Document Management
What Is a Document Management System?
- Document management systems are electronic filing cabinets that provide a framework for organizing all digital and paper documents.
- These systems work in tandem with scanners, which convert paper documents into digital versions.
- Through sophisticated search engines, document management systems allow quick access to any document or file.
Functions of these systems:
- Storing various document types, including word processing files, emails, PDFs and spreadsheets
- Searching an entire library of files by individual keyword
- Restricting access to certain documents
- Monitoring who is viewing documents and when
- Tracking edits to documents
- Retrieving previous versions of edited documents
- Controlling and regulating when outdated documents can be deleted
- Accessing, editing and sharing documents via mobile devices
Now that you know what a document management system is, you should decide which type best fits your needs – a self-hosted or cloud-based solution. Both systems offer the same features, but they have several key differences.
Self-Hosted Document Management System
- All the software is stored inside your business on your company’s own servers.
- You can store as many documents and files as your server allows.
- The software has a one-time cost based in part on the number of users. Self-hosted systems typically cost at least several thousand dollars. Some systems charge an initial fee for the software, as well as license fees for each user. In addition, some charge an installation fee.
- There is an optional yearly charge for ongoing support and software upgrades.
Cloud-Hosted Document Management System - All the software is hosted by your provider and accessible online.
- You can log in to these systems from any computer or mobile device connected to the internet.
- You pay a monthly fee for each user. Costs range from a few dollars to close to $100 per user, depending on the provider, the number of features you choose and the amount of storage you want.
- The system’s provider, for no additional cost, handles the software upgrades and maintenance.
Investing in a solid document management system means your business can stay organized, keep track of important files and help the environment by going paperless. There are a lot of considerations when choosing the right system, so let ZOOM help you decide which Document Management system will suite you best!
