Document management systems let businesses store and search digital documents, whether they are scanned images or MS Office documents, PDF files or CAD drawings. Some have a web-based interface to let you view files online, while others have an installed client application for better speed and functionality. All of these solutions require a central database and storage server to hold the files and index information used for searching.
These document management systems require a few days in planning, installation, configuring and training. This is definitely time well spent, ensuring that a correct and optimal implementation at the outset will revolutionise the way in which any company works with its records.
This review highlights a range of proprietary document scanning and document management software, with key functions which they offer.
Systems to Store, Search and View Documents
PaperVision by DigiTech and CompuThink's ViewWise both provide fully featured, HIPAA-compliant (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) document management systems. Both of these systems can grow with company needs, and are affordable enough for small businesses yet powerful enough for large corporations too. Each offers some benefits that the other does not.
To take PaperVision first: this software suite includes a customisable application for searching and viewing, as well as a web interface. PaperVision also has workflow and report management modules which boost any return on investment by allowing the automation of document processes and eliminating pre-printed forms.
A "lite" version called PaperVision XPress offers a similar search interface as PaperVision Enterprise, but comes in at a lower cost, without the extra scalability, security and options.
The other fully featured in-house system featured here is ViewWise. This system is unique in that it is Java-based and can run on Windows/SQL Server as well as Novell, UNIX and Linux operating systems and Oracle database servers. ViewWise also has several key differences in the layout of its user-interface that many users prefer. This includes a folder view for browsing documents.
For a simple, low cost scanning front end for these document storage and retrieval systems, an interesting product is SimpleIndex ' which complements both. SimpleIndex is designed to interface directly with both PaperVision and ViewWise, and so provides a simple, low-cost automatic scanning front-end.
In fact, SimpleIndex also includes its own low-cost searching and viewing application that can be used for basic document management tasks, and so SimpleIndex can be used as a standalone document management system, or added to allow the search and viewing of documents on other workstations.
Another document management product is DocuLex WebSearch. This system is a different in that it can automatically index all documents folder contents, similar to the way in which Google Desktop operates. Networked users are able to search on values in filenames, file properties or document contents. Additionally, users can access files via a website ' a big advantage for remote workers operating outside the confines of the office building.
