Document Management Systems vs. Document Imaging

By Morgan O'Mara | November 2, 2015 | 2 minute read

When deciding to switch over to a paperless office, the terminology describing the process alone can be quite confusing. There are several different words that are interchangeably with no clear definitions for what they actually mean.

Here, we break down two of the most confused terms when it comes to digitizing documents: document management systems vs. document imaging.

Document Management System

A document management system, or DMS, is a system in which documents are scanned via document scanners, indexed based on a unique value or set of values, and input into a database to be made available across a network for access by a group of users.

Digitizing your documents allows you to index your files. This makes it easier to retrieve and maintain digital documents because every document is searchable.

Technically, digitizing your documents is taking a hard-copy document and converting it to text file that can be accessed on your computer. Most of the time, you use a program or a service that provides optical character recognition, which allows you to manipulate and change certain parts the document.

If you need to edit and modify new digital documents, it might be better to opt for digitizing and using a DMS. In addition, this improves efficiency and streamline your workflow.

“How you gather, manage and use information will determine whether you win or lose,” Bill Gates

Document Imaging

Document imaging means you are taking a paper version of something and converting it to an image file.

Therefore, that is the main difference between document imaging and document scanning. The conversion of the document is literally an image. It’s something that can be accessed digitally, but not manipulated.

Document imaging is handy if you need something quickly. However, it can be less useful in the long run. It’s harder to index or find specific documents without a specific file naming system.