<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1741336722824154&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">

Document Management Systems (DMS) all claim to do the same thing – help manage the vast quantities of data that modern businesses need to process each day. However, not all DMSs are equal or a good fit for your organisation.

Whether your main goal is to improve efficiency, secure your workflows or enable cross-departmental collaboration, our document management system comparison checklist will help you:

  • Identify the key features to look for in your perfect solution
  • Compare solutions to find the perfect fit for your business
  • Ensure you pick the right software solution and vendor

Fill in the form to download it now. Or keep reading to learn more about the nuts and bolts of document management systems and why you might need one.

Download the checklist

What is a Document Management System?

Document management systems track, manage and store documents in an effort to reduce paper trails and waste. They are today’s digital answer to a filing cabinet, addressing the need for speed, collaboration and communication in a digitised and decentralised modern workplace.

Most document management systems will also have the added benefits of tracking version history and user permissions. An advanced DMS can even help you streamline your workflows, improve productivity, cut costs and reduce your company’s environmental footprint.

Who is a Document Management System for?

Whether you are a large corporation or an SME, whether you’re using paper documents, digital documents or a combination of both, your business can benefit from a document management system.

digital-file-management-introduction

The true cost of poor document management

Paper everywhere. In filing cabinets, archive boxes and desk drawers. Paper documents are risky business. They can easily be lost, misfiled or stolen, and they can take an age to sort, file and find again.

But poorly managed digital documents are only fractionally better. Digital files can just as easily be saved in the wrong folder, become lost or inaccessible, or get confused with an older version if your system is ineffective.

Both of these scenarios lead to two main challenges:

1. Issues with version control

Version control problems are common if you’re still using a paper document management system, working in shared folders, or even using an ineffective digital system. Bad version control leads to wasted time spent tracking down the ‘right’ document, double-handling or manually merging two documents, and inefficient collaboration where multiple employees could be working on different variants of the one document.

2. A decentralised and unsecured document database

Whether your company is still relying on a paper system or you’re storing documents digitally but in multiple locations (eg. across folders and emails), it’s easy to lose files without a robust DMS in place. This also makes accessing documents from outside the office difficult and data security can frequently be compromised.

The fundamentals of document management systems

While you might be eager to get started with the first DMS you come across, there are a few core considerations you need to take into account before committing to a system. Comparing these features will save you a lot of time and money in the long term.

1. On-site vs cloud-based

On-site document management systems require the use of your company’s servers and storage space. It usually also means you’re responsible for the maintenance of the system and the security of your documents and data. A benefit of an on-site system is your business has full control at all times and you’re not relying on an outside provider. Of course, there are costs associated with this, both upfront and ongoing, like annual software updates and secure backups.

On the other side, there is a cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) system, which is hosted by your software provider on their servers. Generally, there are lower upfront costs associated with this option and your business is more likely to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee as an operational, instead of capital, cost. Your provider will take system maintenance, software updates and security off your plate, and your team will be able to access the system securely from any device with an internet connection.

2. Integrations

Does your business have software applications already in use? You’ll want to consider whether these programs need to integrate with your new DMS. Some valuable integrations will likely be your email client, customer relationship management (CRM) system or ERP software.

3. Onboarding and support

Onboarding a new system is not a small task. You’ll want to consider how long it will take, how it will affect daily operations and whether you have the internal capacity to manage it yourself. Depending on the answer to these questions, the level of training, ongoing service, maintenance and support provided by the vendor could be a dealbreaker when comparing DMSs.

4. In-house expertise

Think about how much expertise in document management your employees currently have and if you will need to upskill your staff. If the levels of expertise are low and the resources (or aspiration) to upskill aren’t there, you’ll want to look for a system with excellent ongoing support, user-friendly design and preconfigured workflows to make the transition as seamless as possible.

5. Cost

Depending on the solution you choose, there are different pricing structures you may ceome across in your research. These include:

  • Subscription plans (month-to-month or annual fee) – costs vary depending on conditions like number of users and level of support provided.
  • Self-hosted solution costs (perpetual licensing) associated with your own servers, storage and maintenance.

Also, remember to take into account the costs affiliated with implementation, training and ongoing support and maintenance.

Ready to start comparing your options?

Download our Document Management System Comparison Checklist to get started! Fill in the form today.