Ditch the paper clutter and learn how to better manage your business with a centralized document management system (DMS). This software stores all of your employee and company docs in one place, keep important data secure.
With business comes paperwork – and lots of it. Fortunately, electronic document management systems make organizing those stacks of papers on your desk much easier.
By creating a centralized place to store and manage important documents, you can easily categorize and sort through them much quicker.
Document management software allows you to tag and archive documents so you can not only store them digitally but access them whenever you need.
But with so many document management systems (DMS) on the market, choosing the one most suitable for your business can be challenging.
Fortunately, I’ve done the research for you and picked out the 9 best DMS solutions on the market today.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one document management system
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Good for document and project management
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Good for creating knowledge bases
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools considered
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Tools reviewed
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Best tools
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How I Chose the Best Document Management Systems
Here’s a list of key features I looked for when evaluating document management software on the market:
Important core features:
- Ample amount of storage: The software should come with enough storage for you and your employees to upload all the documents you need for your business. Some DMS may even have unlimited storage.
- Document organization and categorization: Document management software should allow you to customize how you tag and organize your documents so you can retrieve information faster.
- Easily accessible: Make sure the document management solution allows you to easily edit and retrieve documents as needed. You should be able to do a simple search to find the information you’re looking for.
- Security and data protection: Electronic document management systems should offer advanced security features to protect sensitive company information.
- Communication tools: The app should come with chat and a company-wide feed to easily share and comment on documents.
I looked for usability features like:
- Documents should be shareable: Look for a DMS that gives users the option to share and collaborate on documents, streamlining workflows.
- Ease of use: The software should be easy to set up and use. Employees shouldn’t need a lot of training to upload and retrieve documents.
- Mobile app: A mobile app is ideal for teams with non-desk teams who work on the go. That way, they can access important documents from anywhere.
The 9 Best Document Management Systems of 2024
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one document management system
Connecteam allows SMBs and large enterprises to organize and share documents that easily reach their workforce.
Why I chose Connecteam: Connecteam comes with all the tools you need to upload, store, and share documents for your non-desk employees. It also has lots of other helpful tools for managing your team from anywhere.
Let’s take a look at the specific features:
Dedicated space for document storage
Store staff documents in a a dedicated, secure digital space. Workers can upload their own work-related documents to this document management system directly from their phones, making it an ideal solution for frontline and field workers.
You can store all regulatory, formal, and personal files safely in one location and be sure employee records are always up to date. Everything is easily accessible and can be categorized however you prefer. However, admin settings allow you to select and restrict which documents you want specific employees to see.
Set an expiration date for important documents such as certificates and licenses that need to be renewed and Connecteam will flag the document for you once it nears its expiration date.
A customizable knowledge base to keep employees informed
Take advantage of the company knowledge base to store unlimited files of any kind – documents, training manuals, forms, and even videos. Expedite processes by making important information available from employees’ phones and cut down time wasted looking for information.
All your company’s collected knowledge will be stored safely for all employees. Once you update a piece of information, it is immediately synced across the entire organization, ensuring everybody’s working with the same information.
Expedited onboarding and training
In-person onboarding and training can be difficult to organize, expensive to host, and can go on for hours at a time. This is no longer the best way to get new employees up to speed–especially if you have staff working in the field.
Instead, take advantage of an employee training app, like Connecteam, that allows you to upload all onboarding and training documents into an app. You can create your own training documents in a bite-size, digestible format so employees retain information better and don’t get bored. You can also monitor employee progress and administer customized quizzes and employee communication surveys along the way to make sure they remember important information.
Streamlined communication between employees and employers
If employees have questions about specific documents or need to collaborate, Connecteam’s online team chat makes it easy for them to message managers or HR for answers. But this feature isn’t just good for questions about documentation: it’s the best way for employees to chat about all work-related issues.
To communicate outside of the app, Connecteam also comes with a company employee directory that includes employee phone numbers and other vital contact information.
Ensured compliance with easily accessible documentation
With Connecteam, you can make sure your company adheres to compliance and labor laws. Keep all of your documents uploaded in the cloud and retrieve them whenever you need, including employee hours, important forms, and compliance and regulatory certificates. This also makes it incredibly simple to update documents as needed, ensuring you remain aligned with updated company and legal policies.
💡 Pro tip:
If you’re waiting for an employee to submit an important compliance document, set an automated notification so you’re alerted as soon as they turn it in.
Besides acting as a document management system, Connecteam is a complete and affordable employee management app that allows you to manage your workers on the go. Features include an employee time clock, job scheduler, company news feed to make announcements, employee recognition tools, and much more.
Connecteam’s paid plan starts at just $29 per month for up to 30 users, and small businesses with fewer than 10 users can access the app completely free.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!
Key Features
Pros
Easily access all documents
Features are easy to customize
Data uses minimal storage space
Intuitive and user-friendly
Documents are easy to share
All data is protected
Cons
More integrations in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Hightail — Good for document and project management
Hightail is a document management system that makes it easy for managers to keep teams on track, share large documents, and collect feedback, all on one device.
