Document Management Software

EDMS (Electronic Document Management Software) is the software used to control the management of electronic documents. 

The easiest way to think of EDMS is as a giant electronic filing cabinet.  The software is used to centralise the storage and retrieval of computer files and images.  Once stored on the document management system, files can be retrieved from any computer connected to the system. 

Access rights can be implemented to control who can open certain files. Metadata can be added either manually or automatically to assist in the management of the files. 

Sometimes, a document scanner (along with a document imaging system) can be added to a document management system to facilitate the easy transfer of paper-based documents onto the system.  The imaging system could incorporate OCR (optical character recognition) to extract text from the document, allowing that document to be searched and/or catalogued on the system.  Workflow can be implemented into an EDMS, to control and record changes to documents – For example, Person B may need to perform a task on a particular document but cannot do so until Person A has carried out their task first, a good example would be an invoice which has to be approved by the person who authorised the purchase, before being passed to the accounts department for payment. 

The EDMS could show changes or restrict access to the document until tasks are carried out in the correct order.  The EDMS can seamlessly integrate into other applications (such as Email, Spreadsheet software etc.), so that a user can retrieve, work on and save a document back into the system without leaving the appropriate application.  Document management systems are the best way to allow a company to conform to strict security and records-keeping rules.  EDMS can be either client-server, where the system is installed entirely on the user’s own computer system or network, or application service provider (ASP), where the software is installed externally, at the software provider’s premises, and is access remotely by the customer using a web-based interface or a bespoke application.  Examples of document management software include Microsoft SharePoint Server, Filestream and Version One.

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