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The days of paper storage are long gone. At present, the most effective form of storage is a digital document management system.

A document management system enables the user to efficiently organize their digital records and make subsequent edits as and when required. This software comes with on-premise and cloud-based system, thereby giving the users the option to choose whichever system works best for their business.

A document management system can be described as electronic versions of the old filing cabinets. The documents can be simply scanned and uploaded directly into the system. These systems also come with an in-built feature that enables users to add metadata and tags to categorize and store all the files; in addition, they are also accompanied by other features such as a search engine, which allows the users to navigate their way through expansive document libraries.

One essential thing that a user needs to do before purchasing a document management system is to understand DMS and whether you want an on-premises or cloud-based solution, since each system has its own unique functionalities and manner in which the data is stored.

UNDERSTANDING DMS FEATURES:

1. Storing Documents: The most primitive and essential feature of the document management system is its ability to store the users’ documents securely and enable them to navigate through the database.
2. Keyword Exploration: A DMS comes with wide keyword exploration options which enable the users to search for their documents using specific keywords. Some systems also have the added feature of metadata and tags that make it easier to recall a document or a set of documents. 
3. Providing Access to Documents: By creating tiered permissions, the users can provide certain employees access to specific documents as per requirements, while barring the others from viewing or modifying them.
4. Tools Screening Access to Documents: A document management system comes equipped with tools that enable the users to monitor as to who in their company is accessing the documents. This is a vital security feature that small business owners must possess to ensure that their business documents remain confidential.
5. Auto-delete Feature: The DMS comes with software controls that allow automatic saving and deletion of documents as per the convenience of the users, to free up storage space.

Benefits of Having a Document Management System:

There are several benefits of having a DMS system to manage your business’ documentation. Some of these benefits are:

1. Time: A DMS will help the user manage his time more efficiently, by allowing them to focus more on the critical part of their business rather than spending time organizing and managing documents.
2. Security: The document management system allows you to backup your documents in an encrypted cloud or a secure on-premises server, which in turn will secure your documents and protect the sensitive trade secrets of your company.
3. Evolving to Meet the Company’s Needs: As the business grows, so does the amount of documentation. In such situation, a DMS system keeps pace with the company’s footsteps with its ability to scale up or down as per the company’s needs.
4. Simplified Documents Management: The DMS system comes with the feature of keyword search engine, which allows the users to navigate their way through their documents, it eliminates the amount of time and effort that is put into rifling through file cabinets.
5. Workplace Collaboration: Teamwork and combined effort are the key factors that make a business successful; and a business having a document management system can lead to improved collaboration by allowing multiple people to work on the same file at a single time, ensuring proper communication, tracking every individual making changes to the document and allowing retention of access to older version of the same documents.

Choosing the Right Document Management System:

While choosing a document management system, an user must keep in mind the following factors:

1. File Structure: Your choice of DMS must have an easy to use file structure, which reduces their workload, rather than complicating their work.
2. Search Engine: Your choice of DMS must have a flexible search engines, which enables you to look for your files using wide variety of tags. The search option must be flexible enough to enable the user to also search for file’s name as well as the date on which it was last modified, file type, etc.
3. Easy access: Your choice of DMS must provide you with easy access from even your mobiles, tablets, etc, allowing you to make modifications on other devices as well.
4. Integration: The system introduced into the company must be compatible with the existing filing & management system that is already in place.
5. Security: The system must come well-equipped with security to prevent it from any possible malware attack and must allow its users to restrict as to who can view, modify or edit certain documents.

At the end of the day, the main objective of a document management system, is to replace the tedious task of manual filing with an efficient and secure e-filing cabinet, to de-clutter physical space, while at the same time reduce the time and energy taken to locate the documents. In order to meet these requirements effectively, it is imperative for the prospective user to do his research very careful to understand DMS, determine as to which kind of system suites there requirement best.