Some systems include history tracking where a log of the various versions created and modified by different users is recorded.
Document management systems commonly provide storage, versioning, metadata, security, as well as indexing and retrieval capabilities.
Here is a description of these components: The published document should be in a format that is not easily altered without a specific knowledge or tools, and yet it is read-only or portable.
These industries include accounting (for example: 8th EU Directive, Sarbanes–Oxley Act), food safety (for example the Food Safety Modernization Act in the US), ISO (mentioned above), medical device manufacturing (FDA), manufacture of blood, human cells, and tissue products (FDA), healthcare (JCAHO), and information technology (ITIL).
[22] Some industries work under stricter document control requirements due to the type of information they retain for privacy, warranty, or other highly regulated purposes.
In this context 'documents' are any of a myriad of information assets including images, office documents, graphics, and drawings as well as the new electronic objects such as Web pages, email, instant messages, and video.
Document management software is an electronic cabinet that can be used to organize all paper and digital files.