- Free Version: Available for teams of up to 10
- Pricing: Premium plan $24/month (with a free 30-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Available as a mobile app (iOS and Android) or a web-based software
Why use SafetyCulture?
SafetyCulture comes with all the features you’d need for comprehensive document control and management. With the world’s leading operations platform, you can add a wide array of media to your documents, such as photos and videos, add notes for further context, and bring your document management to the digital world. That way, every aspect of document control, from management to review, becomes more streamlined.
Features:
- Use ready-made templates when creating documents to ensure employees follow good documentation practices and cover all bases
- Keep a historical trail of your files, track their version history, and find completed documents in a centralized cloud-based repository
- Generate digital copies of your documents in PDF, Web, Excel, and other formats
- Share documents with employees that need access so everyone has the information they need
- Build workflows and assign different workers to specific templates and documents
Why use Confluence?
Confluence is a web-based platform designed for collaboration. Because of this, the software comes with various features for document control, such as task tracking, search functionality, and document storage.
Features:
- Task notifications and tracking
- Document storage and permissions
- Page version controls
- Free Version: Yes, available for up to 10 users
- Pricing: Starts at $5.75/user/month (with a free 7-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use DocuWare?
DocuWare is specifically created for document management and control that can help you automate certain aspects of document management. That way, it becomes much easier for the team to manage and control certain documents. With features like activity tracking and an easy-to-use interface, this is easily one of the top options available.
Features:
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Task management
- Intelligent indexing
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at £129 (~$160)/month (with a free 30-day trial period after demo)
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use M-Files?
M-Files has features for document management, version control, and automation capabilities. With this tool by your side, your entire document control process becomes simplified. You can also use full-text search features so that all your documents are always within arm’s reach.
Features:
- Workflow automation
- Reporting module
- Version control
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Not available on the website (with a free 30-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use Zoho WorkDrive?
Zoho WorkDrive is an online file management system that makes it very easy to practice efficient document control. The app allows you to say goodbye to redundancies and delays, instantly streamlining your entire document control process. It also helps you track different versions and leave comments on files, allowing for easier collaboration.
Features:
- Team collaboration
- Data management
- Integration with Zoho apps
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at $2.50/user/month, billed annually (with a free 15-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use DocStar ECM?
DocStart ECM streamlines all your document-related processes, which is why it’s one of the top choices available today. With features such as routing, approvals, and even archiving, it’s easier to incorporate the software into your workflow. On top of that, it’s highly customizable, making it fit any organization.
Features:
- Commenting capabilities
- Task tracker
- Version management
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at $47/month
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use Alfresco Content Services?
Alfresco Content Services is one of the top options for document control as it comes with all the features you’ll need from this type of software. It’s a comprehensive yet user-friendly with a simple drag-and-drop interface. So, if you’re worried about having a hard time integrating your new document control software, Alfresco Content Services is a great pick for your organization.
Features:
- Enterprise collaboration
- Document management
- Information governance
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Custom quote (with a free 14-day trial period for the cloud-based platform)
- Platforms supported: Web, Desktop, Mobile
What is Document Control Software?
Document control software is a digital tool to manage your organization’s documents. With this tool, you can assign tasks, review and distribute files, and even manage revisions. That way, you make proper documentation easier while ensuring compliance within the company. On top of that, it allows you to bring your documents into the digital space, making it much easier to access, revise, and distribute your documents. Many industries use document control software as it’s slowly becoming one of the essential tools to bring your company into the digital age.
Importance
Document management is a crucial aspect of managing any organization. With so many records to handle, you must be able to access and revise all your documents as needed. But if everything is written on paper and stored in physical file cabinets, you’ll find it much harder to manage them. This is why modern organizations need to adopt document control software and bring their documentation process into the digital world.
When your document management operations are digital, you’ll find everything much easier. Not only will all your documents be a simple search away, but ensuring that everyone follows standards and requirements when making documents also becomes a breeze. Nowadays, document control software is essential, so if you’re tired of redundancies and complex documentation processes in your day-to-day tasks, it might be time to adopt a software for your organization.
Key Features
When choosing a document control software, it’s best to look at your organization’s needs. From there, try to choose software that fits those needs and comes with all the features you require for your document management processes. That said, there are still some key features you’ll need in any document control software, which include:
- Comprehensive document management
- Version control
- Task assignment
- Compliance tracking
- Audit trails
- Document search and retrieval
- Access controls
Choosing the Right Software
All the document control software and apps featured above are some of the best options available right now. If you want to compare them to find the best one for your organization, here’s a quick overview of the different options for your reference:
| App Name | Free Version | Paid Plan | Mobile App |
| SafetyCulture | Yes | $24/user/month* | Yes |
| Confluence | Yes | $5.75/user/month | Yes |
| DocuWare | No | £129 (~$160)/month | Yes |
| M-Files | No | Not available on the website | Yes |
| Zoho WorkDrive | No | $2.50/user/month* | Yes |
| DocStar ECM | No | $47/month | Yes |
| Alfresco Content Services | No | Custom quote | Yes |
*billed annually
Leon Altomonte