DocStar ECM Reviews

Pros

This software is highly customizable and can fit a variety of workflows and industries. We are able to store thousands of files (well into the GBs) forever and can search among the document text thanks to OCR so even documents 10+ years old that weren't named using our current organization structure can be found and referenced. It is an invaluable tool in my daily work as an insurance broker.

Cons

The trouble with "highly customizable" is that unless you have someone who speaks tech, it can be difficult to take advantage of all the features that would best serve your company. Originally our software was setup in some wacky ways that made it more difficult to sue, however after I came aboard, I was able to tweak settings and workflows to optimize efficiency.

Pros

It's a very simple interface. Integrating with Azure AD was a bit picky but once it works, it works. The forms tool is simple and powerful and I was able to get most of what I wanted done.

Cons

Everything being workflow-driven makes sense, but the UI does not. That needs to be refined.

Also, the folder interface has zero power or utility where it could be a standout (people still think in terms of folders). DocStar wants people to just search OCR and meta, that's fine until it comes time to navigate common names and terms.

Lastly I couldn't get it to properly talk to a regular Fujitsu scanner the way I needed it to; it was ignoring all imaging settings from the driver. So I just scanned to PaperStream and let it "sweep" stuff in, but I shouldn't have to do that.

Alternatives Considered

OnBase, Laserfiche, M-Files, Alfresco Digital Business Platform and OpenText Experience Cloud

Reasons for Switching to DocStar ECM

Hyland has started overcharging for their software and no longer accept startups or small companies. Minimum $80k to get started where it used to be as low as $3k. Laserfiche never responded. Docupeak changed the software away from what I needed at some point and only focus on mid-tier and up companies now. M-Files never responded. OpenText never responded. Alfresco is way too basic in comparison (though I do own it too for a different reason). PaperVision requires excessive custom code to do a lot of what DocStar does out of the box.

Pros

The AP automation and IDC is helpful to our AP process and works nicely when it works. Sending invoices for approval through DocStar is also nice for end users, but we feel limited that the approval stamp does not show on the PDF, so you cannot see who approved it when viewing the PDF from Epicor AP Invoice Tracker.

Cons

We constantly have connection issues and the software does not work. It requires IT to get involved and usually a ticket to Epicor. We also do not like that we have to have an on-premise server for DocStar. Our contract did not mention storage overage fees and we quickly went over our storage in just a few short months and have been paying overage fees. This should have been in the contract. We ended up just moving all of our document storage to our Sharepoint and we are not using DocStar for document storage any longer. For the high cost of DocStar, we are using a very small piece of it. We are aware of many other AP Automation software out there that connect to Epicor for a fraction of the cost.

Pros

It has the ability to incorporate with our ERP (Epicor P21) which has the potential for more additional growth features. Workflows are easy to set up and adjust to your company process. Takes a little time to learn, but helpful in the long run as you can edit on the fly.

Cons

DocStar staff being more helpful with adjusting or adding features. We were one of the first to purchase DocStar after Epicor purchased the software. We were left in the dark about setup. I have had to create all the workflows on my own. Security classes and some integrations need to have better instructions or ability to edit them for our company needs

Alternatives Considered

DocLink

Reasons for Switching to DocStar ECM

Mainly because it was owned by Epicor now so we believe that the potential for future integrations will occur for our benefit.

Pros

Installation and configuration was very straightforward
Product support is readily available and the product is very intuitive

Cons

The amount of features can be overwhelming, especially if your team is not used to document management outside of shared network drives and folders.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams

Reasons for Switching to DocStar ECM

The integration with our ERP was the single largest deciding factor.

Pros

II used DocStar in my last job. I found it very user friendly and easy to set up. I looked at several different programs at the time and very glad I choose DocStar.

Cons

Nothing about the product. I did think the price was a little high. Would have liked it being a little lower

Pros

1. Document organization and retrieval: I appreciate the robust document management capabilities of DocStar ECM. The platform allows for efficient organization, indexing, and categorization of documents, making it easier to locate and retrieve specific files when needed. I can assign metadata, tags, and keywords to documents, enabling powerful search and retrieval capabilities.2. Workflow automation: DocStar ECM offers workflow automation features that help streamline business processes. I can design custom workflows to automate document routing, review and approval processes, and task assignments. This automation reduces manual effort, improves efficiency, and ensures consistent and timely document processing.3. Document version control: I find the version control functionality in DocStar ECM valuable. The platform maintains a history of document versions, allowing me to track changes, access previous versions, and revert to earlier iterations if necessary. This feature enhances collaboration and provides a clear audit trail of document modifications.

