The Best Document Collection Tools To Use (Free & Paid)

Document management and collection are an intrinsic part of every business. However, most organizations still use outdated methods to collaborate and share files. With the recent advances in technology, you need to harness the power of innovation and automate the entire management process.

With a dedicated document collection and management solution, you can process large unstructured documents and swiftly collaborate to improve content creation and ensure transparency.

Document management solutions empower your business and improve the collaboration of your workforce by allowing teams to work collectively in a workspace.

In this article, we’ll enlist the must-have features of a document management system. We will also provide a descriptive list of the best options.

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What Features to look for in a Document Collection Tool?

A document collection and management solution is crucial for every business to drive better outcomes, improve productivity and store business files. Running a successful business requires maintaining an organized database of all the relevant business documents. Document management systems provide you with complete control over your business files.

Any document management system worth using should offer multiple import and export options, archiving, and built-in workflows.

However, quality document management systems offer advanced functionalities to accelerate your business growth. Here are some attributes you should consider while buying a document collection and management solution:

  • Custom Branding: You should receive a unique subdomain and login page for your organization.
  • Automation: You should be able to automate document approvals and verification checks.
  • Formatting: You should have access to the template library to format or redesign existing documents.
  • Access Permissions: You should be able to add multiple security layers to your business documents.

With the above-enlisted features, you’ll have all the necessary tools in your arsenal to efficiently collect and manage documents.

What are the best Document Collection Tools?

Honestly, it depends on your business requirements and budget. Some might prefer an advanced platform with AI and automation capabilities, while others may opt for a simplistic document management system. However, we have prepared this guide with all factors in mind to help you pick the best document collection tools.

Here are the best document collection tool options in 2022:

Bit.AI

Bit.ai claims to be the world’s most powerful workplace and document management platform. It is designed for teams and individuals to build, collaborate and organize all the knowledge. With Bit.ai you can create swift dynamic notes, documents, wikis, knowledge bases, client deliverables and training guides while connecting across the apps you work.

Bit.AI Features

Here are some exclusive features of Bit.ai:

Workflow Solutions: You can create customizable workflows within Bit.ai that fit your business requirements. Bit.ai is structured to break down business silos and assist in effortlessly moving content across teams. Additionally, every workspace is only visible to the person who creates it until they add additional team members.

Digital Content Management: Bit.ai’s content library helps teams save and categorize digital content and assets they use frequently. Moreover, digital content is saved and accessible through workspaces for only colleagues and team members that are part of a shared workspace.

Smart Document Editor: Bit.ai lets you focus on the content by helping with design and formatting. Bit.ai’s documents are completely responsive and look great on all devices. Additionally, you can add your logo and organization name to enhance your visibility and professionalism.

End-to-end Document Sharing: With Bit.ai, you can gather real-time insights to understand how users interact with your content. You can see how much time your team members spend viewing documents, scroll ratio and user information. Additionally, you can protect your document with a custom password to avoid spoofing.

Custom Document Branding: Bit.ai provides a unique subdomain and login page to all organizations with their company logo. Additionally, it allows you to create additional organizations and login into multiple accounts simultaneously. So you can toggle back and forth between different companies to get the work done faster.

Security: Bit.ai ensures the confidentiality of customers’ content in transit and at rest with AES 256 encryption. Bit.ai uses industry-standard programming techniques like having a documented development and quality assurance process to meet security standards.

Bit.ai Pricing

Bit.ai offers 3 Pricing options for its document collection and management system.

The “Free” plan is priced at $0 and offers 1 GB storage, a 5MB file limit, multiple import options and a content library.

The “Pro” plan is priced at $12/month and offers 500 GB storage, a 200 MB file limit, unlimited version history and multiple export options.

The “Business” plan is priced at $20/month and offers personalized team demos, trackable documents, unlimited storage, free guest access and priority support.

Bit.ai Discounts and Coupons

Bit.ai currently does not offer any discounts or coupons for its pricing options. However, you can get a sizable off by opting for annual billing.

Bit.ai Free Trial

Bit.ai offers a free subscription plan for its document management system. It’s a great option for users interested in getting acquainted with the tool.

Bit.ai, A short how-to guide

Once you login to your Bit.ai account, you’ll be asked to import documents. Once done, you’ll enter the Home section. Here, you can create a workspace to start collaborating with teammates.

