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Document Management Glossary
Document Management Glossary
A plain-English reference for document management terminology, from indexing to audit trails.
A plain-English reference for the terms you will encounter while researching document management. These are general industry definitions. Defining a term here does not mean IMS currently supports that capability; where a capability is specific to a particular edition or configuration, that is noted.
Core terms
Document Management System (DMS)
Software designed to capture, organize, search, manage, share, and protect documents and digital information. Unlike simple file storage, a DMS associates meaningful information with each document so it can be located and worked with efficiently.
Content Management
A broader practice of organizing and managing digital content, which may include documents, images, web pages, and other media. Document management is one focused area within content management.
Document Capture
The process of bringing a document into a management system, whether by scanning paper or importing an electronic file. Capture is the first step before indexing and organization.
Scanning
Using a scanner or multifunction copier to convert a paper document into an electronic image file. Scanning produces an image but does not, by itself, describe what the document is or how to find it later.
Importing
Bringing an existing electronic file into a document management system rather than scanning it from paper. Imported files may arrive by email, from a network folder, or from another business application.
DMS, CMS, and ECM: Understanding the difference
Businesses researching document-management software often encounter three related terms: DMS, CMS, and ECM. Although these terms sometimes overlap, they do not always describe the same capabilities.
DMS: Document Management System
A Document Management System focuses on capturing, organizing, indexing, searching, retrieving, securing, and managing business documents such as invoices, contracts, personnel records, customer correspondence, and purchase orders. A DMS helps organizations move beyond ordinary folders and filenames by providing structured ways to locate and manage documents.
Imaging Made Simple is primarily a document-management solution, offering structured indexing, document retrieval, access controls, and other capabilities depending on the installed edition and modules.
CMS: Content Management System
A Content Management System is a broader term for software that helps organizations create, organize, manage, or publish digital content. The term CMS is frequently associated with websites, where it refers to software used to manage web pages, articles, images, and other online content. However, content management can also refer more broadly to managing digital information within an organization.
The important distinction is that a website CMS and a business document-management system may both manage digital content, but they are designed for different primary purposes. IMS is not intended to replace a website publishing platform.
ECM: Enterprise Content Management
Enterprise Content Management generally refers to a broader organizational approach to managing business information throughout its lifecycle. Depending on the platform, ECM solutions may combine document management, records management, workflow, information governance, and other enterprise capabilities.
A document-management system can form an important part of an organization's broader content-management strategy. However, not every DMS includes all the features commonly associated with a comprehensive ECM platform.
Choosing the right solution
The most important question is not which acronym a software product uses. It is whether the system addresses the organization's actual information-management needs.
If employees struggle to find contracts, invoices, customer records, or other business documents, a dedicated document-management solution may provide substantial value without replacing the accounting, CRM, or other applications already in use.
Indexing and organization
Indexing
Associating meaningful information with a document so it can be organized and located later. Indexing is what turns a stored file into a searchable record.
Index Fields
The individual searchable pieces of information attached to a document, such as customer name, invoice number, account number, document type, or date. In IMS, index fields are configured within a profile.
Metadata
Data that describes a document. Index fields are one common form of metadata. Metadata helps systems organize and retrieve documents without relying only on the document's filename.
Document Profile
In IMS, an electronic filing category that groups related documents and defines their index fields. A profile might represent customer accounts, vendor files, or human resources records. The number of profiles available depends on the IMS edition.
Search and retrieval
Search and Retrieval
Finding and accessing documents using their associated information. A document management system allows retrieval using index fields rather than depending only on a filename or folder location.
Keyword Search
Searching for documents using specific words or terms. IMS supports searching by configured index fields; native full-text keyword search across every document is not a standard built-in feature.
Viewing and working with documents
Document Viewer
The application used to view and work with documents after retrieval. Different viewers offer different capabilities, from simple viewing to editing, annotating, and scanning. The capabilities available depend on the viewer selected, configuration, and user permissions.
Annotation
Adding notes, highlights, text, or other overlays to a document without changing the original. Annotation support depends on the viewer, edition, and configuration.
Workflow and control
Document Routing
Sending records to users or departments within a profile so documents move through defined office procedures. Routing is a basic workflow capability and is not the same as a comprehensive automated workflow engine.
Workflow
The broader concept of documents moving through a sequence of steps, such as review or approval. Workflow requirements vary widely and may require planning, configuration, or optional products.
User Permissions
Settings that determine which users can view, edit, delete, or administer particular records or functions. Permissions help ensure the right people have appropriate access.
Record-Level Security
Restricting access to selected records within a profile, rather than to an entire profile or folder. In IMS, this is an Enterprise capability subject to configuration.
Audit Trail
A record of document activity that helps answer who did what and when. IMS Enterprise has historically offered audit reporting by user, document, time frame, and action. Not every edition includes audit capabilities, and the specific actions tracked depend on the installed version and configuration.
Retention and preservation
Document Retention
The practice of keeping documents for a defined period and disposing of them when no longer needed. Retention rules belong to your organization and its legal or regulatory obligations.
Electronic Archive
A collection of stored electronic records, often for longer-term preservation. In IMS Enterprise, archive and distribution capabilities help manage selected stored records.
Technology and deployment
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Technology that converts images of text into searchable text. IMS is not described as offering native OCR as a standard built-in feature; some OCR capabilities may be available through supported modules or third-party integrations.
Client-Hosted Software
Software installed and run on the customer's own computers and network, rather than accessed over the internet from a vendor's servers. IMS is a customer-deployed product.
Cloud Hosting
Running software on remote servers accessed over the internet, typically managed by a vendor. IMS is not currently described as a cloud-native SaaS platform.
Remote Viewing
Accessing documents from a workstation or location other than the main system. In IMS, browser-based remote viewing is offered through the Enterprise Web Viewer, subject to configuration and compatibility.
Software Licensing
The terms under which software may be used. IMS licensing is based on authorized users, not the number of desktop viewer installations. One licensed user may use viewers on multiple supported computers, subject to applicable license terms.