6 min read
Christina Miranda
Still scanning documents manually? Explore the top DMS solutions with integrated document scanning software and OCR to reduce errors, and simplify document management.
Description:
While most documents are created and shared online, 90% of organizations still handle some sort of physical documents that need to be scanned and imported into your document management system.
For some, this means having to invest in additional document scanning software.
Smarter teams use scanning or capture software fully integrated into their DMS that allows taking immediate action without extra steps.
Document scanning software is a tool or app that helps you convert any physical document into a PDF or other format of electronic document.
This process allows you to store your documents in the same format on the cloud, on your servers, or in your document management system where it can then be used and added into your workflows.
The software essentially captures an image of the document using a scanner, multifunction printer, or mobile device. It then processes the image to ensure readability.
The more advanced tools include more than simple image scanning. They include Optical character Recognition, auto-cropping, image cleanup, document splitting, and metadata tagging.
OCR technology converts the scanned image into editable, searchable text.
This allows users to search within documents, copy and paste text, and integrate the content into digital workflows. OCR is essential for document-heavy environments such as accounting, legal, healthcare, HR, and compliance-driven industries.
Advanced scanning software can automatically identify key information, such as invoice numbers, dates, client names, or totals, and categorize documents without manual input.
This significantly speeds up retrieval and reduces human error.
Most scanning tools follow a simple workflow:
There are many standalone document scanning systems such as Adobe, for example, however, these tools usually can only import the document into your server leaving you to then send it into the platform (or platforms) where you need.
The solution here is choosing a DMS or ECM that has a built-in and fully integrated document scanning feature. Bonus points if it also includes OCR.
This means that as you import your physical document it can be automatically indexed and outed into its appropriate file and workflow.
What are the benefits of choosing a DMS with document capture?
Standalone apps require users to download files locally and manually upload them into the DMS. This increases the chance of files being misplaced, saved in the wrong folder, or never imported at all.
Integrated scanning ensures that documents go directly from the scanner into the correct location inside your DMS.
In a separate app workflow, employees may upload multiple versions or create accidental duplicates.
Integrated tools maintain a single source of truth, with each new scan or update captured in your DMS’s version history, keeping collaboration clean and organized.
Documents scanned directly into the DMS can be immediately viewed, edited, routed, or shared with team members.
Standalone scanning tools require manual transfer steps that slow down workflows and create fragmentation across systems.
Although there are many useful tools, we will be analyzing the best document scanning software that is already integrated into DMS or ECM platforms.
These systems allow you to scan, classify, store, and collaborate on documents in one unified environment, without switching tools or risking data loss.
Below are some of the top platforms offering integrated scanning and OCR capabilities.
| Use Case / Organization Type | Recommended DMS |
|---|---|
| Small / medium business; needs easy scanning + search + lightweight workflows | Folderit, Dokmee |
| SMB or mid‑size firm; needs balance of features, workflows, moderate compliance | Dokmee, DocuShare |
| Legal / finance / professional services that need strong security, client‑centric document organization, remote work | NetDocuments |
| Mid‑size to large enterprise, regulated industry, heavy document volumes, compliance, process automation | Laserfiche, DocuShare, Dokmee (with full modules) |
| Organizations that need audit trails, version control, records retention, complicated approval workflows | Laserfiche, DocuShare |
Dokmee is an advanced DMS and ECM with separate a document capture product that natively integrates with your platform.
It allows you to scan and import paper files directly into the system. Its advanced OCR technology instantly converts scanned documents into searchable and editable digital files, making retrieval and indexing significantly easier.
Because the scanning tools are fully integrated into the DMS, you can immediately categorize files, assign metadata, apply security rules, or route documents into automated workflows.
Dokmee also supports live document editing, annotations, and e-signatures, this means you can easily collaborate and take action on documents without leaving the platform.
Best for: small to medium‑sized businesses (SMBs) and organizations that want a balance between cost, flexibility and core functionality; also those who want to avoid overpaying for features they don’t use.
Features
✔️ Pros
✖️ Cons
NetDocuments offers a cloud-first DMS with integrated capture tools that can digitize paper documents and store them securely in its centralized repository by connecting your scanner to the system.
With automatic OCR, all scanned documents become fully searchable, enabling quick retrieval and efficient organization.
It also provides strong compliance features, version control, and workflow automation, making it a preferred choice for legal, financial, and professional services firms that rely heavily on secure document processes.
Best for: legal firms, financial services, consulting agencies, or any organization with client‑ or case‑centric workflows and high demands on security/compliance.
Features
✔️ Pros
✖️ Cons
Folderit is a user-friendly DMS designed for small and medium-sized businesses.
It supports direct document scanning, allowing you to upload physical documents straight into predefined folders or workflows. OCR is applied automatically to create searchable PDFs, making navigation and organization simple.
With features like approval workflows, metadata tagging, retention policies, and access controls, Folderit helps you keep digitized documents secure and well-organized without the need for additional scanning apps.
Best for: small to medium companies or teams needing an easy-to-use DMS with scanning and basic workflow features; good fit for smaller-scale operations without heavy compliance or high volume demands.
Features
✔️ Pros
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DocuShare is an ECM platform by Xerox printers that provides strong document capture and scanning capabilities.
You can scan documents right into the system through multifunction devices or desktop scanners, with OCR used to identify and extract text.
The platform offers workflow tools, version control, metadata management, and role-based permissions.
Its integration with Xerox hardware makes it especially appealing to organizations that already rely on multifunction printers.
DocuShare also includes searchable handwriting capture.
Best for: organizations that require robust records management, compliance, auditability, and document‑centric workflows.
Mid-sized to large companies, enterprises, or institutions with moderate to high document volumes.
Features
✔️ Pros
✖️ Cons
Laserfiche is an ECM platform with strong document capture, data extraction, and workflow automation capabilities.
Its integrated scanning tools allow documents to be captured from scanners, email, or mobile devices, with OCR applied to produce fully searchable content.
Laserfiche also includes document classification and metadata assignment, that can organize and index large volumes of documents with minimal manual effort.
Best for: large organizations, public institutions, regulated industries (healthcare, government, finance), or any setting needing robust governance, compliance, automation, and ability to handle high-volume document flows.
Features
✔️ Pros
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In most cases, the answer is yes.
But how can you assess if you need a standalone document scanning software or a DMS with integrated document capture and OCR technology?
Choose document scanning software if:
In other cases, it could lead to misplaced documents, tough version control and slow collaboration.
Choose a full DMS if:
If you’re looking for a solution that combines advanced scanning, OCR, intelligent indexing, secure storage, and workflow automation (all in a single, easy-to-use system) Dokmee is built exactly for that.
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“Dokmee cut our retrieval time by 70%—we saw ROI in 45 days.”
Chad P., CTO
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