Alternatively, you can go to the content library to view your document database. You can also create new documents from the available templates or by starting from scratch. Once done, you can save the document in the content library or upload it to a workspace.

DocStar

DocStar empowers your business to capture, record and manage any document. It ensures your business files are securely stored in the database and accessible anytime to the employees. With DocStar, you can set approval timelines and create personalized workspaces to edit and verify documents.

DocStar Features

Here are some exclusive features of DocStar:

AP Automation: With Docstar’s AP Automation, you get a 360⁰ view of accounts payable. You can streamline the entire AP process with electronic forms and automated workflows. Additionally, DocStar lets you perform 2-and 3-way matching to identify errors automatically and gain better insights for early payment discounts.

Electronic Forms: DocStar forms allow your team to: easily create custom digital forms with drag-and-drop technology. Your teams can access DocStar forms on any device, and integration with your existing line of business software enables automated notifications of workflow assignments to ensure faster and more efficient processing.

Automated Workflow: DocStar workflow enhances existing document-driven business processes, improving productivity and business process insight. You can use the built-in graphical workflow design tools for easy configuration and updates. Additionally, DocStar ensures you stay consistent by automatically directing business content to the right place.

Intelligent Data Capture: DocStar offers intelligent data capture, eliminating labour-intensive, error-prone and time-consuming manual document processing. With DocStar’s patented Document classification engine, you don’t have to worry about classifying or separating your documents.

PackageWorks: DocStar PackageWorks helps streamline the task of collecting and managing key documents during the case management process. It enhances visibility and collaboration by providing centralized document and status information. Additionally, you can process cases faster to improve response time.

DocStar Pricing

DocStar offers customized subscription plans and an On-demand pricing quote for its document management solution.

DocStar Discounts and Coupons

DocStar does not have any pre-made pricing options, so it doesn’t offer any discounts or coupons.

DocStar Free Trial

DocStar does not offer a free trial for its document management system.

DocStar, A short how-to guide

Getting started with Docuware is extremely simple because of its user-friendly interface. Once you login to your Docuware account, import the document files relevant to your business and projects.

Once done, add your team members. Your colleagues can create individual workspaces to work on new documents. Click on the library and select permissions to change the access permission for a file.

Alfresco

When Alfresco was designed, the developers saw that the growth of content was phenomenal, and yet the growth of the document management industry had been pedestrian. This meant there was a vast unserved market. Alfresco has made its document management system dramatically cheaper and easily comprehensible for the general public.

Alfresco Features

Here are some exclusive features of Alfresco:

Powerful Search and Discovery: With Alfresco, you can instantly find the exact document you’re searching for, irrespective of whether there are numerous files in your document management system. Its robust search features, like; instant suggestions let you retrieve relevant content faster.

Smart Folders: With Alfresco, you can use smart folders to make content discovery simpler by grouping documents based on the content rather than their location. Additionally, you can access these documents from several devices and even common productivity applications.

Integrate Content into Process: Alfresco helps you maximize the content value with a robust combination of enterprise document management and workflow capabilities. Alfresco opens endless opportunities to make the business flow better and optimize your information.

Built-in Workflows: With Alfresco’s built-in workflows, you can simplify document review and approval. You can also use custom process definitions to streamline any content-intensive activity. Additionally, you can use the rich metadata models or properties; to automatically move documents through a business process or lifecycle.

Secure business-critical content: With Alfresco, you can enable enterprise-grade security controls and integrated record management capabilities to protect critical business content at every stage. You can introduce multiple layers of access permissions to control who can edit or move the files.

Alfresco Pricing

Alfresco offers an on-demand pricing quote for all users. You can click on “Products” and select “Pricing information” to open the “Get a Quote” form. Once done, fill in the credentials and wait for Alfresco’s sales team to get in touch.

Alfresco Discounts and Coupons

Alfresco currently does not offer any discounts or coupons for its document collection and management system.

Alfresco Free Trial

Alfresco offers a 30 Day free trial for its document management platform.

Alfresco, A short how-to guide

Getting started with Alfresco is extremely simple because of its user-friendly interface. Once you login to your Alfresco account, import the document files relevant to your business and projects.

Once done, add your team members. Your colleagues can create individual workspaces to work on new documents. Click on the library and select permissions to change the access permission for a file.

