Document management was created by the need to manage the ever growing amounts of documentation being created within companies.

Before Microsoft's introduction of MS Windows and MS Office many organisations had to have large areas of their premises devoted to the storage of information. Document Management software has become an important part of most company's policy to store and organise all the company data.

Anyone who has a PC can create folders to store documents, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets etc. The difference between this type of document management and that provided by DMS specialist companys is purely the size of the data being managed.

Document management systems are designed to help companies that handle a great deal of information to manage the creation, storage, retrieval and expiry of information stored as documents. Unlike a file structure on your PC, a DMS revolves around a centralised repository that is used to manage the storage of any type of information that could be of value to an organisation - and protect the same against loss.

A DMS allows users to work on applications as usual on their desktop and documents are saved to the DMS instead of your hard drive. Documents can also be archived in read only format. Changes to documents are stored so you can see who amended the document and when. Document security is tailored to company needs.

Many DMS systems incorporate high scanning and file conversion from paper to electronic. Scanners have largely replaced microfiche as the primary format for document storage.

J E Robinson writes on behalf of Online Connect UK. Online Connect offer office equipment and document management goods and services throughout the UK. Offering a wide range of office technology including photocopiers, faxes, printers, shredders and multifunction scanners. Choose from the leading business machine brands such as Canon, Toshiba, Panasonic and Ricoh.