How to choose your document management software (EDM)?

You were tired of wasting your time looking for and managing documents every day, rather than focusing on more important tasks. You have therefore decided to adopt electronic document management software or EDM.

As its name suggests, this type of tool allows you to manage, organize, distribute and archive all of your company's documents. EDM software is an essential tool that promotes the digital transformation of your organization. It supports all types of documents, regardless of their format (paysheets, invoices, employment contracts, emails, PDFs, images, Word documents, etc.) and it allows your employees to easily and quickly access the files they need.

Now, you need to decide which software to adopt. Here are the criteria to take into account to choose the right EDM tool.

The essential functionalities

First, you need to determine what your document management needs are. Should your GED only allow you to archive your documents? Do you want to use it for file validation and distribution?

Whatever your objective, be sure to choose software that offers all the basic features such as:

• the digitization of paper files;
• the filing and archiving of documents;
• the indexing of documents and a search engine to find them easily;
• file sharing and distribution;
• access control to documents.

Ideally, the EDM solution can have other optional functionalities that are very practical on a daily basis such as:

• electronic validation and signature;
• the possibility of automating certain tasks (distribution, sharing, etc.);
• a version management system to modify a file with several people;
• access to your documents online and offline from any device.

A customizable tool

Because your needs may change as your business grows, it's important to select customizable document management software.

That way, you can start with basic features, so you don't have to pay for features you don't use. And above all, you will be able to customize your tool as you want and make it evolve at the same time as your needs change.

Ease of use

Here is an essential condition for any type of software: it must be easy to use. If you want your EDM solution to be adopted by all your employees, you need to make sure that it is easy to use.

Indeed, the objective of acquiring electronic document management software is to help you and your team be more efficient and save time when looking for files.

In addition, if your GED seems too complicated, your employees will do everything to avoid using it. You must therefore ensure that the software is intuitive, simple, and visually appealing, and that it offers simplified navigation for easy handling. A small amount of training is, of course, essential so that all of your employees are reassured and feel comfortable using it.

Data security

In business, data security is essential. Whether it's about sensitive data of your projects or information concerning your customers or employees, you do not want them to fall into the hands of malicious people.

At work, it's easy to access any document stored on the network, delete a file by mistake, or send an email with a confidential attachment to the wrong person. These blunders are often unrecoverable.

With electronic document management, you can control access to various documents. All you need to do is determine who has access to which file and password restrict access to certain folders. In addition, all of your documents are stored in a secure system, protected from computer attacks, breakdowns and natural risks (flood, fire, etc.). A backup system is generally set up to recover your data in case of a problem.

Finally, remember to ask your service provider to find out in which country your data is stored because it is subject to the law of the country in question (digital sovereignty).

Integration with your other tools

The EDM system you choose should be easily integrated with the other platforms, applications and tools that you use on a daily basis (messaging, customer relationship management or billing software, etc.). As a result, you are more efficient in creating, distributing, and managing your documents, and processing and exchanging data is easier and faster.

The price

Unless you have an unlimited budget, the price of EDM software is an important factor to consider in your choice. However, be aware that the price varies according to:

• the functionalities chosen,
• the number of users,
• the number of documents to be processed,
• the type and format of the documents,
• storage space,
• technical support.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, remember to check what is and is not included in the price: maintenance and regular updates, support, training and access to resources (tutorials, knowledge base, presentation of new features, etc.), integration with various tools, etc.

An EDM solution is now essential to save you time, improve the productivity of your teams and guarantee the security of your data, regardless of the size of your company.

For your electronic management of documentary content, consider Wimi. In addition to being a project management software effective, Wimi allows you to easily manage, centralize and share all your files with your employees, customers and partners. Do not wait any longer, test it for free to discover all its features and improve the work of your teams.