Did you ever face that typical frustrating situation in lack of free document management software?
Collaborating with a team of professionals while managing all the work folders, security issues, taking daily backups, etc might be a pretty hectic job for you.
Are you looking for a fix?
Through this article, I’m going to share not just one or two but 7 open-source and free document management software to put a stop to all your document management worries.
Sounds good? Let’s start then.
What is a Free Document Management Software?
So, what is an open-source document management solution?
A DMS is an electronic filing cabinet.
With personal document management software, you can track, manage, access, and store documents in a computer of your office or home. Document management software solutions let you keep things sorted.
According to AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management), a document management software is a system that “incorporates document and content”.
In this context, the open-source defines a system with freely available source code.
Anyone can use open-source software as-is or modify it as per their requirements.
List of 7 Best Free Document Management Software
Hope you’re convinced, by now, that personal document management software is all you need.
Here’s a list of 7 free worth considering DMS’, no matter how big or small your business is.
1. SeedDMS
SeedDMS is a PHP-based free document management software.
It offers a vast range of sophisticated functional features.
SeedDMS is an enterprise-ready scanning software.
The user interface is highly advanced and adapts to almost every screen size – be it a desktop or an android.
However, no cloud-based version is available.
Features:
- Fully web-based UI
- Comes with WebDAV access
- Previewing images for attachments
- Supports all file types with metadata
- All former document versions can be preserved
- Enhanced workflow management
- Multi-language support
USP: SeedDMS is a multi-level content directory. It allows us to store 32,000+ documents. You can manage users and groups as well.
2. Kimios
Kimios is a go-to for you if you have a large document flow to keep organized.
This lightweight DMS is especially beneficial for highly busy departments of your company, such as accounts or human resources.
Kimios is highly customizable but can’t be edited in real-time.
Features:
- It’s a free document management software for Windows with a direct integration feature under a commercial license
- Adaptable as per existing CMS, ERP, and CRM systems
- Supports video, images, text, 3D objects, and much more
- Metadata are indexed for all common file types
- Comes with an in-built customizable search engine
- Information system integration availability
- Easy to create, delete, and update documents
USP: You can restore data by controlling the version. Also, Kimios lets you customize the repository.
3. OpenDocMan
If you’re unsure about the above DMS’, try OpenDocMan.
It’s one of the best home document management software written in PHP and completely free.
Whether it’s a large company, small business, or a government agency – the OpenDocMan DMS is for everyone.
This a free document management software for Windows and multiple other operating systems.
Features:
- Supports Linux, Mac OS X, Unix, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003
- An automated document review process
- Controllable access control for every file
- Locating files is quick
- Compatible with MySQL5 database
- Versioning feature for avoiding overwriting issues
- Created fulfill personal document management software needs as well as departmental workflow
USP: OpenDocMan lets you create custom properties to manage your documents. It has powerful security and indexing features.
4. Google Docs
Google Docs is the most popular cloud-based document management system.
With Google Docs, you can keep all your documents sorted on a cloud interface.
You can access Google Docs from any browser you want just by having an active Gmail account.
However, self-hosting is not available.
Features:
- Easy-to-use and easy-to-learn software
- Higher accessibility because of its cloud-based model
- Storing, managing, and tracking documents easily
- Comes with a dashboard
- Importing and exporting a wide range of files
- Provides access control features
- Compatible with both desktops and smartphones
USP: It offers multilingual support. Document conversion is an easy and secure process.
Read also: Difference Between Dropbox and Google Drive
5. Nuxeo
Nuxeo is an open-source and intelligent document management solution.
You can easily create and manage documents with Nuxeo.
Nuxeo is available on multiple platforms.
It comes with one of the latest search technologies, called elastic search.
Also, you don’t need to worry about the usage of the software. Because it’s a simple user interface and great support features.
However, Nuxeo has its downside when it comes to bulk document uploads.
Features:
- User-centric interface
- Comes with rich metadata
- Digital and product asset management solution
- Lets you create storyboards
- Effective analytics
- Availability of diverse features, including document authoring, native file viewers, audit, and digital signature
- Enhanced metadata tools
USP: Nuxeo lets you connect with other productivity apps like Google Docs and Office 365.
6. eFileCabinet
The eFilecabinet’s Rubex platform helps you intelligently manage all the documents under one platform.
So, no more tedious workflow or excessive errors.
The eFilecabinet is a freemium document management software that offers smart and secure sharing features.
This open-source document management system offers facilities, such as creating templates and retrieving files instantly.
Features:
- Structured workflow
- User-friendly dashboard
- Portfolios for Most Used Documents
- Audit trail and compliance
- Advanced and intelligent search system
- Up to 5 TB file storage
- Ease of collaboration and navigation
USP: The software is ideal for small-medium companies. eFilecabinet’s cloud and on-premise version – both are available.
7. Igloo
Igloo helps your organization grow into a digital workplace.
Is your company planning for a digital transformation?
Then Igloo is the most suitable for you.
Igloo is an Azure cloud-based free document management software.
It focuses on solving communication, knowledge management, and other collaboration-related problems by moving beyond the traditional intranet.
This cloud-based free document management software boasts to help cultivate a “strong corporate culture” within an organization.
Features:
- Offered features include forums, calendars, broadcasts, Wikis, read tracking, and subscriptions
- Bulk uploading and downloading of files
- SSO, LDAP, and Igloo Authentication
- Compatible with GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA
- Knowledge management tools make knowledge bases searchable
- Flexibility in business intelligence
- Parameter defense and data encryption facilities
USP: Igloo makes your company’s digital transition smooth. It provides a seamless document management system.
Free Document Management Software: Ending Notes
For any business, documents are primary assets.
Safeguarding, storing, and accessing documents are a must.
But it requires a systematic approach to do so.
When it comes to document management, choose the best practice based on user expectations, advanced technologies, and your desired outcomes.
For your convenience, we recommend OpenDocMan, Igloo, and Google Docs as the best open-source and free document management to try today.