Your enterprise is growing and you can’t depend on obsolete document management.

However, migrating all of your documents to a modern document management system can bring up some questions:

Where will my documents go? Where is a DMS hosted? How can I migrate my documents without losing them?

Don’t worry, you can make the transition in 7 simple steps.

Where can you implement a DMS?

Before you start implementing and deploying your DMS or ECM system, you need to decide what kind of deployment you’re going to choose.

What does this mean?

Depending on the sensitiveness of your documents, you will have to customize your document management system.

In other words, if you deal with extremely sensitive data, for example, a government institution or a bank, your documents will have to be stored on local servers, an on-premise deployment.

If you are dealing with other documents that still need to be secure but your team is scattered around the world, as would happen with accounting firms or manufacturing, you can host your document on the cloud. It is still a very secure deployment and can be accessed anywhere at anytime (by those authorized, of course)

If you have mixed documents, for example, you can go for a hybrid system that allows you to store the more sensitive information on your servers, and the rest on the cloud.

Deployment Type	Control	Cost	Scalability	Best For
Cloud	Low	Low	High	Startups, remote teams, low IT burden
On-Premise	High	High	Moderate	Regulated industries, data-sensitive orgs
Hybrid	Moderate	Moderate	High	Enterprises with mixed infrastructure needs

On the cloud deployment

As mentions, a Cloud DMS or ECM is hosted on secure remote servers and accessed over the internet.

This method offers several advantages, start with accessibility. Most companies have a large percentage of remote workers. Since you can just roll over to their offices, it is crucial that everyone has immediate access to the same version of documents at the same time.

A cloud deployment is also ideal for startups, as it is a highly scalable method and doesn’t require a large up-front investment or a dedicated IT team. Instead, you start with a smaller system that can grow with you as your company progresses.

When is a cloud deployment not a good idea?

When it doesn’t comply with security regulations.

Although your documents are safe, more sensitive information tends to need added security.

On premises deployment

An on premises deployment means your DMS is installed and hosted on physical servers within your organization.

This requires a higher initial investment and a dedicated IT team that is in charge of the upkeep and maintenance of your infrastructure.

This deployment allows you absolute and total control of all aspects of your document infrastructure, security policies, and access.

Having your DMS hosted on-premise is perfect for industries that handle sensitive data, such as healthcare, governments, or legal that require HIPAA and FINRA compliance.

Hybrid deployment

A hybrid deployment is a combination of on-premise and cloud deployments, meaning that you decide what documents are hosted on your local servers and which ones are accessed via internet access.

The major benefit of this system is being able to combine the control and compliance of on-premises systems and the flexibility and customization of a cloud deployment.

Make sure to tailor your infrastructure to your business needs, security levels, and budget constraints.

This is ideal for enterprises that are transitioning to a cloud deployment, or for law firms, for example.

How to implement a DMS step-by-step

Once you have decided where you want to host your document management system and, in case of a hybrid deployment, what documents will be on the cloud and which ones will be on premises, you can now start your implementation.

You can deploy your DMS following 7 simple and clear steps.

Step 1: Asses the nature of your documents

First things first, make sure you are clear on the documents your organization is handling.

How are these documents created? Where are they stored? Who accesses them?

Once you know what documents your organization manages, map out their workflows and asses who controls them.

They key are this point is to also note your current pain points, including version control issues, security risks, lost files, compliance gaps, etc.

Step 2: Define your needs and goals

Decide what problems you are looking to solve and how your DMS will solve these issues.

Make sure you establish non-negotiable features your DMS should have to resolve your pain points. These could include:

• OCR and automated document catpure
• Advanced indexing and metadata
• User access control
• Workflow automation
• Deployment options
• E-form software
• E-signature
• Integrations

Step 3: Choose the right tool

With your goals and necessary features in mind, you can start looking for a DMS (if you haven’t already found one you like).

Create a checklist with your goals and features and make sure your DMS meets all of your requirements. Be sure to ask for demos so you know that you’re making the right choice.

Make sure you read reviews, such as this Dokmee review, and user’s comments on different tools to see how the tools worked for others.

