A document management system is an electronic filing cabinet that provides a framework for organizing paper and digital documents. The system can work hand in hand with a scanner to make it possible to convert paper documents into digital versions. Using sophisticated search engines, the system offers quick access to any given file or document. Businesses both large and small stand to benefit from a system that helps them manage documents.Functions of a document system There are so many functions you can use a document system for and the most common include:

Storing all types of documents include PDFs, emails, spreadsheets and even word processing files

Retrieving previous versions of documents that have been edited

Restricting access to sensitive business documents

Searching a huge file library using individual keywords for quick easy access

Monitoring viewership of the documents and tracking any edits being made to them

Accessing, editing and sharing of the relevant documents using mobile devices

Regulating and controlling deletion of documents that are out of date

With all these functions, it is clear that all kinds of businesses stand to benefit from a document management program. Most businesses are embracing the systems to have an easy time handling the ever increasing documents as the businesses progress and expand.System benefits to users Businesses that decide to have a document management system in place stand to enjoy a number of benefits including:

Easy access to documents from computers instead of having to go searching in a stockpile of physical files when the need arises

Easy, quick searches of documents from the system using keywords so the specific files are found without much trouble

Improved collaboration through elimination of hard copies that can be tedious to handle so employees have an easy time working as a team

Enhanced security because companies can track viewership and editing of every document in the system; it is also possible to designate which employees gain access what files using the document management software

Space saving because of reduced paper documents for the digital versions that are easier to store and handle even as the business continues to grow tremendously

Better recovery from disasters considering that critical documents are stored online and are therefore protected against damages and destruction like it is the case with physical filing cabinets

Choosing the best document management system There are so many systems designed to offer document management solutions and they are not made equal. It means you would have to pay attention to features that matter most to be able to choose the best for your business. Some of the factors you should consider when looking for the best system are:

Ease of use

File structure

Searching options

Mobile access

Scanning functions

Security levels

Integration possibilities

When looking at the solutions, you should also remember that you have the option of selecting a self-hosted system or a cloud hosted system. They each come with their pros and cons and comparing them will help you choose the best system for your business needs.