What is DMS?
A document management system (DMS), is a repository of electronic documents with functions to make working across and within documents easier. The features of a DMS can include storage, search, version control, and workflows. Organizations choose to use a DMS for greater efficiency, security, and traceability in working with a large number of documents.
Why is a DMS important?
Organizations across the private and public sectors can amass and store tens of thousands of documents in their day-to-day operations. Documents can accumulate in various business processes, including marketing projects, vendor management, financial invoices, and company human resource data.. The scale of documents across a business makes document management an important business consideration. Thanks to advances in technology, we no longer need to deal with paper-based management solutions, simple digital folder structures, and file naming practices to organize documents.
Simplify document management
Operating systems offer limited built-in document management, such as file structure traversal and basic file properties. However, built-in document management solutions can be difficult for users to navigate or find the core information they are seeking.
Document management systems (DMSs) provide an easier way for users and teams to store, organize, sort, and search electronic documents across the organization.
Other benefits
The benefits of a document management system include:
- Centralized, standardized document handling processes
- Reduced time spent in search for greater productivity
- Eliminates the need to message team members to locate files
- Historical evidence in file management
- Fine control of user access management
What are the capabilities of a DMS?
The capabilities of a document management system can vary, depending on the product or product stack implementation. We give some common DMS features below.
Storage
The solution typically includes document storage, so that files are always available for users to access, edit, search, and manage. The document store should be available on demand.
Metadata
Each document within the system will have associated metadata defined in its properties. This metadata typically includes the document owner, editors, and read-only users, along with the document creation and modification dates. It may also include other fields such as project name, working dates, status, and other custom fields. For example, an image that includes text may have the full text of the document stored in its metadata. Metadata is used for search and filtering purposes.
Versioning
Versioning keeps copies of documents as they change, so there is always a previous historical version for reference. It ensures critical information cannot be erased and old copies or document parts can be restored.
Collaboration
One of the goals of a DMS is to have a functional system that allows multiple users to simultaneously create, modify, manage, and search documents. Each system handles collaboration differently depending on its configuration. Some systems allow multiple users to modify the same document at the same time.
Automated processes
Some DMSs have workflows such as approval processes and automatic archival processes built into the core of the system. Others allow system administrators or approved users to create these automated processes as requirements arise. By including workflow management in a DMS, users can save time, and businesses can conserve resources.
Security
A document management system requires security configurations for secure storage, identity and access management (IAM), document deletion policies, and elevated permissions for workflow creation and management.
DMS search
Basic search includes plaintext search with filtering capabilities, but a system typically includes more sophisticated features. The search capabilities of a DMS must be robust to meet organizational requirements. Search can include near matches, metadata range filtering, and user-based restrictions.
Modern search integrates AI to allow users to input natural language queries. AI can respond intelligently, for example, by generating document summaries and direct answers from within document text, along with references to relevant documents.
What are the key considerations in choosing a DMS?
Each organization has different needs for its document management system. Here are the key considerations in selecting a document management solution.
Security and compliance
A DMS should work within the existing company security and compliance policies. For example, the system should support identity and access management (IAM), in-region secure storage, encryption, personally identifiable information (PII) masking, and historical versioning for industry requirements.
Advanced search
The main consideration that search must address is usability. For instance, a search that only returns exact matches for a phrase within a filename is limited in usability. Instead, look for flexible, full-text search functionality that allows users to quickly find what they are looking for. AI-based search should be integrated where possible and allowable under security and compliance obligations.
Customization
Commercial off-the-shelf DMSs with software licenses for business are restricted in their customizability. For example, the software may not allow integration with current IAM solutions, may have fixed storage, or may have limited capabilities for automating workflows within the software. A customizable DMS provides a maintainable solution that grows in line with user, organizational, and security requirements.
Control
A document management system must have the ability to add various degrees of control. User-based access permissions must comply with the organizational structure, the principle of least privilege, and existing access permissions for files. Complicated permissions are defined by a security administrator. Administrators, groups, and role-based access permissions, including customers and clients, must be definable and enforceable across the DMS.
Cloud-based document management
Cloud-based document management systems allow users to perform remote work while ensuring the reliability and availability of the solution. Cloud-based architectures remove the need for hardware purchasing, maintenance, and management. Choosing a cloud-based configuration over an on-premises DMS enables modern ways of working and access.
DMS vs. CMS
A content management system (CMS), is defined as a solution that organizes documents, images, media, and files for publication. The primary purpose of a CMS is to organize content for publication on the web. However, CMSs can also be used for internal portals, other media publication channels, and technical documentation. A headless CMS allows publication to any frontend or UI.
CMSs are similar to document management systems; however, their primary goal is content publication, rather than internal use. Organizations seeking a publication component in their document management may choose a CMS or add a user interface layer to their DMS with API connections in the future if needed.
How can AWS support DMS management?
AWS helps organizations create, store, and manage their cloud-based document management systems with a range of customizable services, tools, and support.
AWS cloud databases and AWS cloud storage services offer industry-leading scalability, data availability, and performance to securely store data and files. You get built-in versioning, regional storage, encryption, and more.
Amazon Kendra enables developers to integrate search capabilities into the DMS, allowing end users to discover information stored in all types of documents across the organization.
AWS Identity and Access Management allows you to manage user access and permissions across your DMS files and enterprise architecture on AWS
AWS DataSync allows you to migrate on-premises document data to AWS securely, easily, and while maintaining data integrity, permissions, and access.
Get started with building your document management system on AWS by creating a free account today.