Evaluate scalability, integration options (ERP, CRM), licensing model, and vendor support.

Step 4: Prepare your deployment and transition

Before you start your document migration, create a detailed roadmap of your migration.

This should include deployment phases such as pilot phase, broad rollout, and expansion phase.

Map out your security measures, including defining which users can view, edit, or manage different document categories, as well as establishing permissions aligned with business needs.

At this stage, integrating data governance is essential. Establish clear data ownership, classification standards, and lifecycle management policies to maintain data integrity, security, and compliance with internal and external regulations.

Set a detailed timeline for each deployment phase, along with clearly defined responsibilities for all team members involved.

Step 5: Migrate your documents

This is the most delicate stage of the process: moving all of your documents.

Begin by conducting a detailed file audit to identify and delete irrelevant documents. This cleanup process reduces clutter and ensures only valuable content is migrated, which in turn improves system performance and usability.

Once the data set is refined, use document scanning tools and OCR software to convert paper-based documents into digital format.

Make sure you apply consistent metadata to each document during the indexing process. This includes categorizing by document type, date, department, and other relevant tags.

Once you have digitizes your files, check for corrupted files and confirm that OCR and metadata was successful.

Step 6: Customize your DMS

With your documents securely saved in your new DMS, it is time to customize the system to ensure that it fits your business’ needs perfectly.

This entails:

• Assigning roles and permissions to your documents
• Establishing document types, metadata fields, and folder structure
• Design customized and automated workflows
• Set up audit trails

Make sure you do this step before bringing the rest of the team into the DMS so there are no leaks, or missing documents.

Step 7: Train your team

Begin by conducting training sessions adapted to different users and departments.

Administrators, end users, and managers will all interact with the system differently, so their training should reflect those specific needs.

Admins may need deep dives into system configuration and permissions, while general users might focus on uploading, searching, and managing documents within their access scope. Managers may benefit from learning how to monitor workflows, generate reports, and oversee compliance tasks.

Make sure you have guides, user manual and tutorials that are accessible to all team members.

A well-trained, informed team is essential to achieve the full potential of the system and guarantee its success over time.

Best practices for your DMS deployment

Following the step-by-step guide mentioned above, will guarantee a smooth transition to the new system.

However, there are some best practices you can follow that will help you get started with your new document management system.

• Bring the whole team onboard

The goal of a DMS is to centralize, therefore bringing all the team together is essential.

As we have mentioned earlier, it is important to train your team and to make sure everyone understand the data governance frameworks.

This will ensure that the DMS is used consistently and properly, and will lead to higher efficiency and fewer errors.

• Start small and scale

Migrating all documents in one swoop will inevitably lead to confusion.

Starting with a pilot deployment will guarantee that you can clearly see what is happening with your documents and where there are bottlenecks or other issues that need more attention.

Once you have a system in place, you can bring in larger batches of documents, workflows, and users.

• Make sure your files are clean and organized before the transition

Migrating a messy array of files and documents will lead to missed documents and poorly organized file cabinets.

Going through your organization’s documents and deleting all irrelevant documents will ensure a seamless transition.

• Don’t get too fancy with workflows at first

When you have a DMS, you will be able to create fully automated workflows, and it can be tempting to pack in as much automation as possible.

However, to guarantee a smooth transition to the new system it is much better to customize your workflows based on your current workflows.

Configure document types, folder structures, metadata fields, and workflows based on how your team actually works. Automate repetitive tasks like approvals and retention alerts where possible.

Should you implement a DMS?

Yes, you should implement a DMS in your enterprise.

As your enterprise grows, you can’t afford to waste time on outdated document management methods that will limit your efficiency.

Following these 7 simple steps for DMS implementation gives your team a clear, structured roadmap to digitize, organize, and optimize your information assets.

A solid DMS deployment will help you reduce paper usage and make document management much more efficient, but also, it will empower your teams, protect your data, and help your business operate with greater agility and confidence.

Implementing a DMS in your organization can be tricky, however, Dokmee has all the necessary features to make the transition to a DMS that much easier.