How Does a Document Management System Work?
A document management system (DMS) is a system that is popular these days because it reduces the use of paper and saves time and energy. It works by storing a large number of documents or data, and it provides us those documents within seconds when needed Usually, we store physical documents in folders that are kept in a cabinet or drawer; similarly, DMS works as a digital drawer or cabinet. Before explaining how a document management system works, we need to know a few things:
- What is Document Management software?
Document management software is generally responsible for managing all the documents for any company or organization.
To do so, this type of software captures or scans all the documents, stores them in its central storage, provides the correct material when the user needs it, and even helps the user create any report required. It also provides complete security of the documents. If you have a PDF file to secure, PDF Complete is the best place to help you with all your queries.
- What is an electronic Document Management system?
EDMS, or an electronic document management system, is a specific type of DMS which mainly deals with digital documents; it can be any digital document, ranging from emails to any application-generated documents.
It is also capable of scanning paper documents and storing them. I am going to mention my 5 best electronic DMS that will make your work easier.
How do Document Management systems work?
There are certain steps that the DMS follows, which are:
- Capturing or scanning the documents.
- Sorting the documents.
- Storing the documents.
- Retrieving the documents.
- Distribution.
Let’s get into more details of each procedure.
- Capturing/scanning: The DMS can capture any document from any source. The permission to capture all the data from various sources will be given to the user.
- For paper documents, high-speed scanners can be used.
- Daily reports generated by a system can easily be captured if given permission to.
- Documents generated from any other application of the system can be easily captured.
- Emails are essential in any organization; DMS also captures the attachments that come in emails or even the content of the email itself.
- Sorting: When searching for a specific document, most people don’t have time to go through everything they have. So, we need to sort all the documents according to their type.
Any user or ERP solution provider can index content. Smart processing software is also available for sorting jobs.
- Storing: To get the required documents, DMS needs a storage system to do the same. Based on storing or saving the documents, there are two types of document management systems:
- On-Premise DMS: No internet connection is required; the storage will happen in the user’s server/system.
- Cloud-Based DMS: Requires an internet connection. The system’s service provider will be responsible for maintenance and backup. The entire process of storing and retrieving will be done online.
While using the DMS, we can check and modify documents; DMS also will capture the revised documents and store it for any future use.
- Retrieving: A primary purpose of DMS is to find the right document easily and as quickly as possible.
The indexing process mentioned earlier is useful for retrieving documents. The document management software gives us the benefit of keyword searching, so if the indexing was done properly, retrieving a particular document can be done in a fraction of a second.
- Distribution: A significant feature of a DMS is distributing documents to vendors, customers, or even employees.
The distribution can be done via email or any other process of files transferring.
Importance of Document Management Systems:
Installing DMS software in any organization is highly recommended, for the following reasons:
- Besides storing, retrieving, and distributing, modern document management systems are also capable of creating reports using various data from stored documents, as well as managing workflow. Many tools come with software can help improve workflow. It will be responsible for taking control of the system and assign jobs to the proper user.
- Workplaces can “go green” by significantly reducing paper usage using this software. Doing this will not only be environmentally friendly but also will save the cost of buying paper or any physical items like cabinets or storage bins. It will also save some space in the office.
- A major benefit of using DMS is security. No need to worry about paper documents going in the wrong hands, getting misplaced, or damaged by things like water or fire.
- By utilizing keyword searches, retrieving any document (which can be a 10 or 15-year-old document, for example) is easy and a major timesaver
- Customers and vendors will appreciate quicker information and faster service from you.
- As an organization is growing, the numbers of documents also increase. No human can match the speed of the DMS while saving, sorting, and retrieving documents.
Proper document management can get rid of the burden and makes office work much easier. Taking the initiative to install a DMS will improve workflow and efficiency.
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