Document management system (DMS) is the use of a computer system and software to store, manage and track electronic documents and electronic images. A document management system works together with document scanners (such as those provided by a document scanning company) which convert paper documents into digital formats. Using advanced equipment and high-end software, document scanning service providers are able to transform documents of any dimension, size and shape into various formats such as TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PDF and others.
With the continuing process of digitization, people want to reduce their paper-based work and gain access to their important documents from anywhere, at any time. A document management system is the best option to make this task simple. DMS is widely considered as the component of enterprise content management (ECM) and related to digital asset management, document imaging, workflow systems and records management systems. As it supports all types of file formats and reduces physical storage space, it is a great choice for today’s work environment. It offers instant access to documents, which in turns saves time, costs as well as increases the organization’s productivity. These are some of the reasons why businesses and other enterprises are moving towards DMS.
The following are some of the popular open source document management systems that can be used to reduce paper-based documentation and improve the document-based performance of your organization.
- Alfresco – This is an open source ECM that provides document management, collaboration, knowledge and web content management, record and image management, content repository, and workflow. Alfresco supports Common Interface File System (CIFS) that enables document compatibility with operating systems like Windows and UNIX. It comes with API support and works as a back-end to store and retrieve the contents. The best features of Alfresco are easy customization and version control.
- KnowledgeTree DMS – With this open source document management system, enterprise users can categorize, store, index, and share documents. It comes with features such as metadata editing, versioning, workflow and WebDAV support. It enables you to retrieve the right content at the right time. It has Quick-play feature which enables the user to create and manage cadences of content.
- Nuxeo – This open source system manages the flow of contents through the business cycle. It is a proven system that helps reduce the time needed for content search and retrieval. It provides a number of ways to capture the contents including image scanning. The key feature of Nuxeo is audit logging that enables easy content tracking. Other features include robust platform, easy customization, serves a rich set of APIs and easily maintain projects.
- M-Files – It has Check-out feature that helps manage the information securely. This feature help keeps track of your documents with every small and big change. This document management system is useful, easy-to-implement and robust. It is available for Windows as well as Mac, and is also compatible with Android and iOS devices. It can be easily integrated with the other applications and avoids duplication.
- Seed DMS – It is a user-friendly open source DMS. This is based on PHP, MySQL, and SQLite3. It serves as a fully developed, enterprise-ready platform for tracing, accessing, storing and sharing documents. It allows editing documents available in HTML format.
- Worldox – This commercial and comprehensive system helps manage documents and emails. It comes with Indexing features called Archiving and Retention, which makes the data available instantly whenever required. It can be integrated with SharePoint and deployed with Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Cloud. Some of the features of Worldox include Compliance Management, Access Control, Document Conversion and Indexing, Email Management, Version Control and Full-Text Search.
- Feng Office – It is an open source DMS with a web-based collaboration platform. Some of the features of Feng Office include time tracking, Gantt Chart, task management and knowledge management. It is user-friendly and allows you to tag items. It allows you to track and mail the content to multiple users simultaneously.
Efficient document management helps reduce the proportion of effort and time spent on managing documents and contents. Managing paperwork and tracking records is a very tedious job, and a reliable DMS is a great option in any business office when it comes to streamlining important documents and making the best use of them.
