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We've just been informed by our software vendor that the custom document management system they'd written is no longer in development, and will not be supported in the future. So we are looking at new document management systems. Requirements:

  1. Multiple input vectors, we receive documents via e-mail, fax, scanning, and from the originating application
  2. Ability to Redact or obscure data. Customers may fax an order with CC data, we want to attach the image of the order form with the order record, but the CC data needs to be protected. Same with Tax IDs. Certain users should be able to see the redacted data, but access should be logged.
  3. Version control on documents. We'd like Product Development and Marketing to be able to track various versions of documents like Packaging Designs, but ensure that users have the latest approved version.
  4. AD integration, my users don't need another password.
  5. Ability to integrate to other apps. Our current system, offers function keys in the order-entry system, that will spawn the viewer application, and open the correct document.
  6. Mass import facility, we have a half a terabyte of existing documents in the old system that we would like to import.
  7. Retention Policy. I'd like a way to have the system comply with the corporate retention policy, so that when a document of a certain type reaches a certain age, it gets deleted, or atleast marked for manual deletion.

We are a Windows Server and HP-UX shop.

Does anybody have any experience with Document Management systems that they would like to share?

Thanks.

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  • Product and service recommendations are specifically off topic for ServerFault (see point 4 in the NOT About section of the FAQ)
    – sysadmin1138
    Jan 5, 2012 at 3:15

2 Answers 2

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Have you thought about using a Software as a Service online document management platform that will provide all the features and functionality that you need? With a SaaS solution you remove the need to buy servers, software, storage and the need to do back-ups, patches or upgrades. These are provided by the vendor with a guaranteed service level agreement.

Additionally with subscription payment choices it allows the customer the affordability of a solution that provides immediate return on investment. You can sign up and be up and running within a couple of hours. The vendors depend on your subscription so their customer service must always exceed expectations. If you are interested in a solution of this type feel free to visit www.docuvantage.com

Regards,

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I would recommend Alfresco. It is free open source software, and there is Enterprise support should you need it.

  1. Multiple input vectors, we receive documents via e-mail, fax, scanning, and from the originating application

OK. There are many input interfaces, including email, CIFS, etc.

  1. Ability to Redact or obscure data. Customers may fax an order with CC data, we want to attach the image of the order form with the order record, but the CC data needs to be protected. Same with Tax IDs. Certain users should be able to see the redacted data

Do you mean manipulating images? This would need a bit of custom development. Alfresco allows scripting and complex manipulation using various transformers such as ImageMagick, so I guess it would not be too difficult.

access should be logged.

OK. Audit is available, so you can see who accessed what.

  1. Version control on documents. We'd like Product Development and Marketing to be able to track various versions of documents like Packaging Designs, but ensure that users have the latest approved version.

OK. Alfresco has full version control. It is not enabled by default, but you can activate it.

  1. AD integration, my users don't need another password.

OK. Syncs from AD using the LDAP protocol.

  1. Ability to integrate to other apps. Our current system, offers function keys in the order-entry system, that will spawn the viewer application, and open the correct document.

OK. Alfresco implements many integration APIs such as JCR or CMIS.

  1. Mass import facility, we have a half a terabyte of existing documents in the old system that we would like to import.

OK. Users can drop documents onto a Windows share, using the Windows Explorer. That's the typical way of importing terabytes of data.

  1. Retention Policy. I'd like a way to have the system comply with the corporate retention policy, so that when a document of a certain type reaches a certain age, it gets deleted, or at least marked for manual deletion.

Alfresco's Records Management module has a notion of retention policy. It is free open source too.

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