Document Management

Document management and its related topics are becoming increasingly important in reducing business costs and improving efficiency.

Today, document management systems include many different technologies such as OCR, COLD, ERM, STP, BPA, and API. This page lists some of the common acronyms and phrases associated with document management and explains what they mean.

Document Management refers to the capture and management of documents within an organisation. Historically, document management used to refer just to the management of documents after they were scanned into a computer system. Today, document management more usually refers to the complete process of document imaging (or document scanning), OCR, workflow, document storage, document indexing and document retrieval.

An Electronic Document Management System

An Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) is a computer based system for managing both electronic and non-electronic documents (such as paper documents, microfilms or microfiche). An electronic document management system (EDMS) includes a method of checking documents into the system, document version control, and the ability to search for documents within the system..

Document Management System

A document management system is usually regarded as software that stores, indexes and retrieves electronic documents. It often includes version control and workflow allowing documents to be routed to appropriate users.

Document imaging or document scanning

Document imaging refers to the online storage, indexing, management and retrieval of documents. The most common form of document imaging is scanning of paper documents. Today, many document imaging systems include other aspects of document management such as workflow and OCR.

Document Processing

Document processing is another term that is used to include both document imaging and workflow. It includes indexing and search facilities, together with the ability to route documents around the organisation.

Straight through processing

This is the ideal situation when implementing a workflow or business process automation system as it means that no human attention is required and the flow of documents and information goes 'straight through'

Business Process Automation

This refers to the IT automation of any currently manual business process.

Distributed Capture

This relates to the scanning and digital capture of document images and metadata at each point site of creation. The major benefits in doing this are reduced postage/courier costs, reduced processing times, better traceability and the ability to use IT systems to automate workflow (BPA) at the earliest possible stage.

Mailroom Automation

The mailroom now in its widest sense refers to the automated and centralised capture and management of ALL information entering a company. This includes paper mail, emails and electronic document content.

Workflow

Today workflow usually refers to the automatic routing of documents around an organisation to the person responsible for working on the document. Workflow software usually deals with the linear step by step process required in the life cycle of a document. This is different to groupware or workgroup software.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Optical Character Recognition or OCR software is used to convert paper based documents, microfilm or microfiche into ASCII text or a word processor document. OCR systems can recognise many different types of fonts, and advanced OCR systems can also recognise hand writing. OCR is most commonly used with document scanning. When text documents are scanned, they are stored as images and then OCR software converts these images into actual text. One advantage of using OCR is the smaller storage size. DCS provide a full document scanning and OCR conversion service.

PDF conversion

PDF (Portable Document Format) files are an electronic file format from Adobe that has become a recognised standard for publishing brochures and information sheets.

COLD (Computer Output to LaserDisc)

COLD (Computer Output to LaserDisc) refers to archiving large quantities of transactions on optical disks. These are used in preference to other forms of storage because they can be accessed directly.

Document Management software API

A document management software API (Application Programming Interface) is a module that is used to communicate either with an operating system or with some other program. Document Management API' s allow the document management system to be implemented directly within your system.

Document Management Software ERM

A Document Management Enterprise Report Manager (ERM) automatically captures, indexes and imports the output from your transaction system, without ever producing hard copy, thus saving costs.

Document Management Software - Web Server (web based document management system)

Historically a web server is a computer that provides webpages via the HTTP protocol to browsers. Within document management, the term 'web server' is used when documents are accessed across the Internet via browsers. This is sometimes also know as a web based document management system.