How to choose document management system (DMS): A guide to document management and the latest trends

Are you getting lost in paperwork? If contracts are disappearing among your files and approvals are taking forever, it's time to look into modern DMS. But how do you choose the right one? Let's figure it out.

Published since: 08. 09. 2025

Inspiration

Why consider a Document Management System (DMS)?

"Let he who has never searched for a lost file cast the first disk."
Document management in companies is more demanding than ever in the digital age. Digitizing documents, storing them securely, sharing them, and approving them requires a modern DMS system. What paper archives used to do is now done by document management software, which ensures clarity, compliance with legislation, and secure access from anywhere. However, choosing the right system for digitizing and managing company documents is not easy—every DMS tool has its advantages and limitations. We will be happy to help you find a solution that suits your company.

What is DMS and why do companies need it?

A DMS (Document Management System) is a document management solution that helps companies digitize documents and maintain full control over them—from creation and version management to approval processes and archiving. Instead of chaotic sharing via email and cloud drives, you get centralized, secure, and organized document storage.

Modern DMS for companies allows you to set up workflows precisely according to the needs of your organization. Digitizing company documents brings greater work efficiency, greater data security, compliance with legislative requirements (e.g., GDPR), and significant time savings. Today's best document management systems also support cloud solutions, automation of repetitive processes, the use of AI for document sorting and searching, and mobile access. In short, document digitization means working smart, not hard.

Document fragmentation

Anyone who has never worked with something called "version 4_final_corrected_approved2.pdf" might as well not be on the project team. Documents often circulate via email, lie in various folders on local drives, in the cloud, or in chat tools, and no one is sure which version is current.

Security and access rights

Who has access to payroll documents? And how easy is it for someone to accidentally or intentionally access sensitive data? Without centralized management and clearly defined permissions, the risks only increase.

Complex approval workflow

When approval takes longer than writing the document itself, and the final signature arrives when the project is already in a different phase, the company loses time, energy, and people's trust in the system.

Integration with other systems

Companies often have ERP, CRM, and other internal tools in place, but each system functions as an island with its own language. The result is unnecessary duplication, manual data rewriting, and frustration that "they just don't talk to each other."

Microsoft SharePoint

This is one of the most widely used solutions, mainly due to its integration within Microsoft 365. In its basic form, it offers content management and collaboration features, but for full DMS use, it is advisable to extend it with add-ons such as TreeINFO, which add advanced workflow, metadata management, and version control. This solution is particularly suitable for companies that want to build on an environment they already know well and want to maintain a unified ecosystem.

OpenText

It is a robust DMS platform designed primarily for the enterprise segment. Thanks to its deep integration with SAP systems, it is a frequent choice for companies that need advanced document logic linked to operational and economic processes. It excels in areas such as document lifecycle management, compliance requirements, and large document archive management. Its deployment is technically more demanding, but the reward is a high degree of controlled oversight.

Newgen

It is one of the modern and progressive DMS platforms that have been building a strong position on the global market in recent years. It regularly ranks among the leaders in regular analyst evaluations, such as Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Content Services Platforms. Newgen emphasizes process automation, integration, and user-friendliness. This makes it suitable for companies looking for a rapidly deployable, innovative, and scalable solution with a wide range of uses—from document management and case management to the digitization of internal company processes.

IBM FileNet

It is a proven platform with an emphasis on scalability, security, and support for complex process scenarios. It is primarily used in sectors with high demands on auditability and sensitive document management, such as banks, insurance companies, and public administration. Thanks to its modular architecture, it allows deep integration into the existing IT environment, but usually requires a longer implementation cycle and an experienced integrator.

Trends and the future of DMS

Modern DMS systems are increasingly moving away from being mere "digital filing cabinets" toward becoming active tools for managing and optimizing document-oriented processes. Automation is clearly one of the key trends, not only in the form of approval workflows, but also thanks to the advent of artificial intelligence—for example, for automatic document sorting, data mining from attachments, or the deployment of chatbots that help users search and manage content.

There is also a significant increase in the emphasis on user-friendliness and the ability to work from anywhere – mobile access is no longer an add-on, but a standard. DMS systems must adapt to hybrid ways of working, offering a responsive interface and simple controls even for less technically savvy users.

At the same time, security and compliance requirements are increasing, especially in the context of the cloud and international regulation. Companies are increasingly demanding audit trails, role-based access control, and integration with identity management.

But what is changing the most are the expectations of customers themselves. Today, DMS is no longer just a system purchase—it is part of a broader digital transformation that aims to streamline the functioning of the entire organization. Clients demand flexibility, speed of deployment, openness to integration, and, above all, a partner who will help them find the right solution based on their real processes, not just software with a "checklist of features."

It depends on the specific system and scope of deployment. Most user-friendly DMSs today offer intuitive interfaces similar to common office tools. The form and scope of training also play an important role, which is why at Aricoma we emphasize change management and adapting the system to the needs of real users. Employee training is a standard part of every project we undertake, whether in the form of introductory workshops, practical guides, or online support, ensuring smooth adoption of the system throughout the organization.

The audit trail in DMS records who worked with the document, when, and how—for example, who created, edited, viewed, downloaded, or approved it. This makes it possible to trace the entire life cycle of a document at any time. This is crucial not only for internal control, but also for compliance with legislative requirements (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001, or legal archiving). Modern DMS platforms allow this trail to be stored automatically, without user intervention, while offering clear reports for audit purposes.At Aricoma, we always set up this feature with the client's specific process and regulatory needs in mind – the audit trail is then not just an "obligation," but also a tool for quality and transparency management.

So how do you choose the right DMS?

Choosing the ideal DMS is not just about functionality, but above all about how well the system fits into the specific environment of the company—how it supports processes, improves document orientation, saves time, and at the same time meets all security and legislative requirements. It is important to consider not only the technical possibilities, but also user-friendliness, the degree of automation, integration options, and support for change.

In general:

Small and medium-sized companies often choose platforms such as SharePoint with a suitable add-on, which bring them quick results for a reasonable investment.
Organizations with complex processes or SAP connections benefit from robust solutions such as OpenText.
Companies looking for innovative and quickly deployable solutions are often attracted to Newgen.
In highly regulated sectors (finance, government), FileNet is used with an emphasis on auditability and stability.

Whether you have a clear idea or are just starting to think about it, don't be afraid to ask questions—it's the best first step. At Aricoma, we have experience with dozens of DMS projects across technologies—we are not tied to a single solution, so we can recommend a system that truly meets your needs. Contact us—we will be happy to go over your options with you.