Document Management System (DMS), also known as central repository, is a place where documents and other files are stored for retrieval by authorized users. Most modern systems also provide a powerful search function to ensure that documents can be easily and quickly found. They can also help with managing the requirements for compliance when it comes to sensitive information. A DMS has numerous advantages over the traditional filing cabinet or file server, and is capable of growing with an company’s needs as its content management needs change.
Getting Started
A reliable online document management system will begin by scanning your documents and records, or saving email attachments. From here your digital documents will be indexable with metadata, making them easy to find for any authorized user. This is a better alternative to putting paper in an archive or filing system which has no clear indexing process, and it will save you significant time, as it allows for quicker access to your documents.
Version Control
It’s easy to lose track of versions of a document after it goes through several rounds of internal or client reviews. A DMS can aid in this by setting up the same naming convention and letting any member of the team which document is the latest version. It can also archive older versions, if needed but still make accessible to anyone who requires them for any reason.
Collaboration: Choose the DMS that allows employees to collaborate simultaneously on the same document. This is a common requirement for many companies and it can help improve teamwork if real-time collaborative is allowed. Other collaboration features to consider include plugins to work with other tools, chat capabilities and control options for who can access a given file. A DMS must also provide secure storage for sensitive data, that is compliant with industry standards. This includes recurring 24-hour data back up, secure Amazon Web servers with 256-AES bank-grade encryption, and storage that has multiple artificial and physical points of presence.
