Are You the ‘Human DAM’ at Your Company? Here’s How Prodify Can Help
Photo by Douglas Sheppard on Unsplash
DAM stands for Digital Asset Management, which refers to a system that keeps all your assets (like product images, CAD drawings, BIM models, and marketing files) organized and easy to find. But if your company doesn’t have one, someone (maybe even you!) has probably become the ‘human DAM’—the go-to person for every file request, update, and version check.
And honestly? No one should spend hours a week being a one-person asset management system. That’s why Prodify exists—so you can officially retire as the ‘human DAM.’
In this post, we’ll explore:
- Why Having a ‘Human DAM’ Hurts Your Productivity
- Why Shared Drives & Cloud Storage Fall Short
- How Prodify Makes Life as the ‘Human DAM’ Easier
- Beyond the ‘Human DAM’
Why Having a ‘Human DAM’ Hurts Your Productivity
Relying on a ‘human DAM’ might seem manageable at first, but over time, it quietly eats away at your team’s efficiency, brand consistency, and morale. When one overworked person is responsible for manually maintaining folders, responding to asset requests, or updating old files across multiple platforms, it leads to errors and bottlenecks that slow everything down.
5 unintended consequences of manual asset management:
- Wasted time searching for files or re-creating assets that already exist.
- Damage to your brand’s credibility when multiple versions of assets are floating around (especially outdated or conflicting ones that can derail a project and erode trust).
- Communication breakdown and delays when requests pile up in your inbox—leaving team members waiting on you to access the files they need.
- Knowledge gaps when team members change roles or leave, taking valuable file organization know-how with them.
- Frustration and burnout across team members who can’t find what they need, when they need it.
According to the IDC (International Data Corporation), companies with 1,000 employees lose about $2.5 million every year in productivity costs due to an inability to locate and retrieve information. If your company has 500 employees, that’s about $1.25 million lost, and even if you have just 50 employees, you're still losing around $125,000 every year.
Why Shared Drives & Cloud Storage Fall Short
Many manufacturing teams fall back on tools like Google Drive, SharePoint, and OneDrive to handle their file management needs. They’re great for storing documents, but they weren’t built for asset governance or features like version tracking, approvals, or analytics. That means your ‘human DAM’ still winds up hunting for files, updating versions on multiple platforms, and losing hours just trying to keep everything organized.
That’s why modern teams are increasingly adopting platforms like Prodify—a centralized Digital Asset Management software designed to give the ‘human DAM’ their time (and sanity) back.
How Prodify Makes Life as the ‘Human DAM’ Easier
The right platform can completely change how you work. Here are 3 ways Prodify can help ease the workload of the ‘human DAM’ on your team:
1. One Source of Truth
Prodify is built to eliminate the need for a ‘Human DAM’ by giving manufacturers a single, centralized platform to manage, organize, and share product assets. With one source of truth, everyone (from marketing and sales to technical teams) has access to the same approved files, ensuring consistency and accuracy across the board.
No more digging through folders or waiting for someone to send a link—everyone can find exactly what they need in seconds.
2. Complete Version Transparency
Not only can you quickly find the file you need, but you can also rest assured that it’s the right version. Prodify keeps track of every update so you can see when it happened and who made it.
With full version history at your fingertips, you’ll always know which file is current and never have to second-guess whether you’re working with the latest update again.
3. Auto-Updating Links
Shared a link to a file that’s been updated? No problem. With Prodify’s public links, the latest version is automatically refreshed, so anyone accessing your file always sees the most current version—no manual updates required.
Beyond the ‘Human DAM’
Most ‘human DAMs’ don’t set out to be one—they step into the role to keep things running smoothly for their team, often at the expense of their own time and productivity. By taking on the repetitive, manual parts of digital asset management off their plate, Prodify frees them up to focus on the work they were actually hired to do.
Managing your assets with Prodify also comes with extra perks, like data insights into how AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) pros engage with your shared content. You can track views and downloads across your entire asset library to discover what’s resonating and follow up with nurture campaigns and personalized outreach. Plus, you’ll be one step closer to creating a data-driven culture within your organization!
Learn more about Prodify’s Share Analytics here.
Ready to Retire as the ‘Human DAM’?
If you’re tired of being the ‘human DAM’ (fielding file requests, organizing endless folders, and manually maintaining version control), it’s time for a better way. Let Prodify handle the digital heavy lifting so you can get back to what truly matters.