Document management application software

Quite simply, they are computer software used to organize, index, store, manage, and track documents in digital format. Moreover, many document management systems help you convert documents into digital formats with the help of scanners pretty easily. Dealing with a massive amount of data is quite challenging, especially when the document is in its physical form.

In fact, a lot of business productivity is lost simply on overcoming documentation challenges. Once converted into electronic formats, it gets easier to navigate through documents. Ultimately, you spend less time searching for them and can concentrate more on mining information. While there are organizations that can benefit from advanced features such as having an API system coded or even routing documents through specific locations for more advanced security or for ISO purposes , companies can easily start using a document management system within a few hours based on their specific needs.

Document management tools are pretty easy to use. Most of the steps overlap, whichever software you use.

You can log-in and start creating content right away. Evernote is compatible with a variety of documents, including photos, spreadsheets, articles, timelines, and notes. Most document software tools allow these documents as well. Next, you can start adding users to your business account. They will be able to access documents and make edits and changes in the repository. Evernote also allows you to make notes, set up work chats, create shortcuts and tags, scan documents, and collaborate in real-time with your colleagues.

The software should allow you to archive your documents in a central repository, for ready access and immediate retrieval of information — for example, Zoho Docs. The document management software should provide easy and extensive integration with third-party applications like Gmail, Outlook, Salesforce, Google Drive, and more.

It helps in the seamless interchange of documents. Evernote Business is a great example. Business scenarios involve numerous documents.

Therefore, you should choose a document management tool that allows bulk uploading of documents. Businesses use document management tools to handle and store sensitive and classified documents. The compromise of such data usually has far-reaching consequences on businesses and might even threaten their existence.

The software should allow high-resolution previews whenever you want. There are plenty of other essential attributes that users look for, including a wide range of templates, real-time chats, level of automation allowed, records management feature, and more.

These were some of the best document management software available. With this digital transformation, long gone are the days of paper documents. Cloud storage is clearly the best option. However, all these tools have different sets of capabilities and USPs.

However, if you have the budget and require an enterprise solution with more advanced features, then you might want to go with Smartsheet. Are there any document management tools that you like to use?

Let me know in the comments. MasterControl is focused on highly-regulated industries like science, pharmaceutical, and research-based industries.

Its tools are meant to make it easier for businesses in these industries to keep up with compliance, regulations, and standard protocols. Their document control software provides tools for simplifying data collection, audits and collaboration. It also takes document security to the next level with added layers of protection.

For example, it is 21 CFR Part 11 compliant. This means anytime you edit a document, there will be a time-stamped audit trail , as well as e-sign functionality that complies with federal regulations. Another outstanding feature is its vast learning centre that is packed with lots of videos and tutorials so you can make the most of the software.

MasterControl offers custom pricing based on your business needs and profile. A quick consultation with their sales team will help them create a unique plan that works for your business goals. To get started with Master Control, reach out to their customer care team via phone or fill out their contact form. Microsoft SharePoint is your all-in-one document management and team collaboration powerhouse.

It combines Microsoft's document creation technology and is built to work perfectly with Office Apart from making it easy to find documents, SharePoint helps you to create content hubs or organize. For example, it works seamlessly within your intranet to help boost your organization's efficiency by sharing common resources and apps on home portals.

Office SharePoint is highly customizable meaning you can let it do much more than organize and manage your company documents. You can keep everyone on your team updated with personalized, targeted news on the web and SharePoint's mobile apps. Again, the software makes it easy to automate complex workflows and improve productivity using SharePoint's lists and libraries, Microsoft Flow and Power apps.

Their tools let you gather and manage files within your organization for easy access and distribution, automate repetitive tasks, integrate data sources and so much more. In case you are not tech-inclined, you can tap into the Microsoft SharePoint Tech community for tips and advice or take advantage of their well-resourced fast-track productivity library or the SharePoint training for tutorials.

All plans allow you to move content between OneDrive and SharePoint and come with storage. This plan is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. This plan also comes with a free trial. Sign up for a Microsoft SharePoint Online free-trial today. Its unique selling point is having tools and features that make saving and create on-brand marketing content a breeze.

The software provides a hub for you to keep all your branding and marketing related guidelines as well as other documents. House all your digital content in one hub, know who sees what when with its access controls, so your users only see what you want them to see. Need to share files? Bynder lets you s hare your content both internally and externally with the option to add expiration dates and watermarks to protect your content.

