Document Management Glossary
Document management and process automation come with their own vocabulary. Use this glossary as a quick reference for common terms you’ll encounter while evaluating or using a system like Symphony.
The use of software to manage the invoice to payment process, including invoice capture, approval routing, and payment processing, reducing manual data entry and speeding up cycle times.
An emerging approach where AI systems don’t just extract data from documents but take autonomous action based on that data, such as routing an invoice for approval or flagging a discrepancy without human intervention.
A chronological record of who accessed, edited, or approved a document and when, used to demonstrate compliance and accountability.
The use of technology to automate repetitive business tasks and workflows, such as approvals, notifications, and data entry, that would otherwise require manual effort.
A document management system hosted and accessed over the internet rather than on local servers, offering remote access and reduced IT infrastructure requirements.
Frameworks and regulations that govern how organizations must handle, store, and protect data. SOC 2 addresses data security controls, HIPAA governs protected health information, and GDPR governs personal data for individuals in the EU.Frameworks and regulations that govern how organizations must handle, store, and protect data. SOC 2 addresses data security controls, HIPAA governs protected health information, and GDPR governs personal data for individuals in the EU.
The process of managing a contract from creation and negotiation through execution, renewal, and expiration, often supported by automated tracking and alerts.
The process of extracting information from a physical or digital document so it can be used in downstream systems and workflows.
The broader shift of an organization’s processes, tools, and culture away from manual or paper based methods toward digital systems.
Software used to store, organize, secure, and retrieve digital documents and files, often including version control, access permissions, and search functionality.
Paperwise has an API and allows their customers to use it to develop customizations and integrations. To learn more, visit our Develop page.
The connection between a document management or automation platform and an enterprise resource planning system (such as Business Central or NetSuite), allowing data to flow between the two without manual re entry.
Technology that uses OCR and machine learning to automatically read, classify, and extract data from scanned or digital documents, reducing the need for manual data entry.
A more advanced form of OCR capable of reading handwritten text in addition to printed characters.
A category of technology that combines OCR, machine learning, and workflow automation to extract, validate, and route data from documents with minimal human involvement.
A method of building workflows and applications using visual tools and minimal custom programming, allowing business teams to configure automation without a dedicated development team.
Descriptive information attached to a document, such as document type, date, customer, or department, used to organize and quickly locate files.
The ability to scan or photograph documents using a mobile device and have that image processed and filed automatically, commonly used in field based industries like transportation.
A document management system hosted on a company’s own servers rather than in the cloud, typically requiring more internal IT management.
Technology that converts printed or typed text in an image or scanned document into machine readable text.
An organization that has eliminated or significantly reduced its reliance on physical paper documents in favor of digital records and workflows.
The process of comparing a purchase order, invoice, and receiving document to confirm they match before an invoice is approved for payment, also called three way matching.
The practice of systematically governing the creation, storage, retention, and disposal of an organization’s records in line with legal and business requirements.
Policies that define how long specific types of documents must be kept before they can be securely destroyed, often driven by regulatory requirements.
A workflow in which a transaction, such as an invoice, moves from receipt to completion without manual intervention at any step.
A system for tracking changes to a document over time, ensuring users always know which version is current and can reference or restore prior versions if needed.
The use of software to automatically move a task, document, or approval from one step to the next based on predefined rules, removing the need for manual handoffs.