Docuware

Docuware provides document management for teams who appreciate simplicity. Every document is digitized and organized automatically. Moreover, setting up a workflow between colleagues is a snap and leads to effortless communication. With Docuware, you can say goodbye to manual data entry and frustrating tasks.

Docuware Features

Here are some exclusive features of Docuware:

Intelligent Indexing and Data Enrichment: Docuware uses AI-based technology to; convert document content right into indexing terms automatically. It also creates a full-text record of all content for precise, customizable search queries. Additionally, you can use data from other applications to complete a document’s indexed metadata and ensure consistent taxonomy.

Digital Editing and Versioning: With Docuware, you can use stamps, annotations or image corrections without changing original documents. Additionally, you can automatically save edited documents as a new version and always keep document histories under control.

Workflow Automation and Preconfigured Solutions: With Docuware’s workflow manager, you can design automation workflows, identify steps of a process and then connect them with actions. Moreover, you can specify substitution rules or leverage metadata; to automatically redirect documents into the correct queue. You can also automate key business processes like invoice processing or onboarding with out-of-the-box workflows.

Process Transparency: Docuware provides detailed logging and monitoring of all actions to offer full traceability and 100% transparency. You can manage your operations digitally and automatedly using workflows and allow your employees to work timely and transparently.

Pending Box: Docuware ensures you do not lose track of assignments and efficiently manage routine tasks with automation capabilities. In the pending box, you can see your tasks conveniently bundled according to the deadline. Moreover, you can set additional alerts to receive email notifications for pending work or approvals.

Docuware Pricing

Docuware offers on-demand pricing quotes for its document management system.

Docuware Discounts and Coupons

Docuware currently does not offer any discounts for its document management system.

Docuware Free Trial

You can avail the free trial for Docuware by scheduling a demo and asking for a free cloud trial. So you can test Docuware at your own pace.

Docuware, A short how-to guide

Getting started with Docuware is extremely simple because of its user-friendly interface. Once you login to your Docuware account, import the document files relevant to your business and projects.

Once done, add your team members. Your colleagues can create individual workspaces to work on new documents. Click on the library and select permissions to change the access permission for a file.

M-Files

M-Files is changing the way the world manages information with a simple intuitive approach to enterprise information management. M-Files stores all of your content in a secure central repository that’s accessible on all of your devices, like standard desktop or laptop computers, tablets and smartphones.

M-Files Features

Here are some exclusive features of M-Files:

Better Document Management: The M-Files metadata-driven document management platform enables knowledge workers to instantly find the right information in any context, automate business processes, and enforce information control. This provides businesses with a competitive advantage and substantial ROI as they deliver superior customer experiences.

Realize ROI Quickly: When you’re searching for critical information, every second counts. You don’t want to be caught up in a web of folders when you quickly need a document or a piece of information. With M-Files’ metadata-driven platform, you’ll find the right document instantly without having to scour through folders.

Output Optimization: M-Files provides automated document management workflows and drives better business outcomes. With M-Files, you can find the results you’re looking for, as it’s a metadata-driven platform designed to eliminate errors and boost productivity.

Ensure Compliance: Your business can stay compliant with regulations and avoid costly penalties by adopting M-Files metadata-driven document management platform. It helps you reduce risk by ensuring compliance, information security, accuracy, profitability and auditablity.

Collaborate Securely: Collaboration is a crucial aspect of running a business. You’ll be amazed at the speed of business when you bring customers and employees together in collaborative workspaces. With M-Files, you can share information instantly and securely.

M-Files Pricing

M-Files offers on-demand pricing quotes for its document collection and management system. You can fill out the “schedule a demo” form to get in touch with the M-Files sales team.

M-Files Discounts and Coupons

M-Files currently does not offer any discounts or coupons for its document collection and management system.

M-Files Free Trial

M-Files offers a 30 Day free trial for its document management and collection software.

M-Files, A short how-to guide

Once you login to your M-Files account, you’ll be asked to integrate your Google Drive or other DMS accounts to import the documents into the platform. Once done, M-Files will automatically sort them.

You can create personalized folders for similar documents and make it easier for your team to pull out the necessary information. Click on Workflows to automate the entire document collection and management process within M-Files.

The Best Document Collection Tools, In Conclusion

Now that you’ve seen our suggestions for the best document collection system, we’d love to know your opinion.

Have you used any of these tools? If yes, what was your experience? Did we miss any quality document collection tools?

Let us know in the comments.