Why I chose Hightail: Admins can also assign and manage tasks, monitor project activity, and keep content secure with just a few clicks. With Hightail, employees can easily collaborate on documents and projects directly from the app.
Hightail is ideal for teams that need to share, edit, and receive large documents. It includes integration capabilities with software like Zapier and Adobe Plugin.
Key Features
- Document sharing
- Creative collaboration
- Project management
- Apps and integration
Pros
- Easy to share documents of all sizes
- Protects all data
Cons
- Poor customer support
- Lacks customization
Pricing
Starts at $24/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
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KnowledgeOwl — Good for creating knowledge bases
Available on
With KnowledgeOwl, you can build knowledge bases directly in the app with the built-in document editor.
Why I chose KnowledgeOwl: Make documents more interesting with color and images and upload them directly so your employees immediately have access.
You also have control over who can see what by adjusting permission settings. Control the look of your knowledge base by customizing its features and editing the functionalities to tailor it to your unique business.
This is an easy system to use and an ideal document management system for companies that need to create documents from scratch.
Key Features
- Collaboration tools
- Drag and drop reordering
- Document library
- Customizable templates
Pros
- Good customer support
- Functional and easy to use
Cons
- Slow loading times
- Difficult to organize documents
Pricing
Starts at $20/author/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
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ClickUp — Good for collaborating on document editing
Promote teamwork with ClickUp’s easy to use project management software. Not only can you plan and schedule projects, but ClickUp acts as a document management system, too. And a good one, at that.
This cloud-based software is completely customizable and allows you to create and share documents with anyone in your company. Set permissions for viewing, editing, and commenting, and update your documents as needed. You can color code and tag them for easy categorization and retrieve information easily with ClickUp’s search feature.
Key Features
- Create and customize documents
- Subtasks and checklists
- Collaboration tools
- Reporting dashboard
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Quick to customize
Cons
- Unattractive user interface
- Poor email notification process
Pricing
Starts at $7/member/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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DocuWare — Good for customizable templates
Speed up your workflow and automate processes with DocuWare’s secure documentation management system.
Why I chose DocuWare: This software allows you to digitize all your work-related documents and store them in the cloud. Then, you can index and process them, and find them easily with the search feature.
Another plus of DocuWare is it comes with tons of premade templates so you can create documents and start utilizing them more quickly. Because DocuWare integrates with 500 apps and software programs, it may be a good option for businesses that use multiple software programs.
Key Features
- Premade templates
- 500 integrations
- Invoice processing
- New employee onboarding tools
Pros
- Good value for money
- Very easy to use
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Web interface can be slow at time
Pricing
Contact vendor for pricing Trial: No Free Plan: No
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DocuPhase — Good for providing detailed reports
Available on
DocuPhase offers a number of features in addition to document management, like accounts payable and workflow automation.
Why I chose DocuPhase: You can upload documents into DocuPhase’s cloud storage and take advantage of its auto-indexing capabilities, data reader, automatic file routing, and advanced search functions. It’s an excellent DMS that provides detailed reports and analytics so you can streamline how your business operates.
Key Features
- Auto-indexing
- Drag and drop workflow builder
- Real time project tracking
- Web forms
Pros
- Lots of features
- Easy to use
Cons
- Takes a long time to upload large documents
- Some versions can be assigned to users but the latest version has no assigning
Pricing
Starts at $250 Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Templafy — Good for large companies
Templafy’s host of features make this DMS a top contender on our list.
Why I chose Templafy: Not only can this software be utilized to store documents, but it offers complete creation and editing tools. Businesses can align documents with their branding and create forms, sales documents, PDFs, PowerPoint, webinars, and more.
However, one downside of Templafy is the fact that it’s geared toward large companies. It’s also a pricier solution than some other options. However, it does come with 24/7 support and is trusted by some of the top companies in the world.
Key Features
- Email signature management
- Customizable document templates
- Automated document assembly
- Performance tracking
Pros
- 24/7 customer support
- Integrations with Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office
Cons
- Expensive option
- Difficulty integrated with Microsoft Outlook
Pricing
Starts at $30,000/year Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Box — Good for team collaboration
With over 1,500 app integrations, Box offers a single, secure cloud-based solution for document storage and management.
Why I chose Box: Box is flexible and easy-to-use, and works on any device. It offers some incredibly cool features, too, like virtual whiteboarding, where teams can collaborate together in real time with a visual board.
The Content Cloud acts as Box’s centralized electronic DMS and consolidates file storage and content management into a single location. It even offers a feature called Box Shuttle that helps you easily transfer pre-existing documents into Box while maintaining permissions and security,
Key Features
- Content migration tool
- Easy to use admin dashboard
- Developer tools and APIs
- Virtual whiteboard for easy collaboration
Pros
- 1,500 app integrations
- Easy to manage and access information
Cons
- Not so intuitive for less techy users
- Limited functionalities
Pricing
Starts at $20/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: No
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PandaDoc — Good for collecting payments
This all-in-one software helps teams improve, automate, and speed up workflows.
