly conducted on-the-go. Mobile accessibility has also become more prevalent with the transition to a home work environment, as remote work poses new demands and challenges.
Better for the future
Documents are no good if they can’t be accessed when needed. File compression makes it easier to store your documents, as they take up less space and will be easier to open later on as well. This makes it much easier to meet compliance standards, as many industries have record retention regulations that require organizations to keep documents for several years. For those migrating to the cloud, compression can also speed up that process. There are even file formats (i.e. PDF/A) that are designed for long-term storage, so you can preserve your optimized documents in a reliable format. It’s like vacuum sealing, but for your documents.
Better for your wallet
Compressing documents is a great way to save on storage and cloud egress costs, as rates are often charged by GBs per month. Many cloud services will end up becoming more expensive as the content you need to store grows. In addition, vendors often charge egress fees, which can be unpredictable and therefore put a strain on your cloud storage budget. Having smaller file sizes cuts down on the costs of storing files on the cloud or on local servers, which can also save on network bandwidth costs. Reducing your repository to a fraction of the size can mean a significant cost-savings on multiple fronts. It’s a no-brainer – you can get more for less.
Better for productivity
Holistically, file compression is essential for optimal efficiency. Being able to transmit documents faster and more easily saves a lot of time, so that you’re not constantly hitting pause on your work to wait for files to upload or download (this can significantly improve mindset and mood as well). While spending one or two minutes waiting on one document may not seem like a big deal, it accumulates over time (and multiplies by employees in the workforce) into thousands of wasted hours. When responding to client requests in a timely manner is on the line, it can result in tangible consequences for your organization.
File compression offers a host of benefits, and compression software often includes additional features that can even further improve document workflows, such as OCR technology to make files fully text-searchable. There are some factors to consider when choosing the right software for your needs, but generally speaking file compression can benefit most anybody. Think about it, have you ever heard anyone say ‘I wish this file was larger’?