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Square 9 is a document management solution that helps businesses handle and automate human resource processes. Teams can create a single, secure location where all employee records are organized and easily accessible from within a unified platform. Using...Read more about Square 9
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DocStar Enterprise Content Management serves large and midsize businesses across all industries and provides tools to upload, store and share documents in a variety of formats. Cloud-based and on-premise versions of the software are available. Users c...Read more about DocStar ECM
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Contentverse is document management for every department in every industry. It's a blank slate for your team to recreate your storage processes and even make them better! • Scan, upload, or drag-and-drop files into the system • Batch scan and index opt...Read more about Contentverse
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Document Locator is enterprise document management software that is uniquely integrated into Microsoft Windows. The platform is integrated with Microsoft Office and other business applications, and works directly inside of Windows Explorer to appear like a...Read more about Document Locator
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Brandfolder is a cloud-based asset management solution that provides various processes to organize, store and retrieve media assets and manage digital rights and permissions. The solution can be customized for businesses in industries such as sports, retai...Read more about Brandfolder
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Centralpoint, by Oxcyon is featured in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms is a Microsoft based technology which be installed either on-premise or in the cloud. It is an N-Tiered, highly scalable, roles based Knowledge Management solu...Read more about Centralpoint
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Revver helps transform burdensome document-dependent work into impactful and empowering results. Our goal is to help companies transform their business quickly by powering document work, enabling teams to work collaboratively on documents, and automate rep...Read more about Revver
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Docuphase offers a comprehensive suite of intelligent financial solutions that create predictability, visibility, and efficiency. Our solutions include Document Management, Invoice and Data Capture, Forms & Workflow, AP Automation, and Vendor and Supplier ...Read more about DocuPhase
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Optix document management and workflow solutions transform organizations from a jumbled, disorganized shared folder to a structured data repository with an easy and organized way to retrieve the file you need when you need it. Flexible solutions and produc...Read more about Optix
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FileHold Enterprise is a document management solution that helps large organizations to transition to a paperless work environment. FileHold can be installed on premise or on a secure private or public cloud. Features include multi levels of security,...Read more about FileHold
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WoodWing Assets (previously called Elvis DAM) is a digital asset management solution for businesses of all sizes. Key features include collaboration, asset sharing, single sign-on, cataloging, archive management, metadata management, and access control. Wo...Read more about WoodWing Assets
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M-Files is the leading document management platform for knowledge work automation. It revolutionizes the way knowledge workers handle their processes, from creating and managing documents to automating workflows, collaborating externally, conducting enterp...Read more about M-Files
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Klyck is your ultimate solution for organizing, finding, sharing, and measuring content. With Klyck, you can centralize your team's knowledge, providing quick and easy access to all your files, ideas, processes, best practices and more. Customize pages tai...Read more about Klyck
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PandaDoc is an all-in-one tool to create, edit, send, track, and eSign documents quickly and easily. Discover a better way to generate professional-looking and error-free proposals, quotes, and contracts with PandaDoc. Win more deals with unlimited eSignat...Read more about PandaDoc
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Since 2001, Doc.It Suite, a document management platform, has been available to accounting and tax professionals. Doc.It Suite offers the user a variety of applications including document management, document capture & image-processing, and records managem...Read more about Doc.It Suite
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Nintex is a workflow management solution that caters to a variety of industries including energy, health and life sciences, financial services and government. It is suitable for departments such as customer services, human resources (HR) and information te...Read more about Nintex Process Platform
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Spend your time building Medical Devices, not on paperwork! https://matrixreq.com/ Matrix Requirements is helping medical device companies to easily and efficiently manage their design and quality system. Our products make your life easier by managing yo...Read more about Matrix Requirements
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Bynder's native, cloud-based Digital Asset Management (DAM) software is designed to simplify and optimize the management of digital assets for both small and large teams. It provides a centralized location to store and manage all brand, campaign, and produ...Read more about Bynder
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HotDocs is the premier document automation solution designed for businesses of any size or type, empowering users to convert frequently used documents and forms into ready-to-use templates to automate customer documentation. The solution offers on-premise,...Read more about HotDocs
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eForms is an electronic forms solution that helps businesses with data collection to ensure efficiency across departments and information systems at hospitals and medical facilities. eForms enables teams to automate tasks and workflows, facilitating patien...Read more about eForms
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Google Drive helps users store company data in one place. Users can access files from desktop and mobile devices and control how team members share these files. The platform provides a central admin panel, data-loss prevention and a vault for the drive to ...Read more about Google Drive
Docusign helps organizations connect and automate how they prepare, sign, act on and manage agreements. Docusign offers eSignature, the world's #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device, from almost anywhere, at any time. Today, over a millio...Read more about Docusign
Firmex Virtual Data Rooms is a HIPAA-compliant cloud-based virtual data room solution for small, midsize and large enterprises. It caters to mergers and acquisitions advisory, corporations, funds and private equity, pharmaceutical, mining and energy, inves...Read more about Firmex Virtual Data Room
iLovePDF streamlines document management with a versatile suite of 25+ tools, accessible on mobile, desktop, and via a REST API. Whether merging, splitting, compressing, converting, or eSigning PDFs, it offers an all-in-one solution. Trusted by millions wo...Read more about iLovePDF
Paperflite is a cloud-based content management system that assists marketing and sales teams with collaboration and prospect engagement. Its key features include predefined templates, document management , indexing, text editing and a repository. The ap...Read more about Paperflite
Popular Comparisons
Your Guide to Top Document Management Software, March 2024
Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Document Management products in North America.
