Document management or document management system (or DMS) simply refers to the process of using a computer system to track, manage, and store paper document images or electronic documents. This system has the capability of tracking the changes made to electronic documents. The changes are usually made by different users.

Components

Since document management makes use of an entire system, it is natural to expect it to have several working components. Here are some components used in this system.

Capture

The capture component simply refers to the capability of a DM system to take scanned images of documents. Multiple function printers and scanners are used in order to create digital images of paper documents and store them on file.

Other than storing images of such paper documents, the system also makes use of optical character recognition software (OCR) in order to convert the information stored in the image files into machine readable format.

Another software application that may or may not be integrated into the software system of a DM system is called an OMR or optical mark recognition application. This software program can extract the information in forms that have check boxes and other non-standard text formatted pages.

Storage

The system should be able to store electronic documents electronic documents after they go through the processes utilized in the capture component. These files are not only stored but they are also made accessible by personnel. The system should also be able to facilitate the migration of the files if needed.

Retrieval

Retrieval in such a computer system will be a little bit more complex than just locating for a specific piece of information in a book or from an entire encyclopedia set. It’s comparable to looking for a specific piece of information located somewhere in an entire library.

Such a complex search will require the use of a more flexible retrieval system. Some document management systems even allow users to make use of Boolean expressions to make a more thorough search. These searches usually result into a list of documents that will match the specific conditions set by the user.

Document Security

Document security is a huge concern in any office or workplace. This is in fact a vital part of any DM system in use today. Some government agencies and specific laws may dictate certain standards that should be met by any system utilized to manage data and information.

For instance, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act specified certain security standards that should be met with regard to the use and handling of medical documents from the United States.

Versioning

Versioning is slightly similar to document retrieval. The big difference is that the electronic documents are checked in and checked out of the document management system and previous versions of the document minus the latest changes can be accessed. Users can then reference these documents including which version was used and they can work out the information from there.

Understanding these components allows users to completely see the full scope of such a system. Document management in the end makes working with information gathered initially from paper documents easier and more efficient.

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Looking for a company which will do document management and document management for you? We offer the services at http://Tallega.com

Author Bio: Looking for a company which will do document management and document management for you? We offer the services at Tallega.com

Category: Business Management
Keywords: document management