Digitization
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Read moreDocument Management System (DMS): Search, Versioning and Archiving
Custom DMS solution with full-text search, versioning, and audit-proof archiving.
Document Management System (DMS)
Why a Custom DMS?
Standard DMS solutions like SharePoint, DocuWare, or d.velop are often oversized, expensive to license, or don't fit your processes. You pay for features you don't need, while your special requirements – integration into your ERP, industry-specific metadata, special approval workflows – are only achievable with expensive customizations.
A custom document management system integrates seamlessly into your system landscape and maps your workflows exactly. We develop DMS with full-text search that makes even scanned PDFs and handwritten notes searchable.Audit-proof archiving meets all requirements of tax authorities. GDPR-compliant personnel files with automatic deletion schedules minimize your risk.
Search is the key: in many companies, employees spend 20% of their working time searching for documents. With intelligent full-text search and structured metadata, you reduce this time to seconds – and measurably increase productivity.
Features
Full-Text Search
OCR recognition and Elasticsearch for lightning-fast search across millions of documents – even in scanned PDFs.
Versioning
Change history, version comparison, restoration of previous states, audit trail for compliance.
Access Rights
Fine-grained permissions by role, department, project, or document type – down to field level.
Scan & OCR
Digitize paper documents, automatically tag and classify them with AI support.
Cloud or On-Premise
Hosting on your infrastructure, in a German cloud, or hybrid – you decide.
Audit-Proof Archiving
Revision-secure archiving for tax audits, retention periods, and compliance requirements.
Folder Structures
Flexible taxonomies, tags, metadata – structure documents in a way that makes sense to you.
Workflows
Approval processes, authorization flows, automatic routing – digitize your procedures.
Use Cases
Contract Management
Store contracts centrally, monitor deadlines, automatically flag renewals
Invoice Archive
Compliant filing, automatic allocation to cost centers, 10 years retention
Personnel Files
GDPR-compliant employee documentation with automatic deletion schedules after departure
Project Documentation
Technical docs, minutes, acceptances, correspondence – everything in one place
Our Approach
A DMS project is more than software – it changes how your company handles knowledge.
1
As-Is Analysis
Capture document types, volumes, current filing, interfaces, and compliance requirements.
2
Conception
Develop taxonomy, metadata, workflows, and authorization concept together.
3
Development
Build DMS, integrate interfaces, migrate existing documents.
4
Training & Rollout
Train users, pilot phase, incorporate feedback, roll out company-wide.
Compliance & Legal
A DMS must not only work – it also needs to meet legal requirements.
GoBD
Audit-proof archiving: immutability, traceability, orderliness (German fiscal compliance)
GDPR
Deletion schedules, disclosure obligations, access logging, encryption
ISO 27001
Information security management system for sensitive documents
Retention Periods
6 years for business correspondence, 10 years for accounting records – automatically managed
Advantages of a Custom Solution
No ongoing license costs per user or storage
Complete customization to your processes
Integration into ERP, CRM, and email system
GDPR-compliant and audit-proof archiving
Scalable for millions of documents
Full control over sensitive company data
What Does a DMS Cost?
Costs depend on document volume, number of document types, and integration depth.
- Basic DMS: 15,000 – 35,000 EUR excl. VAT – Upload, search, permissions, simple metadata
- With OCR & Full-Text Search: 35,000 – 70,000 EUR excl. VAT – Scanner integration, Elasticsearch, AI classification
- Enterprise: 70,000+ EUR excl. VAT – Workflows, ERP integration, compliance certification, migration
Cost Comparison
An enterprise DMS like DocuWare costs from 50 EUR/user/month. With 50 users, that's 30,000 EUR/year. A custom solution for 60,000 EUR pays for itself in 2 years – plus: no vendor lock-in.
Custom DMS or standard software?
Compare license costs for DocuWare & Co. with a custom solution over 5 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are existing documents migrated?
We develop migration scripts that transfer your folder structures, file names, and existing metadata. Migration can be done incrementally to avoid disrupting operations.
Is full-text search possible for scanned documents?
Yes, through OCR (Optical Character Recognition), scanned PDFs and images become searchable. Modern AI can also recognize handwritten text and tables.
How is compliance ensured?
Through immutability after archiving, timestamps, logging of all access and changes, and adherence to retention periods. On request, we create process documentation.
Discuss Your DMS Project
Let's talk about your document processes – free and non-binding. We'll show you how much time and money you can save with a modern DMS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Document Management
Cost, Compliance & Integration
What does a custom DMS cost?
From around €25,000 excl. VAT for search, versioning and archiving; with workflow and integration from €40,000 excl. VAT. We scope after a short workshop.
Is the DMS audit-proof and GDPR-compliant?
Yes. We implement versioning, audit trails, access controls and retention rules so documents meet legal and compliance requirements.
Can you integrate with our existing systems?
Yes. We connect to ERP, CRM and email so documents flow in and out; we use standard APIs and protocols.
Full-text search and versioning?
Yes. Full-text search, version history and check-in/check-out are standard. We can add workflows and approval chains as required.
