Comparing Records Management Systems, Enterprise Content Management Systems, And Enterprise Information Portals

By Smead Software Solutions

The urgency around capturing, managing and protecting corporate and public records has become serious business. New laws, tightening industry regulations and increased scrutiny has resulted in a stream of software products and tools entering the market to manage various problems. Finding the correct product to meet your records management needs and benefit your organization can be simplified with a basic understanding of the various options available.

It's important to first understant the fundamental difference between content and records. They are frequently and erroneously lumped into the same bucket with the assumptions that they serve the same purpose and should be managed the same way.

A typical budgeting cycle serves as a good example. For most organization, budgeting is a highly collaborative process. It's handled with a variety of spreadsheets, notes and other documents; and typically, all the versions are tracked. At some point, the budget is finalized and set in stone. That file, then, becomes the official matter of record.