Is it possible/viable to use Evernote as a Document Management System?

[Ayb 1]

Hello everyone!

I’m looking for a viable Document Management System. The best would be something I already use, or a mix of tools I currently use (Evernote, Dropbox, Google Drive etc.)

My needs:

- Easy to access documents

- ease of collaborating with my people

- ease of follow-up. Ex: invoices are scanned. I have to be ready to send them to my accountant, but I also need to track the payments (are they paid? Or track the due date etc.) Or a document from the Administration: I have to archive it, but me or my assistant need to do some follow-up until the case is closed etc.

So, I need something I can rely on.

I thought about Evernote (even if I mostly use it as note taker app) because of the tagging options AND the possibility to attach notes to the files.

Dropbox seems to be a perfect file storage system, but not a document management system.

What do you thing? Do you have any experience here?

Or is it better to look somewhere else?

Thanks a lot!

[DTLow 5,738]

My use was single user, so I can't comment on the collaboration features

For organization, Evernote uses tag methodology   
This worked well for me, but upset some users who wanted folder structure

>the possibility to attach notes to the files.

A concern is that Evernote's unit of storage is a note   
We can't simply store a pdf file.  It has to be a note, with the pdf stored as a note attachment file   
I think a Document Management System's unit of storage should be the document file

>ease of follow-up

I use tags to control and  follow-up     
For example, a to-be-paid tag    
I stored due-date using the reminder feature

 

[PinkElephant 8,279]

EN works pretty good as DMS.

Maybe not picture perfect out of the box, but by creating and using some tags to support your workflows, it can easily be adapted.

One hint: In some countries a DMS for professional use must assure that documents can't be altered after they were stored. This is not the case with EN - which is perfectly OK for most use cases, maybe except a few special ones. In question ask support, or your tax consultant.

[gazumped 11,768]

If your accountant is familiar with Evernote then the answers above should cover it.  My only reservation is that we're talking money here (well,  invoices,  anyway) and you need to be concentrating on getting things paid and into your accounts,  not (as it maybe for your accountant) another unfamiliar piece of software.  In this case I'd go for the Google options.  Save everything in folders in Google Drive and share them out.  There's simplicity,  familiarity and security all in one package.  My favourite 'itties'  

[Ayb 1]

@DTLow 

Quote

For organization, Evernote uses tag methodology   
This worked well for me, but upset some users who wanted folder structure

I used tags in Trello for example, but for sorting or searching, it was more for info to be pop up visually.

But for what I've seen previously about tags on Evernote, it could be great and game changing.

Quote

A concern is that Evernote's unit of storage is a note   
We can't simply store a pdf file.  It has to be a note, with the pdf stored as a note attachment file   
I think a Document Management System's unit of storage should be the document file

It's effectively disturbing that the unit of storage is a note.

Quote

I use tags to control and  follow-up     
For example, a to-be-paid tag    
I stored due-date using the reminder feature

Nice way of managing things, I was thinking of the same kind of workflow.

[Ayb 1]

@PinkElephant

Quote

EN works pretty good as DMS.

Maybe not picture perfect out of the box, but by creating and using some tags to support your workflows, it can easily be adapted.

One hint: In some countries a DMS for professional use must assure that documents can't be altered after they were stored. This is not the case with EN - which is perfectly OK for most use cases, maybe except a few special ones. In question ask support, or your tax consultant.

Seems that the system with tags is definitely the way to do it  
About the use case where you have to assure that the documents can't be altered, it is for Invoices you produce. For that purpose, we use an invoicing tool that assures that.

[Ayb 1]

@gazumped

Quote

If your accountant is familiar with Evernote then the answers above should cover it.  My only reservation is that we're talking money here (well,  invoices,  anyway) and you need to be concentrating on getting things paid and into your accounts,  not (as it maybe for your accountant) another unfamiliar piece of software.  In this case I'd go for the Google options.  Save everything in folders in Google Drive and share them out.  There's simplicity,  familiarity and security all in one package.  My favourite 'itties'  

He's definitely not familiar with Evernote.  
So I have to push into his tool the invoices I make and those I receive. The same for bank list of transactions etc. Or, at least, I have to send all those files in attachement by email (or sometimes by sharing a Dropbox folder). 

So, you think it's difficult to share documents via Evernote?

[Ayb 1]

Note that I just noticed that Dropbox allows to add tags to files. And even to automatically tag files when they are in a certain folder.

Well, it's really hard to determine what to choose.

Maybe I have to test one workflow for a few months, and another one another few months to figure out the better way to make it for my teams. 🤔

If you have advices or ressources to share, please do 🙏

 

[Jon/t 1,376]

I think EN would be OK as a document management system but I wouldn't use it for invoices and expenses.

I'd invest in some proper invoicing software that would prepare everything or your accountant which would save some money in the long run.

The one I use lets me run reports on income and expenses so the accountant doesn't have to do much work.... saves £s.

Sharing is awkward with EN. I don't use it to share files or docs with clients as there's better software to do this like DropBox, OneDrive etc.

[Ayb 1]

@Jon/t

Quote

I'd invest in some proper invoicing software that would prepare everything or your accountant which would save some money in the long run.

The one I use lets me run reports on income and expenses so the accountant doesn't have to do much work.... saves £s.

I agree with you on those points 👍
 

Quote

Sharing is awkward with EN. I don't use it to share files or docs with clients as there's better software to do this like DropBox, OneDrive etc.

Ok! That's what a friend of mine said to me: sharing is really awkward with Evernote. People know Dropbox better for example.

But so, why/how do you use EN? For taking notes only?

[Jon/t 1,376]

3 hours ago, Ayb said:

But so, why/how do you use EN? For taking notes only?

Yeah. I keep all my own documentation in EN. All my workflows. Client notes. Notes and structures for the training session I run.

My online training manuals are with Zoho Learn which is proper Wiki software where I can share with a password and use a custom domain name. EN can't do this level of sharing at all.

I also run a marketing podcast so there's a note for every episode where I store guest bio's, questions, scripts, head shots, artwork etc.

[Ayb 1]

@Jon/t

Quote

Yeah. I keep all my own documentation in EN. All my workflows. Client notes. Notes and structures for the training session I run.

My online training manuals are with Zoho Learn which is proper Wiki software where I can share with a password and use a custom domain name. EN can't do this level of sharing at all.

I also run a marketing podcast so there's a note for every episode where I store guest bio's, questions, scripts, head shots, artwork etc.

Thank you for sharing. It's always inspiring!