A messy workstation, file cabinets taking up every available space in the office, stacks upon stacks of file folders, and piles of documents that never seem to end!
That’s how an average office looks like.
But why be average when you can be extraordinary by letting go of those file folders and papered documents and implementing a document management system?
In this article, we’ll tell you what document management software is, why you should go for it, and which are some of the best document management systems out there to get you started.
What is a Document Management System?
As apparent from the name, a document management system or document management software is used to organize, store, edit, share and secure important documents.
It is usually cloud-based and is one of the essentials that help you go paperless.
But how is an electronic document management system better than the traditional papered system?
Let’s have a look!
Why Should You Go for Document Management Software?
Our Recommendations for the Top Document Management Software
Why Should You Go for Document Management Software?
Many people find it hard to make the switch from paper to paperless. If you’re one of those people, I’m sure the following reasons for opting for a document management system will help you make a definite decision:
Why Go For a Document Management System? |
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| 1 | It saves space | |
| 2 | It acts as a backup/recovery tool | |
| 3 | It offers foolproof security | |
| 4 | It streamlines your workflow | |
| 5 | It aids in team collaboration | |
1. It Saves Space
Did you know that physical documents stored in an office take up almost 15% of the space? With file cabinets and folder storage boxes gone, you’ll be able to save up space in your office, making it more spacious and breathable. However, not all documents can be digitized; therefore, you can allocate a separate room to store them.
2. It Acts as a Backup/Recovery
One of the biggest risks of keeping hard copies of important documents is to lose them to fire, flood, earthquake, or theft. And believe me, it’s quite difficult to recover such documents and can put your business at tremendous risk.
Keeping all your files stored in an electronic document management system is the way forward. It acts as a backup and recovery option in case you lose your data.
3. It Offers Foolproof Security
With paper documents, you cannot keep track of who accessed them or made changes.
And with 41% of the companies having over 1000 files with confidential data like credit card info, security is a major concern.
However, using a document management system not only provides bank-level security but it lets you know who viewed the files, who accessed them, and who modified them, complete with the date and time.
So, everything is traceable, which is a huge plus!
4. It Streamlines Your Workflow
Managing documents physically is not only a hassle, but it also leads to unproductivity.
Here’s the proof:
An average employee spends almost 40% of their day looking for printed documents.
And that’s not all!
A recent survey shows that 49% of the employees had a hard time searching for documents, while 43% faced issues while sharing them.
With so many roadblocks, inefficiency is imminent!
On the other hand, a document management software streamlines your workflow, makes finding documents a breeze, and sharing is as easy as pie.
So, what’s it going to be? Hours upon hours of looking for documents or finding them with a single click? The choice is yours!
5. It Aids in Team Collaboration
Collaboration between a team is quite important for success, and just because it gets difficult to work jointly with printed documents, 75% of cross-functional teams end up being counterproductive.
The solution to this is simple! Get a collaborative tool, a document management system that helps teams work together on the same project, and stay updated on the progress.
No need to pass around a single piece of paper and waste precious work hours!
So, what are some of the top document management systems available that can help you save space, keep your files secure, and improve workflows and collaborations?
Our Recommendations for the Top Document Management Software
You’ll find plenty of document management systems out there, but not all are as resourceful as the ones that we have shortlisted.
Top 7 Document Management Systems |
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| 1 | Wondershare Document Cloud | |
| 2 | Bitrix24 | |
| 3 | Microsoft SharePoint Online | |
| 4 | DocuWare Cloud | |
| 5 | OnlyOffice | |
| 6 | Legito | |
| 7 | Confluence | |
1. Wondershare Document Cloud
Our first pick for the best document management solution is Wondershare Document Cloud.
It is a cloud-based tool that helps you edit, sign, share, and track documents. The cloud storage provides you 1GB of free storage and up to 100GB for a small price.
The feature this tool is known for is the electronic signature, using which you can easily sign or obtain signatures from others to bind documents legally. The best part is that you can access the documents from any operating system without going through the hassle of downloading any software.
However, if you want to edit PDFs on your desktop, you can get PDFelement Pro DC which has Document Cloud embedded in it. In short, you can quickly download PDFs from Document Cloud directly to PDFelement, edit it and upload it right back!
Wondershare PDFelement Pro DC
Simplify your Workflow with the Document Cloud for PDFelement.
2. Bitrix24
Another document management software that caught our eyes is Bitrix24. It offers cloud storage as well as on-site storage (private and personal cloud storage). Other than storage, this all-in-one platform offers file sharing, file syncing, multi-user editing, and offline access to files.
Moreover, you can also use it for conference calls, chats, and streamlining and clocking your projects.
In short, it acts as a virtual office for your business. So, if you want all your day-to-day business tasks to be in one place, where the whole team can collaborate and work simultaneously, you need to get Bitrix24.
3. Microsoft SharePoint Online
If you’re a large-scale business looking for a document management solution that’s a bit towards the high-end, go for Microsoft SharePoint Online.
Available for Android, iOS, and Windows, you can use this app to share and manage documents while being able to collaborate with your team across the organization. It’s an all-rounder tool that not only takes care of document management and storage but also enables you to organize your tasks and work on projects simultaneously with your colleagues.
4. DocuWare Cloud
DocuWare Cloud is one of the oldest document management systems around. It has many impressive features that set it apart from the others, including importing documents, handling forms, processing invoices, and entering data fields.
Not only this, but it also helps in workflow automation which is essential for a productive business.
5. OnlyOffice
OnlyOffice is a business-grade document management system designed specifically for small to mid-sized businesses. Although, it has much more to it than just cloud storage, like a whole virtual office, we will stick to the basic features that provide document management solutions.
Companies can use this amazing tool to create and edit files that are fully compatible with MS Office formats. It also offers the features to co-edit documents, review them, discuss them via chat, and leave comments. The version history feature is also quite useful when it comes to restoring older versions of a document instead of starting all over again.
So, this feature-packed productivity software is all you need to get going.
6. Legito
Legito is a complete document management system that enables you to store, analyze, automate, draft, sign, manage, and share your official documents with utmost ease and convenience.
It is a web-based tool that allows you to save your documents as templates for future use, which helps reduce drafting time by 90%. The audit trail feature makes the document history visible to you to see who did what at when. Also, you can make a list of your tasks with deadlines, so you’re always on time.
With so many innovative features, I don’t think a price slightly towards the higher side is a deal-breaker.
7. Confluence
If you’re looking for a document management solution to store and share data across your business efficiently, you should give Confluence a try.
It has an advanced search feature that helps you locate documents effortlessly.
There’s more!
When creating a new document, you could choose a blank page or from the library of 75 customizable templates, including reports, planners, forms, etc. As far as collaboration is concerned, you can edit documents alongside your team in real-time, leave comments, and even have discussions using emojis and GIFs to add an element of fun during work.
Hence, Confluence is not only a document management system; in fact, it’s a whole workspace to bring together the entire organization, no matter where they’re located.
Final Words
A document management system is highly effective to run and grow your business, whether small-scale or enterprise-level. It helps you go paperless, provides robust security for documents containing classified information, and acts as a disaster recovery option.
With so many benefits, it also helps streamline your workflow for boosted productivity.
Therefore, invest in a feature-filled document management software to be more efficient, and improve your business overall.