Case Study: From Paper to Digital – How a Defense Contractor Modernized Document Management with SharePoint
Learn how Withum helped a defense contractor digitize paper records, leveraging SharePoint to improve audit readiness and document management.
Executive Summary
A Hawaiian-based defense contractor faced critical operational and compliance risks due to thousands of paper-based records stored across offices and off-site trailers. Withum’s Digital Solutions Team led a records digitization initiative leveraging Microsoft SharePoint, enabling faster document retrieval, stronger audit readiness, and the elimination of physical storage. The 10-month engagement modernized the organization’s document management system and created a sustainable digital model for the future.
The Client
A Hawaiian-based government contractor supporting U.S. defense operations, managing thousands of contract and project records across multiple administrative offices and off-site storage facilities.
The Challenge
The organization relied entirely on paper-based recordkeeping stored in file cabinets and three semi-trailers nearly a mile from its main offices. Environmental exposure and aging files created a risk of data loss and compliance violations, while retrieval delays made audit preparation time-consuming.
With the potential for Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audits at any time, these inefficiencies, combined with rising storage costs, made it essential to move from paper to a secure, digital records management solution.
The Approach and Solution
Withum’s Digital Solutions Team was engaged as a Records Management Specialist and Implementation Partner to assess the client’s recordkeeping environment and design a phased roadmap toward full digitization, leveraging the client’s existing Microsoft SharePoint platform for document management.
The engagement began with discovery across multiple facilities to understand record types, volumes, and conditions. This analysis allowed Withum to identify the right combination of technology, governance and operational processes needed to support both compliance and usability.
Phase 1: Records Discovery and Assessment
Withum conducted on-site visits across multiple administrative offices and the off-site trailer storage facilities to assess existing storage and recordkeeping conditions. The team:
- Interviewed department heads (Finance, Contracts, Purchasing, and HR) to identify record ownership, access patterns and classification needs.
- Inspected thousands of banker’s boxes to evaluate condition, retention requirements and potential for digitization.
- Mapped and reconciled electronic and paper records to identify duplicates and gaps.
- Designed the information architecture for the future digital document management system, including metadata structure, retention categories and document libraries.
- Recommended hardware and OCR technology to support large-scale scanning and digital conversion.
This phase culminated in a comprehensive assessment report and roadmap, which the client approved six weeks later, allowing them to move forward with implementation.
Phase 2: Digital Records Implementation
Building on the approved roadmap, Withum led the rollout of the new record management system, leveraging the platform’s built-in SharePoint document management capabilities.
The project team:
- Developed a records management system within SharePoint, structuring departmental document libraries according to the newly defined information architecture.
- Configured scanning and OCR software to enable staff to digitize and tag documents directly into SharePoint using metadata for record type, retention schedule, and ownership.
- Created standard operating procedures for scanning, indexing, and metadata tagging aligned with compliance standards.
- Delivered hands-on training to administrative and departmental personnel to ensure consistent adoption and sustainability.
Over the course of the 10-month engagement, the team implemented a fully operational SharePoint document management solution that securely stores, searches, and classifies all project records.
The Results, ROI
The project resulted in measurable operational and compliance gains, including:
- Eliminated the need for on-site trailer storage, reducing maintenance and physical storage costs.
- Dramatically improved document findability, cutting retrieval time from hours to minutes.
- Enhanced records traceability and compliance, improving readiness for DCAA and internal audits.
- Established a sustainable digital model for ongoing record capture and retention across all departments.
The client described the system as a “game changer” that significantly boosted efficiency and modernized document management practices.
The project’s success was driven by close collaboration with departmental stakeholders, the strategic use of existing technology to minimize cost, and a well-defined metadata and information architecture that ensured long-term maintainability. Withum’s proactive training and adoption planning further ensured continuity after project handoff.