Computer Reseller News (CRN) has selected M-Files as the “Product of the Year” in the “Enterprise Software” category!

Document management doesn’t have to be expensive, complex or resource-intensive. Starting at a very nominal price, M-Files DMS, an easy-to-use document management system for Windows Server that supports about a million files and can run physically or virtually on a non-dedicated server or in the cloud. A quick setup for Windows clients automatically maps a drive to the system’s central repository. Each user’s own repository appears as a drive or network share, guiding them into DMS though the familiar Windows Explorer UI.

Opening the M-drive brings up their local Cloud Vault, where a well-organized environment imposes a simple and logical structure to documents, tasks and peer interactions. The system is built on the Firebird open-source database but also can use Microsoft SQL Server. Depending on permissions, documents can be checked out of a folder for viewing or editing, or can be assigned to other system users for editing, approval or other tasks based on the organization’s individual workflow. All file versions are preserved and activities tracked for later audit or regulatory compliance. There’s a native client for Windows; other platforms can access the system and all its functions through a browser.

The system keeps track of files and eases later searches through the use of metadata. Prior to creating any document, the user is presented with fields for entering metadata to classify what’s being created. Labels for metadata appear in drop-downs, can trigger additional lists and can vary from one company to another. For example, creation of a marketing document might present a list of Word templates for a company press release, data sheet or other standardized marketing materials. Permissions also can be set here or edited at any time later.