Cons

1. Limited customization options: While DocStar ECM offers various features for document management, I have limitations in terms of customization and flexibility. I have found certain aspects, such as customizing workflows or configuring metadata fields, to be restrictive or not as intuitive as desired.2. Integration challenges: I have difficulties in integrating the platform with specific business applications or systems. These challenges can arise from compatibility issues, customization requirements, or technical complexities, leading to additional effort and potential delays in the integration process.3. Performance and scalability: In some cases, I had performance issues when working with large volumes of documents or heavy workloads within DocStar ECM. These issues may include slower search or retrieval times, delays in processing workflows, or overall system responsiveness.

Pros

The workflow builder customization, OCR scanner, ease of data editing.

Cons

Randomly, the Client Service needs to be repaired or re-installed. The Office Integration module needs an active license on the server.

Pros

We use the workflow function in more than a few area and it makes our approval and processing of AP much smoother. Also have a few automated OCR feeds that make pulling key words from documents easy on users.

Cons

Need a mobile app or dynamic website to allow easier review and approval by users out of office. Also ability to easily take picture and scan and upload from phone is missing. It's not usable for our team when out of office.

Pros

The best about docstar ecm is that the software is user friendly has lot of useful features for enterprise data management. The software is helpful in data management, file sharing, document workflow and many more. Software is browser support and easy to access from any system. We can easily search and access the files is a great feature.

Cons

Sometimes problems with login. No other issues.

Pros

This product is very easy to use and for the most part is intuitive and user friendly.

Cons

The dashboard is a little clunky but it does not impact its usefulness.

Pros

Being able to save and retrieve documents. Annotations available to edit documents. Ability to delete documents if necessary. Importing multiple documents with one VCS # very helpful.

Cons

Email imports, previous versions saved the email and the attached documents as PDF's you could just flip through the pages, now you have to download the email and click on the document to view. You also cannot due annotations anymore on email attachments when the email itself was imported.

Pros

The flexibility of the Workflows. Search Capability. Additional uses.

Cons

Difficult to learn to develop workflows.

Pros

It works with Epicor - I can review my documents on the screen. Print Routing works most of time.

Cons

Very hard to use - setting up users, azure (no instructions) - and would like to get into more of it, but difficult to understand.

Pros

Reasonable cost; easy to move from what we were using doc star for (back up of our paper files) to using it as a primary filing source when we went paperless; easy to learn

Cons

Seems slow; lot of steps to file a document; user starts to file the document and the information disappears - have to start the filing process again

Pros

I have easy access to documents of the whole company. If I need a particular document, it is very easy to find.

Cons

Lack of instructions on the use of the software. I am sure we are not using all the features we could be using.

Pros

Web based GUI is easy to navigate and clean. Install is not difficult.

Cons

The licensing cost and complexity of workflow.

Pros

When the OCR feature works this is great.

Cons

I have started to manually enter information that needs to be searched. For some reason the OCR has quit working and has not responded to attempts to get it up and runninghm

Pros

I like the ease of use and the ability categorize documents.

Cons

The upload feature could be a little more automated. Maybe through a consistent file feed instead of a manual upload.

Pros

This system integrates with SYSPRO, which was the primary driver for purchase. It has the ability to be highly customized and accommodate complex workflows. Does great at retaining images of documents and the search functions are usable and logical.

Cons

The interface is not modern and some basic functions are missing like the inability to filter on columns and manage out of office approvals for groups. Workflow creation is difficult and not intuitive - lacks the ability to copy multi steps from other workflows.

Pros

We use the DocStar EMC every day. It is great to have all the information readily available to all our employees. It saves so much time in looking up information on our customers and the documents that relate to each other.

Cons

Just getting use to the different ways to scan and retrieve. Sometimes it is hard to find exactly what you are looking for, but I think we will master all phases soon.

Pros

Our [SENSITIVE CONTENT] used to sell DocStar solutions, so we've been using it for years. It's easy and intuitive to use.

Cons

No dislikes at all! We love our docstar!

Pros

It is so easy to use and not time consuming at all. We use it to digitize all our student records and accounting information.
It is easy to access the scanned information later and either print out or send documents via email. It's also great for any audit you may have for quick and easy access.
Customer support is so helpful and easy to get a hold of if you need technical support or need assistance in downloading any new software.

Cons

I have no comment on this as it works for us!

Pros

Ease of usage; ability for others to grab what is stored.

Cons

That the program does not allow all users to create the folders that are needed.

Pros

I love the integration with Epicor and the workflow approvals.

Cons

The fact that this was sold as out of the box ready solution was not true. We had to spend weeks of consulting hours (plus thousands of $$$) to get this programmed. There was not even a base install package available. :-(