4 open source EDM solutions to structure your business (and their alternatives)
EDM, whether open source or not, stands for Electronic Document Management and is part of the large ECM family, i.e. Enterprise Content Management.
Enterprise content management refers to the methodology and tools used to optimise the organisation of unstructured content, so that it can be used to best effect by the various people working within an organisation.
Indexing, filing, archiving, document retrieval... the EDM has many advantages and is becoming essential for smooth operation, productivity and collaboration within a company.
What about open source EDM? Which software should you choose, and what are the alternatives? Find out in our open source EDM comparison.
Open source EDM comparison: our selection of 4 software packages
Alfresco
Alfresco is one of the best-known open source EDM solutions, available in two versions: Community, a free, open licence, and Enterprise, with a subscription.
It offers :
- digitisation of static documents to extract the relevant information,
- document organisation and versioning,
- file synchronisation for easy offline working,
- connection to the company's LDAP (directory access protocol),
- analysis based on AI and machine learning for data extraction,
- flexible deployment options, in the cloud, on site or hybrid,
- integration with applications such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Outlook and Salesforce.com.
However, according to customer testimonials, its weaknesses lie in its complexity and cost. It is therefore better suited to larger organisations.
Alfresco Content Services
Dokmee
Dokmee also offers an open source EDM solution. This professional tool offers particularly advanced security, confidentiality and integration features.
Dokmee lets you :
- organise and manage your files,
- access a virtual office,
- automate your processes and data entry,
- share yourfiles and collaborate simultaneously
- automatically purge and delete your files,
- generate reports,
- convert images into PDF, TIFF and JPEG files,
- add layers (stamps, electronic signatures, etc.),
- secure and protect your confidential information.
In addition to advanced electronic document management functions, Dokmee offers a scanningsolution , online form creation and page counter.
Dokmee
FlexiGED
This open source EDM solution can be fully integrated into your website, extranet or intranet using technology based on the Joomla! CMS.
Pulsar Informatique
FlexiGED offers :
- a flexible, modular tool that can evolve according to the company's needs,
- management of documents and business processes (online forms),
- a high degree of adaptability and customisation according to requirements (personalised filing plan for each employee),
- a filing system based on a tree structure as well as tags,
- automatic backup of each new version of the file,
- drag&drop downloading of your files,
- email notifications for collaborative working,
- rights management by user group,
- dashboards and request tracking.
FlexiGED
KnowledgeTree
KnowledgeTree is another benchmark in open source document management, much appreciated by marketing and sales departments.
Like many open source software packages, it is available in Enterprise (paid) and Community (free) versions, and allows users to secure, share, track and manage documents.
Its features (for the Enterprise version) include :
- several modules for seamless integration into the office environment, in particular with MS Office,
- document comparison
- electronic signature,
- translation of the interface into different languages, including French.
- Document content search,
- workflow management,
- metadata management,
- version-controlled document repository,
- Salesforce integration.
Why choose an open source EDM?
As opposed to proprietary solutions for which you traditionally buy a licence and then have to buy updates, free or open source software has a number of advantages.
Advantages of an open source EDM
Open source EDM software is :
- Economical: you will note that we did not say free.
However, it often has a lower acquisition cost and the price of ancillary services (customer service, etc.) is often lower because the product is open to the community, which shares its knowledge on forums, for example. - Open, i.e. the code is accessible and can be modified to adapt it to your company's own needs and to its other tools.
- Scalable : as the publisher Pulsar says, the evolution of the tool does not depend on its profitability or marketing investment, but on its popularity with a community.
- High-performance and secure: open source developers apply all their know-how to create an effective product that respects security and meets real needs.
Permission settings are used to manage user rights and ensure data confidentiality.
Disadvantages of an open source EDM
- Hidden costs: in particular, you need to take into account the cost of hosting on your servers when it is installed "on-premises", i.e. locally.
- The need for development expertise, which requires an investment in human resources.
Open source software is particularly suited to organisations that have the resources to maintain and support it in-house.
Furthermore, the openness of the software is relative from one publisher to another and may be limited, in order to retain control of customers and sell support services.
- Its dependence on the community: if the software loses some of its users to another solution, it will also have to be changed or the open source licence will have to be taken over.
- Lack of intuitiveness: the aesthetics of the interface and the ergonomics of these tools are not often at the heart of developers' concerns, which can make them complex to use for less experienced users.
Alternatives to open source EDMs
EDM solutions, whether open source or not, are based either on a local network or on cloud computing, which is still the most appropriate solution for document dematerialisation.
That's why there are so many interesting SaaS (Software as a Service) EDM solutions on the market, thanks to their ability to provide continuous access to company documentation in the cloud, wherever and whenever it is needed.
Other advantages of SaaS-based EDM solutions on the market include
- They are easy to use and navigate, even without advanced technical knowledge,
- constant updating with the latest technologies and regulations in force.
Open source EDM or not?
To be honest, it all depends on your human resources and your company's needs.
But whether you choose open source or proprietary software, SaaS mode is logically particularly suited to the paperless use of your documents.
Don't hesitate to try them out before making your choice!
Article translated from French