You can also mark files as free to use, available internally, or only upon request. Another thing that can become a big issue is file formats, especially in relation to marketing content. Bynder gives you the option to download your files or make them accessible in multiple formats and even allows you to custom size your files.

Bynder gives you the option to create workflows that automate publishing content to your webpages or any other web pages for that matter. To make it even better, the software comes with other products that can equally automate and manage your video content assets just like it would to text-based content.

Thus no matter what kind of files or documents your business handles, Bynder has a product solution for you. You can however book a free demo to get started. Established in with a focus on life sciences, Dot Compliance aims to breach the gap in electronic quality management for strictly regulated industries like healthcare and pharmaceutics.

Document management is a critical part of quality management in every business. The software allows you to effectively manage and control your organizations' documents. It simplifies drafting, reviewing, approving, storing, and tracking documents while ensuring that they match industry standards. A key feature of the software is its added security and regulatory standards readiness.

Dot Compliance already has the framework or critical documents that cover procedures, work instructions, and policy statements. This means your documents are created and handled in a controlled system that meets industry requirements. Apart from added security and meeting international document standards, Dot Compliance also helps you store records of the different versions of your files. If you have a large team, it makes it easy to give and restrict file access to various users depending on their specific roles in your organization.

These can always be further modified to your needs via the DMS privacy settings. Sign up for a free Day trial of Dot Compliance now. Designed primarily as a project management software, Planio helps you and your team to stay on track with meeting all your business goals and stay up to date by streamlining communications on projects via built-in team chats and boards. You get a centralized hub that securely stores all your files and documents while still making them accessible to everyone on the team.

You can even further organize your files by projects or conversations making it easy to find all resources in relation to an ongoing project. The extra layers of security mean that everyone gets access to only what they are allowed to see so anything classified stays classified. Once you get back online it will automatically sync your edits with all copies while keeping versions intact. Be it CAD files, vector graphics, or even video edits, Planio supports sharing these files and many more.

No need to convert your work to another format just to save space. You also have nearly no size restrictions when sending files. On top of supporting multiple file formats, the file preview feature lets you preview documents without having to download them before you share them.

So whether they are pictures or you just want to have custom thumbnails, Planio has got a solution for you. You can even view your images as a slideshow or with a simple preview in your dashboard, Planio has got you sorted.

Planio has five pricing plans, all of which come with SSL encryption, continuous updates, backups, and maintenance, unlimited issues and incidents, free imports of existing data , and super-friendly support via email and phone. Whatever the size of your business or budget, Planio has a plan for you. That in addition to their easy-to-use software makes it a great choice for managing your paperwork. Document Management Software DMS is simply a kind of software or system cloud or premise-based that allows you to receive, track, manage, organize and store documents or files and reduce paper use.

The software may or may not allow editing and creating documents directly within its framework. Some platforms may give you the option to integrate with your existing document creation and editing apps to make it easier to upload content. Apart from giving you the basic functionality to manage your files, some DMS may take it a step further by allowing you to restrict file access, backup and track file versions, protect your business data, and streamline your workflow from one place.

A good DMS on its own pretty much does the same too. Whether your business is looking to be more eco-friendly, cut down wastage or simply save space by going paperless, using a Document Management Software for your business comes with lots of benefits. The number one reason why many business owners try to avoid paperwork is that it can be a timewaster. Going through file after file just to find one piece of paper or a document can be a drag and reduce your output for the day.

With the steady rise of work-from-home jobs and businesses, it has never been more critical to have quick access to company docs and info from anywhere. As we mentioned earlier, looking for one piece of paper in a pile of documents can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Just type in your search query and watch your screen light up with options. Apart from easily retrieving documents, it also gives you options to label and tag your docs for easy organization.

As your business is growing, so will the data you collect grow with it. Worse still, as the papers continue to pile, you may end up losing track of small details. Having a DMS will prevent such trouble. Business data is sensitive. This security is not only against external threats to the business and its security, but also internally to keep the wrong info away from the wrong eyes. A good DMS will allow you to restrict file access based on user roles and function.

Certain businesses have stringent and complex compliance protocols which can be both confusing and demanding. Without the right tools to simplify the process, you are prone to making costly data entry mistakes in your business documents too. Having a DMS can help you avoid fines, license-related troubles or even criminal liability by automating document creation to follow any necessary compliance guidelines.

For example, the Sarbanes-Oxley anti-fraud law comes with strict security and policy regulations regarding documents and records. Whether your team is working remotely, on multiple projects at a time, or simply looking to reduce paper at work, good file management software will increase overall productivity.

