Documents are an integral part of any business process and play a pivotal role in the functioning of any organization. They are a vital means of organizational communication, an important constituent of organizational memory and play a significant role in enhancing the business process.

Business corporations and other organizations generate billions of pages of paper documents every year. For this reason, they need an efficient document management system that can facilitate the systematic filing, storing, securing and retrieval of information. For some organizations such as insurance companies, solicitors and consultants, an efficient document management system means better service and greater business prospects.

A document management system can manage documents using computer software. It also includes management of audio and video files, graphics, photographs, faxes and emails. It is the process of organizing, storing, securing, classifying and retrieving document-based information and multimedia files. Since the ideal of a paperless office environment could not be achieved, document management systems also have to adapt n effectively meeting the demands of various industries in storing, retrieving and sharing information with paper as well as electronic documents.

Document management systems involve, document capturing using scanners and optical character recognition to convert paper documents into digital data, installing document management software for creating and organizing documents and for database management, and workflow management for the systematic transmission of information.

Document management systems facilitate the long-term storage of documents. They enable digital archiving; that is, categorizing and storing documents, which are currently needed, and those that have become outdated. Sharing information in the form of text, graphics and multimedia is made convenient by easy access through the Internet or via the companys intranet, according to an individuals need and priority. A document management system allows for the systematic indexing of documents, making it easier for the user to identify and locate the required document on request. It also reduces the number of man-hours required to manage the documents.

A good document management system is central to the efficient managing of documents, as well as in enhancing communication and sharing information within the organization.