Learn how products are chosenExplore FrontRunners
“Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use.
“Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money.
Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication.
Buyers Guide
This detailed guide will help you find and buy the right document management software for you and your business.
Last Updated on August 21, 2024Document management software, which falls within the larger category of content management systems (CMS), helps business users digitally upload, track, and archive documents while keeping them secure. Many document management systems include workflow tools to manage the life cycle of specific documents, such as articles or legal contracts.
According to the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), 75% of companies use more than one document management solution. This reflects both the scale of information companies today must oversee, and the diversity of available solutions.
To that end, we've created this buyers guide to help you better understand what this technology is and how it works so you can choose the best document management software for your organization.
Here's what we'll cover:
What is document management software?
Document management software provides organizations with the following functionality:
A central, searchable repository for records.
Paper documents can be digitally uploaded and filed, thus eliminating the need for the extra space (and cost) required with paper storage. In addition to improving organization and efficiency.
Digital document storage minimizes the risk that records can be lost or damaged.
Organizations that frequently use and/or maintain records containing sensitive personal information, such as those in the medical or financial industries, may benefit especially from document control software. These solutions can help ensure industry-specific document compliance while providing the appropriate users with quick, reliable access to records.
Main dashboard screenshot in eFileCabinet
Document management software is also helpful for companies seeking a way to implement rules-based workflow processes, such the review and approval of documents prior to publication and/or release.
Common applications of document management software
Document management software is a broad category that covers many different applications. Many of these applications can be sold either as stand-alone products or combined together in a comprehensive integrated suite.
Document capture and imaging | Uses imaging technology to digitize printed documents. These applications are often integrated with document readers and search features. |
Indexing | Assigns metadata (e.g., properties such as author and file format) to documents in a library or archive to make them searchable. |
Publishing | Allows users to draft, edit, and distribute content via workflow tools and role-based permissions. |
Secures records by classifying and archiving sensitive data. | |
Case management | Automates the documentation and management of cases, including approvals, role permissions, and other necessary steps. |
Contract management | Facilitates the workflow for creating and revising specific types of contracts (e.g., mortgage contracts). |
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Screenshot of M-Files software showing document metadata
Common buyer scenarios
Buyers evaluate document management software for many different reasons, but most fall within one of the following common scenarios:
Digitizing company documents: Organizations looking to go paperless by digitizing paper records often seek a stand-alone document imaging application to help upload these records quickly, without having to manually scan them. Imaging applications are sometimes part of a larger integrated suite that offers additional tools for the tracking, storage, and retrieval of these digital records.
Securing sensitive records: Companies in certain industries are subject to government regulations that mandate how records are stored and accessed. These regulations often require organizations to keep both historical and current documents in a digital format, and to limit who can access them. These companies often seek document management applications that are designed to aid compliance, and include features such as audit trails and role-based permissions. Companies should also consider a virtual data room which offers more features and protections that standard document management systems lack.
Organizing file systems: Many companies have difficulty finding and accessing files. For example, documents may be stored across multiple locations, including network drives, individual desktops and web-based file sharing platforms, which in some cases may violate company policies. These buyers seek to unify document storage so employees can access documents both easily and securely.
Many larger organizations often seek Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions, which are more comprehensive systems that often include records and digital asset management applications, among others.
Seeking an industry-specific solution: Certain companies require solutions that are tailored to the specific document life cycles in their organization and include case or contract management tools. Document management software helps automate and track the unique workflow of these records to improve efficiency while ensuring no step is missed.
Market trends to understand
Web-based solutions become increasingly available: According to Gartner, while on-premise document management systems continue to dominate the market, web-based solutions (e.g., M-Files, Acquia, and Spring CM) can help supplement it. These solutions offer benefits such as remote access to documents, added security via cloud-based data backup, and the elimination of added technology and hardware costs.
Collaborative tools become more popular: An increasing number of document management solutions are beginning to incorporate tools that facilitate greater collaboration between users. These tools enable multiple employees to work on shared documents, share files, and communicate via social tools within the same platform, thus changing the way teams are able to work together with records.
Emergence of mobile document management solutions: A decade ago, it was unimaginable that companies could create and edit documents on mobile devices. Today, however, the widespread prevalence of smartphone and tablet technology has led many document management software vendors to offer mobile apps that allow users to access and edit content remotely.
Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.