By providing a centralized point of access, organization, and storage for all your documents, everyone will be able to quickly find what they are looking for to run more efficiently.

It also means if there is a need for real-time collaboration on documents and versioning, you can do it quickly and with zero hitches. Sharing and tracking file sends, edits, and views are made simple, ultimately saving you time and allowing you to do more. Often the goal of using document management software is to reduce paper and make it easy to organize, find and share your documents when necessary.

You may also be looking for extra security for sensitive information. With lots of options out there that can be customized to suit your business needs, it's easy to get a little confused as to which option is the best fit.

You may find yourself asking questions like. Remember to keep your unique business needs in mind before committing to any software. The points below will give you more insight into the general things to look out for before choosing a document management system.

Regardless of how many features any software has, it would be useless if the software is difficult to use. One of the most important elements of any software is usability. Ease of use is a huge part of the software experience and its efficiency. Because of this, be sure to take advantage of free trials where possible and let your team use the software.

Apart from easy usability, you should also consider set-up and software installation. Some software have a complex set-up process and may even come with added set-up and installation fees. Others are simple enough for you to do by yourself. Reach out and interact with the customer support team of any software you are considering to find out more about how to get set up and also how easy it is to do software updates and maintenance.

The last thing you want is something that ends up taking more time to keep up and running compared to how much time it saves. Another key aspect of good document management software is how it allows for ready file sharing and permissions. The basic function of a DMS may be reducing paper and making things easy to find, but it should also allow you to readily share files and restrict content where necessary.

This is especially important when your team is collaborating on editing a document or a project. Do you tend to have large file sizes to share? Or perhaps you handle more photo and video content than text documents? Some software comes with restrictions and limits on the kinds of files you can send and their size. For example, Hightail lets you share files up to GB in size whereas other software may limit you to just 25GB or even less. Choose software with file sharing features that best suit the kind of documents you share.

Again, if it's important knowing whether or not your recipient has received and viewed your content, be sure to ask if that customization is possible from the sales team before you subscribe to any service. Pay attention to details like file previews, document size limits, file expiration and download notifications.

Do you need to work on a document with multiple users simultaneously? In line with collaborating on documents is being able to track all changes made to a document at different points in time. That means this is a serious productivity block in most workplaces. A good document management software will allow you to track all edits and changes done to documents.

With many people making changes and edits to a document, it is possible that a big chunk of important information will get lost in the process or simply lose its meaning. Within big organizations, there are often processes and regulations put in place to ensure documents are compliant and follow company guidelines.

But when you have a ton of files, it can be hard to follow such rules. It aims to reduce compliance cost and increase internal efficiency. The system fully automates routing, delivery, escalation and approval of vital documents. It also sports a centralized, secure archive where you can store and search for business files. XaitPorter has some useful tricks on the integrations front, as well.

While there is a demo available, there is no free trial, and pricing requires getting in touch for a quote. While there are a number of dedicated office and document platforms we could mention, not least Office , LibreOffice, and Adobe Document Cloud, these are more focused on creating documents and managing those, rather than managing and storing documents from multiple sources and formats. Therefore we'll continue this list by featuring some of the other DMS solutions worth considering:. Samepage is a little different to standard document management as it's more about creating a single focal point for all communications, projects, and document sharing tools.

The aim is to simplify everything in a single app as opposed to having multiple software applications for different tasks. The interface is simple and easy to use, with collaboration built into the heart of it. In that regard it makes Samepage a potentially flexible solution to cover multiple needs.

Dokmee advertises itself as an enterprise content management solution, to organize, secure, and manage files. It supports a number of document formats, and also provides document imaging and data capture as part of its service. Everything can be smartly indexed using AI, with files automatically stamped for indexing, as well as rules-based routing to make storage and archiving easier, which is all done through secure hosting in the cloud.

As expected, collaboration is supported, with permissions and auditing options available for easier file management. Templates are available to customize the document folder tree throughout your system.

General accessibility rules can also be set up according to company policy. Abbyy are perhaps most famous for their file reader and scanning services, but they also provide a digital document archiving service which allows for the secure storage and use of documents.

Access can be tracked and logged, and existing documents can be reused and edited as required for reissue. Meta keywords can be applied for easy search on top of normal search functions, and distributed easily via the web or email as required.

One potential limitation is that Abbyy services are primarily built to store documents in PDF format. We've also featured the best cloud document storage.

Docuware is now offering a free trial in partnership with Techradar.