Document Automation or Document Management Software — Which is Best?

There should be no debate about the contribution of technology to the 21st-century firms. With the increased demand for efficient service from clients, businesses need faster ways to do their work and that is best achieved using the software. Document automation software and document management software add the efficiency that is needed but each of them does so in their own right and way.

Document Automation Software

This software is designed to create documents but with added features that practically gets the document to create itself. You may have experienced the ease created by predictive text when typing using your phone, but now imagine the entire document falling into place with just a few commands. That is what document automation does. For a business, it can save a lot of time if they simply have to command the software to assemble a 10-page contract and in a few minutes, the contract is ready to be signed.

Document Management Software

So you have your document created in minutes, now what? Something needs to be done with the document and that is where document management software comes in. If you assembled a contract, you probably need to send it to be signed and after that, it should be kept. Without involving a messenger, management software will send the document to the right recipient for signing and after that, the document will be saved in the right repository. If the lawyer needs to retrieve the document, it will be easily accessible and any addition to the document will be clearly indicated to avoid confusion.

Document Automation Vs Document Management Software

So, is it better to have a solution to create documents fast and easy? Or is the management of documents a better solution for today’s lawyer who is faced with piles of documents to create and manage?

Management software can go a long way to ensure the documents are managed efficiently. Think of the freedom from spending a lot of time searching for documents or even having to redraft a document because you cannot find the original.

Even more appealing is the fact that most management software will come with cloud storage which means that you can store documents in a place that you can access at any time and anywhere and you do not have to worry about your servers being unable to store any more documents.

Document management software also helps businesses keep documents safe from prying eyes as well as damage from water, fire, or even pests. Finding the right document management software can really make life easier for a lawyer or a salesperson.

And yet, document automation systems also have a lot in their favor. With document automation systems, lawyers can cut down on the amount of time they spend drafting letters, contracts, depositions, and so on. A law firm can actually provide a self-service system where a client accesses the document they need online with hardly any involvement of a lawyer.

For example, a real estate company can have a tenant agreement ready for signing by simply visiting the lawyer’s website and answering a few questions that will guide the software to assemble the exact document that the real estate company needs. That is amazingly efficient especially since it gives the firm the ability to satisfy more clients at any time of the day and regardless of their physical location.

Law firms can offer better service at a cheaper cost and yet still make more money.

Verdict

Software developers have considered the efficiency of both software and come up with a solution that would make every company pleased. You do not have to choose between the two. The best in class document automation software is made to integrate with document management software. The reality is that they are both necessary and it would be silly to manually assemble a document and then manage it using the software. Both of them are essential and can be used together.

Automation is the way of the future and the future is now. Law firms can offer faster, cheaper, and perfect legal services to their clients by incorporating technology like this into the daily tasks that they undertake.