Integrating a DMS into your business is one of the greatest strategies that you can have to achieve efficient work. You will be able to streamline tedious processes, store all of your files securely, and automate daily tasks. But how can you decide what DMS will work for your business?
While there are many adequate solutions out there that will help to improve your work, you especially want to find the best solution that will be the perfect fit for your organization. Narrow down your choices to a few platforms that fit your needs, then dig a little deeper to see which one will benefit your business the most.
How can you do that? Compare your options. Here are the best ways that you can research and compare document management software.
Read Past Customer Reviews
Hearing from real customers is one of the best ways that you can compare document management solutions. With a quick Google search, you can view unedited reviews on a third-party site instead of looking at each individual software’s website where they only highlight their top reviews. Customer reviews are one of the best ways to pinpoint where a particular system may fall short.
Reading real customer reviews will show you the good, the bad, and the ugly of each software. As you read them, you can compare the strengths and weaknesses of your potential choices.
Compare Software Features
In narrowing down your document management system options, you’ve probably determined what features are indispensable for your organization. Beyond that, you should compare the features of each software that you’re considering. If the only thing that sets two systems apart is that one includes robust security features, the decision to go with the more comprehensive system should be easy.
Visit Company Websites
By simply taking a look at each platform’s website, you will get an in-depth idea as to what each company offers and their top features right off the bat. Even just skimming through the website can speak volumes about the company and product. For example, If the website looks like it hasn’t been updated since 2005, you can easily assume that the software is not likely going to be as technologically advanced or include an intuitive UI like many of the other systems will.
Most businesses highlight what sets them apart from their competition on their main page. You shouldn’t have to look very hard to find out what they view as their most valuable strengths. They are likely showing what they’re best at and why you should choose them over their competitor. This can be a good indicator for you as to what the product values and if that is a deciding factor for your DMS choice.
Read Up On Case Studies
In addition to going through the websites’ pages, set apart time to specifically look at and compare case studies from each platform. Case studies should be significant to you because they can show you how companies in your industry have used the product. This will show whether or not the platform delivers results that you’re looking for.
Knowing how organizations similar to your own use a document management system will give you great insight into whether or not the software is right for you. You will see that other companies used it successfully and solved many of their problems. Based on the case studies, you may even get references so that you can ask specific questions about the software that you are comparing.
Try a Demo
When you are down to the last few document management platforms, try a short demo to really experience their capabilities. A demo will show you what the interface looks like, its ease of use, and its most important features. Compare your experience with the demos to know which software is best suited to handle your business’s documents.
eFileCabinet offers a free, personalized demo that highlights the top document management features like advanced search, automated workflows, how files can file themselves, and how to set up extensive search features.
Once you’ve done your research on your potential DMS, compare your results. There are many good solutions, but they all play to different strengths. If the thought of choosing between the countless DMS overwhelms you, see for yourself how eFileCabinet can check all of your boxes. See how we compare.
