During the 1980s, when computers started to play a significant role in business development and visions of globalization, the matter of document management was one of the important considerations. Electronic document management was a matter of significance considering that basic computers then had limited capacity to store knowledge in its memory banks.
Initially, the issues addressed in document management were the capabilities of electronic equipment to capture, store, index and retrieve files. Simple documents such as fax messages, proprietary documents, and forms were saved as images and stored in designated repositories for retrieval. This was quite a crude method on how document messages were stored. It made use of microfilms that need to be reproduced in labs before one can retrieve the information needed in the stored documents.
Today, document management is now a computer system that may involve the use of different programs. It may sometimes be confused with content management but is actually a component, since content management can be all encompassing. Document Management System or DMS is more concerned with imaging of paper documents and now includes more technical aspects.
Whereas before it was simply matters of storage, indexes and retrievals; document management through computer programs will include tracking, integration, metadata, workflow, collaboration, versioning, security, distribution and publishing. These are highly technical features that Information Technology requires in order for computers to meet the global demands for records or document management.
A computerized system requires that an authentic method of document management can back up all its transactions, especially with the advent of viruses that can launch a full attack to destroy information stored in its system.
The matter of document security is also a complex matter because certain Document Management System may require compliance with governmental laws in order to ensure the degree of security applied in its document management. In some cases, there are laws that can limit the individuals or groups of individuals who will have access to certain documents; an example would be bank deposit records.
Even the matter of publishing a document under a Document Management System is not as simple as the records included in ordinary content management. Again, there are laws which should be observed particularly by certain industries before documents are published. The ISO divisions of ICS 01.140.40 and 35.240.30 is referred to for information details regarding the requirements to be complied with before a document under DMS should be published.
Any carelessness or mishandling of document management is expected to create confusion and mislead readers; hence, laws that regulate its publishing have to be supported by corresponding signatures and dates when these documents were approved for publication. In addition, it is required that they are contained in formats that could not be easily altered.
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