What is EDMS and Why you Need Document Management Software?

For those unfamiliar with the term EDMS, the DMS in question, according to Wikipedia, is defined as Document Management Software or System.

The classical implementation of a DMS is a process and or set of procedures used to track, manage and store physical documents. Historically the difficulty with document management is the assurance that the document you have accessed for use is the latest revision.

Document control has become even more of a concern as the complexity of projects has increased, liabilities abound, and collaborative velocity accelerates. All of these key factors are driving the demise of paper documents and bringing about the age of digital document control.

What Does the “E” in EDMS Stand For?

Electronic, Enterprise or Engineering?

Yes! All the above and then more.

In 2018 to determine the E, we assume that the client is aiming to work with an Electronic format deliverable, which is being served and consumed across the Enterprise!

In many cases reaching far beyond internal boundaries and crossing extended global eco-systems, where there is demand for accurate Engineering Information (data, documents, drawings, and models) that is critical to the outcome of many industry challenges, can be addressed utilizing EDMS project management platforms.

Who Needs Engineering Document Management Software (EDMS)?

For participants that create, consume, collaborate or must control information confronted with the following challenges:

Construction Projects: Complex projects with multi-center execution such as offshore oil & gas platforms; sub-sea, offshore wind turbines, or infrastructures projects including rail, airports, hospitals, and schools.

Dynamic Information Sharing: Applications where sharing the information across workgroups or where the information is subject to change are the norm. Highly dynamic environments are at greater risk of wasting time and money if using outdated information.

Statutory Governance: Anyone under strict requirements for managing documentation to meet statutory governance or contractual demands for payment or penalty avoidance.

Capital Projects: Historically EDMS was an expensive necessity for large capital projects due to their complexity. Now thanks to economies of scale of cloud-based systems that make control accessible to smaller scale projects or assets, you can no longer afford to use error-prone paper-based DMS.

What Problems Does an Engineering Document Management Software Address?

Documentation is Now Dynamic: One of the problems is that in the construction industry, documentation is getting increasingly data and information-driven as opposed to being historically dumb pdf copies of static paper documents.

Many dynamic information formats are required now for construction projects.

Standardization Improves the Ability to Handle Complexity: The variety of information formats and the sheer volume of information leads to the next significant challenge that can be targeted by a superior EDMS solution.

The ability to increase standardization helps to drive information re-use and dramatically cuts the instances of information duplication.

Documentation Trails: Management teams are searching for an easier, faster and more dependable process to perform document reviews with audit trails of approvals.

EDMS for construction project management helps to avoid increasing lead times as a result of information release delays, or worse, the need for rework due to the use of incorrect revision levels.

Project Control: Bottom line, EDMS Project Management is an important aspect of controlling non-conformance and avoiding deviation in today’s Global Construction Project Management industry.

Modern engineering document management systems such as Proarc EDMS use dashboards to present leading indicators that provide real insight and transparency of project performance for enhanced project management.

Our Clients Gain Control in 7 Simple Steps:

1. Organize: documentation coding and metadata to industry or client standards
2. Plan: documentation deliveries, milestones, due dates with responsibilities for projects
3. Execute: unified review and approval processes, adaptable to specific client demands
4. Collaborate: less email and more control with external users
5. Track: progress and performance using visual analytics
6. Deliver: package content sent easily to your client on schedule
7. Audit: be ready with who sent what to whom and when

Discover more information about the Proarc EDMS