Document management has been transformed with the arrival of computers and software. The simple software solutions of the starting days have been replaced by comprehensive packages that incorporate many software modules. Each module attends to solving a particular problem, typically using the latest technology.

This article reviews the individual document management solutions that might be provided by standalone software or a module of a larger document management software package.

Document Creation

Document creation is the step that initiates the document management process. Document creation involves business data capture in some way. In the earlier paper documents era, the data capture was typically done by entering the data into a printed form, typing out a letter or contract, and such paper based processes.

In these days of widespread use of networked computers, data capture solutions include:

• Entering transactions data into on-screen forms that then go into computer databases using software such as an accounting package
• Using word processing, spreadsheet, etc programs to create text documents, computational statements, etc
• Scanning paper documents into digital images and then converting the text character images in the scanned image into computer readable formats using OCR software. Even scanning is not merely a physical process but needs appropriate software to produce usable output
• Using barcode readers and electronic devices to capture data quickly or even automatically from moving packages or other sources. Thus the barcode reader can be used to track receipts and issues of merchandise at the warehouse. Data captured thus is transmitted immediately to the network systems

Document Storage

The documents created as above can be stored in different locations and ways. The following are some of the more typical solutions:

• Transactional documents are stored in the databases that come with the relevant applications, such as the accounting package
• Documents like letters, contracts, computational statements, presentations and such are stored under clearly labeled digital folders of the computer disks, which can be fixed or removable, such as CD, DVD and flash disks
• All documents can be archived in data warehouses that are databases optimized for querying and analysis
• The location of the storage media is typically an in-house computer network with a central server and a number of workstations that can access the server. Alternatively, these can be stored at third party storage facilities or hired Web server space

Document Retrieval

Document retrieval is the ultimate objective of all document storage. Retrieval is typically effected by using indexer software that creates an index file linking documents to unique ids, certain tags or even words and phrases in the document content.

Once the documents are thus indexed, the database or separate search software can accept the id, tag or word/phrase and retrieve the relevant documents. Document retrieval is extremely fast using these means when compared to the traditional retrieval of documents from a filing section.

Document Safety and Security

While paper documents were sought to be protected by filing documents in strong board folders and storing these folders in lockable steel filing cabinets that were in turn located in locked rooms, modern digital documents require a very different approach.

• Documents are backed up into a separate storage media in a systematic way to ensure that if the original data are lost, they can be recovered by restoring from the backups
• Access to the documents in the central storage is restricted though a system of passwords and access rights granted to authorized persons
• Backups were often stored away from the main location to ensure that these will survive even big natural disasters that affect the main location of the business

The different individual solutions together constitute the document management solution.