What is the difference between content management and document management?
- Dr. Moria Levy
- Sep 1, 2001
- 2 min read
Many of us tend to view document management and content management as if they are synonymous terms for the same thing. However, in practice, these are two distinct fields that share many commonalities. Let's examine several differences between content management and document management:
Documents are defined as information stored in a file. In contrast, content includes any item that can be stored electronically, including pieces of knowledge saved directly in the content repository without a document wrapper; including information from ERP systems, information from databases, files, applications, web pages, graphics, software code, product catalogs, inventory lists, images, emails, and more.
Document management, like content management, contains aspects of information capture, organization, storage, and distribution. However, effective content management must include aspects of updating and real-time information.
Content management dedicates a significant chapter to the content approval process by a content manager. In document management, there is a version control process, but these are not equivalent at all.
Section or complete document - In document management, we save documents in their entirety with all their content. In contrast, in content management, it's possible to save one section from a complete document or several sections brought from different sources in a unified manner.
In content management, categorization primarily serves the purpose of permissions: suppose two people request to view "news" items. Both will view the same window of news items, with news items filtered for each according to a subject category that defines their areas of interest. Document management encompasses aspects of document properties (profiles), primarily serving user-initiated searching.
There are tools whose primary specialization is document management, while others excel in content management. Before purchasing one product or another, the organization should analyze its central need and accordingly prefer the product family that is suitable for it.
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