6 Essential Features of a Document Management System

A Document Management System is a software solution that allows companies of all sizes to digitise document management. The system allows easy and seamless storage of documents and management of the same. 

A DMS allows businesses to upgrade from their typical paper-based system and go paperless. Subject to the needs of the business, the kind of DMS you should go for varies; however, a big disclaimer is to stay away from the storage solutions disguised as an out-and-out Document Management System. 

Nevertheless, it could get challenging to shortlist one such DMS that is efficient and has all the features one might need from the large pool of software solutions. 

The trick here is to know what will benefit your company in the long run and what functionalities you need considering your company’s day-to-day operations. 

Don’t be frazzled; we’ve got your back here! We’re going to list the 6 most essential features you can not compromise on while investing in a DMS. All you have to do is read thoroughly. 

So let’s get started. 

6 must-have features of document management system:

Common workspace 

You need a DMS that offers you a common workspace that eases team collaboration for you. A common workspace is a digital home for your team and your documents. The same allows you to stay in sync with your members, organize your documents in a single place and mitigate the risks arising from lack of communication and inefficient collaboration. 

Teams working remotely need a platform where they can come together and do their jobs seamlessly. A document management system that offers a shared workspace is a software solution that will turn tables and change your work-from-home game forever. 

Apart from seamless collaboration, a shared workspace will allow you to organize your documents better. Go for a DMS that makes storing documents an easy task – you should be able to tag and label for easy retrieval and better organization. 

Document handling

One of the primary reasons why you need a Document Management System in the first place is for effortless document handling. Document handling was also one of the significant hurdles employees faced when they switched to hybrid and permanent work-from-home models. 

To be able to take the utmost benefit from a document management system, the requirement is to find a DMS that makes storage, retrieval and collaboration easier. You should be able to upload, tag, share and retrieve documents quickly without complications. 

Also, for big companies, it is essential to choose a DMS that allows you to upload documents in different formats and in bulk – ain’t no one got the time to deal with documents individually. 

OCR/ICR-powered text extraction

Text extraction is one of the most essential but one of the most overlooked features of document management systems. Companies turn a blind eye to it because they keep less knowledge of the changing technologies and their benefits. 

The OCR/ICR-powered DMS is something that you must prioritize. The reason is that you often need soft copies and editable versions of documents that are only available to you in hard copies or non-editable versions. With the OCR/ICR technology, you can convert text locked on paper into an editable format. 

Smart Document Management Solutions like dox2U offer highly accurate results, and the best thing is that there are no language barriers. dox2U supports 160+ languages and allows you to convert handwritten documents into editable digital formats for easy operations. Notable, isn’t it? 

Secure guest access 

Workspaces make collaboration easier, but guest access management makes collaboration secure. Since businesses have to deal with many documents daily, it becomes essential for them to have a system in place that allows them to collaborate on documents with people outside of your organization securely. Having control over the information that you pass on to your clients, business partners, and other counterparts is essential. 

You also require functionalities like Audit Logs and Granular Access Control to prevent wrongful and unauthorized usage of the information you share outside and maintain safety and confidentiality standards. 

Content-based search 

To retrieve documents you store on your DMS, you will be provided title-based search functionality in almost all DMSs. You won’t find the Deep Search or Content Based Search feature in all of them, which is the real deal. 

The Deep Search feature allows you to retrieve documents in seconds even though you have forgotten the accurate title that you gave the document while storing the same. With the Deep Search feature, you can retrieve the document with the smallest bits of the content that it entails. It makes it much easier for those who tend to forget or have a lot of paper to deal with. 

Filter-based search 

Sure, the Deep Search feature comes in handy. But what happens when you forget everything, don’t have the document’s name, and don’t have any keywords too? In such a scenario, a Filter-Based Search can help you complete the job in seconds. It’s how you shop on an e-Commerce site; you will see a list of filters in front of you that will help you recall the details, and then you can go ahead and filter the same based on date, ownership, tags and other details. You essentially use these filters to quickly narrow down your choices from thousands of documents until you find the one you need! Easy peasy, right? 

Well, the list of 6 essential features of the document management system is with you now. It will only make your life much much easier. Also, if you think shortlisting one DMS with these features from thousands of available options is a tiresome and counterproductive task for you, then take our word for it and check out dox2U’s website. 

They are reliable and, above all, progressive. dox2U also offers a lifetime free plan, go to their website and see if you are eligible. 

Also Read: The Pivotal Features Of Sharepoint.