Originally, a document management system was a computer program (or set of programs) used to track and store images of paper documents. More recently, the term has been used to distinguish between imaging and records management systems that specialize in paper capture and records respectively. Document management systems commonly provide check-in, check-out, storage and retrieval of electronic documents often in the form of word processor files and the like.

Physical paper document management systems

Typical systems have the user scan in the original paper document, and store the image of the document in the document management system. The image is often given a name containing the date and the user is often asked to type in additional "tags" in order to make finding the image easier. For instance, a user scanning in an invoice might want to tag it with "water, invoice, 1/1/2002".

Slightly more advanced versions also perform an OCR on the image, storing the text along with the image. Although most OCR systems are notoriously inaccurate, even a few correct words scanned off the page can eliminate the need for the user to type in their own tags.

Once the document is stored, it is typically retrieved using an application that is aware of the way the tags (or scanned text) and image are related. That way when you search for "invoice", opening the document will in fact open the original image.

Document management systems can save a tremendous amount of time, even in cases with small numbers of documents, like home bill payment or personal tax preparation. It is somewhat odd that they aren't more widely used, but some of this is likely the fault of the scanning step. Many systems include their own high-speed black and white scanner to make this step as easy as possible, or can incorporate existing office MFPs.

Electronic document management systems

Storing electronic documents is somewhat different but follows the same principle. Here, every kind of internal documentation of somebody (typically a company or corporation) is both written and stored electronically. Printed copies of documents need not even be produced, and documents may be electronically signed.

Electronic document management systems typically include a workflow model for certifying and electronically signing documents.

Electronic document management systems can be extended to support requirements under the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) and Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by addition of digital rights management controls including real-time network/application/file monitoring and policy control . This gives auditors, administrators and directors documented evidence of internal controls that communicate, store, and protect documents and allows unalterable logs or databases of who has accessed which pieces of information, where and when. It also gives fine-grained control of who can access, view, print or forward any particular document or group of documents.

See also

• Content management
• Records management
• Web content management
• Enterprise content management System

External links

(Company Sales Pages)

• Simple diagram to illustrate Document Management
• Basics for Document Imaging & Management Systems
• Integrated Document Management
• Saperion: Enterprise Content Management
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