What is a Document Management System (DMS)?

A document management system (DMS) is software that provides centralised storage, organisation, version control, and access management for documents and records across an organisation or project.

In general business contexts, a DMS handles contracts, policies, and administrative records. In engineering and asset-intensive industries, the requirements are significantly more demanding — leading to the development of specialised solutions known as Engineering Document Management Systems (EDMS).

DMS vs EDMS: what is the difference?

A standard DMS handles document storage and retrieval. An EDMS is purpose-built for the technical requirements of engineering environments — it manages document-to-tag relationships, revision workflows, transmittal processes, and integration with engineering tools, procurement systems, and contractor platforms.

For owner/operators and EPCs managing complex industrial assets, an EDMS provides capabilities that a generic DMS cannot.

Core capabilities of a DMS in industrial settings

• