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OnBase
OnBase
OnBase is a cloud-based enterprise information platform that helps small to large organizations manage content, processes and cases. With specific solutions for insurance, financial, higher education, government, commercial and he...Read more about OnBase
M-Files
M-Files
M-Files is the leading platform for knowledge work automation. M-Files enables knowledge workers to instantly find the right information in any context, automate business processes, and enforce information control. This provides b...Read more about M-Files
Adobe Experience Manager
Adobe Experience Manager
Adobe Experience Manager is a cloud-based content management solution designed to help businesses create websites, mobile applications and web forms. The artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled platform allows content creators to cre...Read more about Adobe Experience Manager
Content Central
Content Central
Content Central on-premise or in-cloud document management software streamlines business and document-intensive processes for companies worldwide. Organizations of any size can control and track which users access, change, and sha...Read more about Content Central
ViewCenter
ViewCenter
ICM's ViewCenter is a secure digital environment where your business-critical documents live, and your important processes can be optimized. Get a quick ROI with powerful search functions, secure file sharing, compliance, tasks & ...Read more about ViewCenter
Veeva Vault
Veeva Vault
Veeva Vault is a cloud-based content management solution with built-in collaboration features designed specifically for the life sciences industry. It comprises multiple modules that independently perform separate functions. ...Read more about Veeva Vault
PaperSave
PaperSave
PaperSave by PairSoft is a complete AP Automation, Procurement, and Document Management solution that natively integrates within NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics GP and 365 BC, Sage Intacct, and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge/Financial Edge ...Read more about PaperSave
Revver
Revver
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 d...Read more about Revver
Document Locator
Document Locator
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...Read more about Document Locator
Kiteworks
Kiteworks
Kiteworks offers enterprise organizations secure file sharing, firewall, and collaboration solutions that enables internal and external sharing of content without requiring a VPN. The software provides content connectors to Box, D...Read more about Kiteworks
Box
Box
Simplify your tech stack and save on cost with the Content Cloud: a secure, easy-to-use platform built for the entire content lifecycle, from file creation and sharing, to co-editing, e-signature, classification, and retention. An...Read more about Box
Bynder
Bynder
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 ...Read more about Bynder
MediaValet
MediaValet
Built exclusively on Microsoft Azure and available in 140 countries, MediaValet helps small, medium, and enterprise organizations handle enterprise digital asset management (DAM) challenges. With unlimited admins, users, suppor...Read more about MediaValet
Centralpoint
Centralpoint
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...Read more about Centralpoint
DocuPhase
DocuPhase
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...Read more about DocuPhase
Contentverse
Contentverse
With Contentverse document management, you're never from from everything you need. Offering cloud and on-prem deployment options and customizable user configurations, Contentverse can work for the unique demands of your department...Read more about Contentverse
DocStar ECM
DocStar ECM
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 a...Read more about DocStar ECM
Laserfiche
Laserfiche
Laserfiche is a content management platform suitable for businesses of all sizes in industries such as accounting, construction, education, real estate, manufacturing and healthcare. It offers document scanning and data capture, s...Read more about Laserfiche
Advantage CMS
Advantage CMS
Advantage CSP is an enterprise content services platform designed to help organizations manage their digital content and streamline workflow. It combines the features of both digital experience management (DxM) and enterprise cont...Read more about Advantage CMS
Docsvault
Docsvault
On-premise document management software accessible from multiple device apps used to streamline business processes by enabling document access and information control. Customization is possible, allowing Docsvault to be used widel...Read more about Docsvault
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Buyers Guide
Last Updated: March 16, 2023Enterprise content management (ECM) systems could very well be the most complex, feature-rich type of business software. These systems have all the complexity of a Swiss watch and, when selected with care, can keep a company's workflows running with the same precision.
As the ways companies use content have changed and grown over time, ECM systems have also adapted and expanded. In fact, they've changed so much that the term itself is now a little outdated. (More on that in the Market Trends to Understand section.)
Despite all that change, the need for content management tools and platforms is stronger than ever before.
Hold on, you might be thinking, why are they making this so complicated? I just need something simple to manage my sales, marketing and service content. If that's the case, you're probably better suited for a simpler content management system or something purpose-built to manage company documents.
However, if you still have your sights set on the most feature-rich system for managing content, then read on! This guide will give you the perspective and understanding you need to move forward with an ECM system purchase. In it we cover:
What Are Enterprise Content Management Software Systems?
Common Features of Enterprise Content Management Software Systems
What Are Enterprise Content Management Software Systems?
Content includes nearly all of the written information companies use internally and externally. This can range from (internal) process documents, policies and projects to (external) marketing and sales-focused content, content for websites and content only available to paying customers. While content can refer to audio-visual and graphical content, it typically refers to text-based digital content.
ECM systems are designed to manage all of the processes within the content life cycle, from creation and collaboration, revision and review to publication and even promotion. ECM systems contain a variety of tools to assist with each of these stages and typically include centralized reporting and analytics functions to help monitor these processes individually or on the whole.
Example process workflow diagram in DocStar ECM (Source: docstar.com)
Given the great variety of ways companies use and produce content, it's no surprise there's an equally great variety of content management applications. Most of these applications—a selection of which are discussed below in the Common Features of Enterprise Content Management Software Systems section—fall into one of the following general categories:
Library services: Core ECM functionality, for storing content and making it accessible
Record services: Records are a subset of content with stricter management policies
Content creation and capture: Tools to start the life cycle for each piece of content
Metadata management: Metadata includes information to describe and tag individual content
Workflow and business process management: Handle the nuts and bolts of collaborative workflows
Navigation and search: Help users organize, arrange and search for content
Security and access control: Determine which users have which rights for specific content
Architecture and integration: Provides integration tools for certain platforms or via an API
Common Features of Enterprise Content Management Software Systems
The following table lists some of the more common features and applications included with ECM systems. Remember that different vendor solutions emphasize different functionality and that this list is by no means comprehensive.
Secure repository | Enterprise content management software include centralized or distributed storage repositories for content and include tools for controlling levels of access. |
Document IDs | Provides reference names for enterprise content. These can be assigned either manually or automatically. |
Format support | ECM systems should provide support for a variety of file formats (.docx, .xls, .html etc.). Support can range from basic storage to full read, write and edit capabilities. |
AV support | ECM systems offer varying levels of support for non-text-based formats, such as audio, video and image file formats. |
Check-in/check-out | This function ensures that content is only modified by one user at a time. This is accomplished by extending read-only rights to some users while other users are in the process of modifying content. |
Offline document access | This lets users download content to be worked on offline. It usually also includes a sync function to update the content once the user returns online. |
Template management | Lets users create, deploy and work from content templates. Templates improve consistency and make it faster to recreate versions of commonly used content formats. |
Record management | Records are content that relate to business transactions. They can have higher retention and documentation requirements, which some ECM systems support. |
Scanning and capture | These tools help digitize paper documents with functions such as optical character recognition (OCR). |
Document creation | Lets authors enter new documents into the ECM repository directly from the authoring application, rather than through a separate upload process. |
Automatic registration | Automatically supplies the required metadata when new documents are submitted. Metadata includes document IDs, content types and file names. |
Bulk import and export | Lets users upload/download groups of files to and from the ECM system's repository, saving time and effort. |
Workflow definitions | Create and implement prescribed workflows (sequential tasks) for different types of content. These tasks can then be assigned to specific users or user roles. |
Graphical workflow design | An intuitive GUI-based means of creating and editing content workflows, an improvement over text or API-based editors. |
Global content updates | Allows for all instances of content types or metadata fields to be updated when a single update is made to the relevant template. |
User work queue and task list | Provides individualized workspaces to each user (or user group) with a list of tasks assigned to each individual user (or user group). |
Workflow reporting | Gives statistics on current and past workflows, including reporting on per-task completion time, per-workflow completion time and wait time between tasks. |
Market Trends to Understand
In 2016, Gartner issued the following statement:
"Content is a critical asset, a source of business insights and a driver of processes. How organizations create, manage, disseminate and exploit their enterprise content has changed in response to external market forces and internal business drivers. To reflect the changing market dynamics, Gartner is retiring the term "enterprise content management" (ECM). We believe that, going forward, the practice of managing content will be enabled as a set of services that coordinate content usage by all parties: users, systems and applications."
Source: "Reinventing ECM: Introducing Content Services Platforms and Applications" (available to Gartner clients)
One of the changing market dynamics Gartner identifies is the fact that many content-related applications and services have expanded their functionality to include functions once solely in the ECM domain. These include file sharing services, business process management and collaboration tools.
If your ECM needs are largely focused in one of these areas, then those links might be the best place to begin your product selection. Of course, you can also skip all of that and just give us a call at (844) 687-6771. After a free consultation, we'll come up with a shortlist of products for you to focus on.