Why I chose PandaDoc: With PandaDoc, you can create, send, and eSign documents and forms, like employee surveys, contracts, registration forms, time-off requests, and employee evaluations. You can even share documents with employees or vendors via direct link.
PandaDoc works well for a variety of industries and for companies of all sizes. It’s intuitive and easy to learn, with a user-friendly interface.
Key Features
- Quoting tool
- Collect payments directly
- eSignatures
- Customizable forms
Pros
- Easy to customize to each customer
- Offers a free version
Cons
- Free version offers limited tools
- Limited integrations
Pricing
Starts at $19/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
Compare the Best Document Management Systems
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Start for free
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Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $24/user/month
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Starts at $20/author/month
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Starts at $7/member/month
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Contact vendor for pricing
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Starts at $250
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Starts at $30,000/year
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Starts at $20/user/month
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Starts at $19/user/month
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yes
14-day
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14-day
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yes
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yes
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yes
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Best all-in-one document management system
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Good for document and project management
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Good for creating knowledge bases
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Good for collaborating on document editing
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Good for customizable templates
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Good for providing detailed reports
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Good for large companies
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Good for team collaboration
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Good for collecting payments
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| Available on |
What are Document Management Systems?
Document management systems ensure you won’t ever be stuck searching your desk for important documents again. This cloud-based software helps businesses keep digital documents organized, secure, and easily accessible in one centralized place. Some DMSs come with editing tools and customizable templates so you can create your own documents and share them with your team.
Whether you want to keep tabs on employment forms, employee evaluations, or compliance certificates, electronic document management systems are the easiest, efficient, and most secure way to manage all of your business documents. You can also tag and catalog everything so you can instantly retrieve your files whenever you need them.
How Do Document Management Systems Work?
Document management systems work by utilizing cloud storage to store, manage, and maintain all business documents in a safe and secure way. Employees can upload their own documents and forms into the DMS, eliminating the need for managers to do it for them. These digitized documents are organized using tags and folders and are easily accessible with advanced search capabilities.
Admin controls make it possible for managers to set permissions for who can view which documents, helping to keep sensitive data secure. They can also monitor revisions and updates to keep tabs on the flow of information. With the addition of project management and communication features, document management solutions also help teams collaborate and streamline work processes.
The Benefits of Document Management Systems
Here’s a list of the primary benefits of utilizing a document management solution in your business:
Better document organization and efficiency
All of your important business and employee forms and documents are stored in a centralized location in the cloud, so you never lose any. You also speed up your workflow with the ability to retrieve any document instantly.
Access documents from anywhere
If your team doesn’t work in the same location, document management systems are particularly useful. They make it possible for employees to access and upload important forms into a centralized database and communicate with employers directly from the DMS.
Track document versions and history
Track edits and updates so you know when documents are edited and by who. This ensures that the most up-to-date and accurate information is available, but can also restore earlier versions if needed.
Keep documents secure and recoverable
Access controls, user permissions, and end-to-end encryption protect sensitive document information. Document management systems also help businesses comply with data privacy regulations, safeguard confidential documents, and prevent unauthorized access or data breaches. They also protect documents from loss or damage with backup and disaster recovery capabilities.
Support and enhance team collaboration
Employees can access and work on the same version of a document at the same time from their own devices. This eliminates the need for sharing or emailing files, fostering better communication and collaboration.
Save physical space in the office
Storing documents digitally means you need less physical storage space. Free up the office and make room for other equipment or new employees.
How Much Do Document Management Systems Cost?
DMS vary in price depending on their features, capabilities, and which plan you opt for. Some solutions, like KnowledgeOwl, start off at $79/month and are suitable for small businesses, while Templafy starts out at $30,000/month (yes, you read that right). The hefty price tag is due to its complex and robust set of features and the fact that it’s better suited for large companies.
Connecteam, on the other hand, offers premium plans that start as low as $29/month for the first 30 users.
Connecteam offers a completely free, unlimited plan for small businesses of up to 10 employees.
FAQs
How many types of DMS are there?
There are two primary types of document management systems: cloud-based and on-premise.
Cloud-based document management solutions are hosted by third-party companies and store all user data in their own cloud servers. The provider maintains security and the infrastructure of the DMS, but users have access to their documents at any time through an app or the web.
On-premise document management systems are managed and operated by businesses themselves. They use their own local servers and infrastructure to store documents, putting all security and management of the DMS onto themselves.
What’s the best document management system?
While the best DMS may vary depending on your company’s individual needs, our top pick on the market is Connecteam. This all-in-one solution offers complete management and customization of company and employee files for an incredibly low price.
What’s the best way to manage documents?
The best way to manage all of your employee and business documents is with an electronic document management system. This allows you to upload, track, update, and manage all documents in a centralized place. You can also access them whenever you need to with a quick search.
The Bottom Line on Document Management Systems
Document management systems offer tons of features that make storing, updating, and keeping tabs on important documents easier. With centralized cloud storage, editing and updating capabilities, secure access controls, and search capabilities, digital document management solutions help businesses run more efficiently.
By making documents accessible on the go, you eliminate the hassle of searching for files, ensure document integrity, and better comply with regulatory requirements.