Check out The Best Document Management Software of 2026 business.com recommends.
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Check out The Best Document Management Software of 2026 business.com recommends.
A document management system isn’t merely a place to store documents so you can go paperless. As its name suggests, it’s a solution that also helps you manage, or track, your documents and complete ongoing work. While simply going digital will speed up your document management processes compared to relying on manual procedures, some solutions are better than others at really boosting productivity. OnPhase is our pick for the best document management software for small businesses looking to improve productivity because it streamlines the steps involved in storage, scanning and retrieval, eliminating time-consuming searches for documents.
For businesses rethinking their document management strategy, OnPhase offers a secure, cloud-based solution. In a single, intuitive interface, business owners can store digital documents and eliminate unnecessary paperwork. Rather than sorting through physical copies of documents, you can use OnPhase’s advanced search functions, like keyword and configurable search tools, to quickly retrieve the documents you need. We also love that OnPhase works for businesses of all sizes, as the software supports a large volume of documents while reducing the costs of hardware and onsite storage.
Additionally, OnPhase’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities allow businesses to use preset tags and indexing terms to automatically classify documents and save time. These functions are ideal for companies that want to improve their workflow and become more efficient. The platform is also integration-friendly, offers optical character recognition (OCR) technology and enables collaborative access from anywhere at any time. All of that adds up to smoother day-to-day operations, helping users get more done — and get it done faster. With all this in mind, we found OnPhase to be the best document management software on the market for businesses focused on increasing productivity.

Although OnPhase’s platform might have a small learning curve, the software company offers guided training to help new users adjust. Based on our experience, you can quickly learn how to integrate the software’s features and automate document management processes with ease once you know your way around.
Navigating OnPhase’s tools is relatively simple. The main menu bar at the top (featured on all major pages in OnPhase) allows you to search tools using the grouping tabs. You can select and navigate to the right functionality with submenus and operational pages.
OnPhase offers webinars and on-demand training resources covering topics like document sharing, workflow automation and going paperless — all of which can help new users get the most out of their document management software. Still, businesses interested in finding the platform that’s easiest to use should check out our review of M-Files.

That said, we also like how OnPhase users can easily connect the program with hundreds of compatible enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrations, like NetSuite, Dynamics and Sage. Additionally, you can safely and securely store sensitive information using customizable security protocols that grant access with tiered permissions. [Learn about ERP software and how it can increase efficiency.]
OnPhase goes well beyond basic digital storage. Its features are built to help your business streamline workflows, reduce manual work and take productivity to the next level.
We really liked that OnPhase offers automatic file routing and indexing to help you manage digital documents in a paperless office. AI and machine learning help users increase efficiency, productivity and organization by eliminating the need for manual file routing and indexing.
OnPhase seamlessly integrates with other common platforms, like ERP systems. While it works well as a stand-alone document management software, it can also serve as an integrated tool across multiple business software products. You can use OnPhase to integrate data, content and processes from the different applications you use to run your business. This makes it easier to handle day-to-day operations and cuts down on time switching between programs. One of OnPhase’s competitors also stands out for integrations — get all the details in our DocuWare review to see which solution is better for your business.
Good document management software should easily extract information from documents and convert it into data. OnPhase’s enhanced data capture replaces manual data entry with an OCR capture tool that analyzes and extracts data from incoming documents. This tool supports the digitization of documents while helping to eliminate human errors and reduce costly mistakes.
Searchability is one of the most practical advantages any document management platform can offer. OnPhase’s advanced search functions save valuable time, especially for larger teams managing hundreds or thousands of documents. Users can search documents by keyword to find the exact piece of information and document necessary rather than manually combing through folders, files and stacks of paper.

Document management security is crucial. Larger teams can benefit from OnPhase’s highly customizable permission protocols, which allow for customized access across various departments. Business owners and managers can restrict access to specific documents to only the employees who need them for their specific roles. Users can also create tiered permissions for additional security. Depending on your company’s jobs and departments, you can grant access to individual users or groups that can be limited or broad in scope.

Most document management solutions today offer cloud-hosted storage. OnPhase also provides private and hybrid cloud hosting services that support data backups, snapshots, clustering, geographic redundancy and other enterprise-grade features — giving businesses greater flexibility over how and where their data is stored.
OnPhase provides customized document management systems that are tailored to each business’s needs. The vendor doesn’t publish any of its package tiers or pricing information. Contact a sales representative to receive a quote based on your company’s size, the features you’re looking for and other factors.
Some business owners may appreciate the chance to customize their document management platform, while others may be turned off by the lack of upfront information. When we spoke with a OnPhase representative, we were told custom packages include the option to add lower-priced limited user accounts that do not have full administrative privileges.
OnPhase offers custom demos and free trials so you have an opportunity to see if the software is the right solution for your business before fully committing. Most of the provider’s peers also have trial periods.
New OnPhase clients will work closely with the vendor’s Professional Services team to implement their document management software either onsite or remotely. Depending on your contract and the scope of your platform, your setup time will range from three weeks to several months. The more involved you are in the implementation (for example, providing the necessary information and permissions to ease the process), the quicker the process will be. However, if your solution requires custom configurations, data migration or personalized features, setup will take longer.
Once implementation is complete, plan to schedule onboarding and training sessions for the employees who will be using the system most frequently. OnPhase offers several training resources (in-person training, live online sessions, on-demand webinars and videos) to help users learn the software.
The service provider recommended users upgrade their software whenever a new version of OnPhase is released.

OnPhase’s customer service is comprehensive. The vendor provides both phone and email support Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, as outlined in customers’ support contracts. OnPhase covers product support for its software suite and offers how-to guidance on system functionality at no extra charge, while additional fees apply to other support services — such as change requests to your current product configuration or issues caused by misuse, improper use or invalid action. After-hours support is also available as a billable service.
On its website, you can find typical support resources, like webinars, a company blog and an FAQ section. The site also features white papers and case studies that may apply to your business.
While OnPhase is a streamlined and intuitive document management system, it does come with a few drawbacks. For instance, the vendor’s customer service can be too hands-on when it comes to upgrades. OnPhase is known to handhold customers through updates and rollouts rather than providing users the resources to handle these processes on their own. That can slow things down considerably, which is odd for a product that otherwise does so much to aid productivity.
We also learned in our investigation that while the platform’s customer support team is generally helpful, representatives often have trouble identifying and fixing any issues with updates, which can delay and inconvenience your business. And since OnPhase doesn’t have an online chat for tech support, it can be frustrating to go through a ticket resolution process for problems that require quick fixes. In contrast, competitor Revver not only has a live chat option, but it also invites clients to participate in weekly Zoom sessions where they can get questions answered by company experts. Learn more in our full review of Revver.
Our search for the top document management systems for small businesses entailed researching and analyzing dozens of products on the market. Our evaluations included demos and hands-on product testing whenever possible, conversations with customer support and reviews of customer comments. We watched tutorials, looked into each vendor’s pricing, and examined platform usability, the implementation process and security measures. We considered features like the file cabinet structure, search functions, scanning capabilities, integrations, automated workflows, collaboration tools and mobile access.
To determine the best document management system for companies that want to improve productivity, we paid particular attention to automated features, third-party integrations and ways in which the software streamlines operations and enhances workflow. [For more help making a purchasing decision, check out our advice for choosing a small business document management system.]
We recommend OnPhase for…
We don’t recommend OnPhase for…
Check out The Best Document Management Software of 2026 business.com recommends.