As an HR professional, you know how important it is to keep organized, dedicated, and secure files of information for all employees. However, doing so manually can be overwhelming as file cabinets begin to burst and work efficiency begins to suffer. That’s where HR document management software can come in handy.
From job applications and resumes to payroll documents and performance reviews, there’s no shortage of examples of documents that can be digitized to save everyone time and effort. But how do you know which software solutions are a good fit for your needs and which ones aren’t?
What is document management software for HR?
As its name likely implies, HR document management software is a digital tool that’s designed to help human resources departments track, find, and organize important documents. You might also hear this sort of technology referred to as a human resources document management system or DMS.
A DMS helps HR teams seamlessly acquire, store, and manage essential documentation for an organization’s employees. It may also automate tasks that typically demand a lot of time or resources from HR departments.
Some of the core features of digital HR document management software include:
- Automatic document organization
- Secure document creation and a library of digital templates to use for documents
- Compliance features that ensure organizations adhere to any legal or regulatory requirements that are relevant to them
- Audit trails and control over document permissions (who can view or edit a document)
- Security features and advanced encryption to protect sensitive data
- Advanced search and retrieval capabilities that provide quick access to documents and allow users to search by keyword, title, expiration date, metadata, etc.
Top HR Document Management Software Options
Not all document management tools are made equal; bigger doesn’t always mean better, and not all software solutions are optimized for all job types.
So, how can you go about selecting the best HR document management solution for your needs? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular software tools out there to see how they stack up.
Software Showdown: Document Management for HR
In this comparison, we’ll focus on tools that are either designed specifically for HR departments or have made a reputation for themselves within the field.
Here are our contenders:
- CDP
- DocuPhase
- DynaFile
- Box
- ServiceNow
Now, let’s explore what makes each of these HR document management tools unique and what might limit their potential.
1. CDP
CDP is more than an HR document management system – our software solutions are designed to help your team master technology. We leverage Laserfiche, an industry-leading document management platform, to create a powerful digital HR system that helps you store, organize, locate, and categorize high volumes of documents.
But that’s not all CDP can do. We bring you carefully selected tech that fits your needs, whether that includes document scanning capabilities, electronic signature features, digital form building or printing, or something else entirely.
With CDP’s help, you can scan paper documents and file them in a centralized, secure location. You can create new documents digitally and distribute them securely to external parties, receive signatures, search for documents using metadata, and more.
2. DocuPhase
Creating a digital vault for your organization is the mission behind DocuPhase, a popular electronic document management system used by HR departments. DocuPhase centralizes files – including images, videos, and other non-document files – across an organization in one central location.
However, while it does feature essential document management capabilities, DocuPhase is also considered a business process management platform that focuses on automating tasks and streamlining workflows. In other words, DocuPhase is automation-driven, not necessarily document-driven.
If you’re looking for a system that will simplify document organization, DocuPhase might not be the best fit – many users report it can have a steep learning curve, particularly since it is so automation-heavy. Setting up complex tasks and workflows can be helpful, but only if you actually have the tools to do so without errors.
3. DynaFile
One of the most well-known cloud-based employee document management systems is DynaFile, a tool that aims to allow workers to access key information at any time, from anywhere. Its ability to handle a high volume of documents makes it a common pick for teams that handle a lot of paperwork, including HR departments.
However, DynaFile is more focused on the act of filing and storing documents than creating or editing them. That means it can help with scanning and digitizing files but not necessarily making changes to them, building digital forms, or collecting e-signatures.
As a result, it may not be robust enough to handle your entire team’s document management needs.
This tool’s pricing is also on the high side, with membership plans costing as much as several hundred dollars each month on a per-user basis. Given the program’s general lack of customization features, its utility can be fairly limited.
4. Box
Box is another document management tool that’s popular among HR professionals, specifically because it can support HR files and documentation for both employees and business partners.
There are a lot of features hidden in Box, which can make using it a challenge for beginners. Your teams might require extra training to really get to know this platform and understand its capabilities.
Likewise, some users report that managing a high volume of documents can sometimes cause issues with file syncing across different devices. Coupled with a price tag of about $15 to $50 per user per month, depending on your plan tier, these sorts of challenges mean that Box might not be the best choice for departments looking to transition to an electronic document management system.
5. ServiceNow
Finally, let’s consider ServiceNow, an employee document management platform that aims to automate HR document compliance. It’s often a more attractive choice for growing businesses, but it also features plenty of enterprise-level capabilities that might overwhelm smaller teams.
ServiceNow focuses less on document creation and digitizing paperwork, collecting signatures, and other related tasks, though, and more on security and automation. In other words, you might be lacking some of the capabilities you need to truly digitize your document flow.
What is the Best HR Document Management Software?
The contenders have all been introduced – now it’s time to decide which HR document management solutions fit the bill and which ones fall short. For simplifying and centralizing document management, document creation, compliance management, and record-keeping, it’s clear that CDP comes out on top.
Not only does CDP provide you with all the essential capabilities you need to tackle document management, but we also build our tech solutions to fit you.
That means you don’t pay for features you don’t need and never plan to use. It also means that you get a customized approach to document and workflow management that truly makes sense for your team and goals.
The simple truth is that there is no single “best” software out there because the “best” software for one team won’t be the same as it is for another. That’s why CDP works with you to identify your needs and find the right tools for your organization.
Small, medium, and large teams alike can benefit from having HR document management software that fills in the gaps rather than creating new ones. From scanning documents to establishing audit trails to adding your company logo to your digital paperwork, CDP gives you the power to do it all.
Want to learn more about how we can help you master document management once and for all? Contact us today to schedule a demo.
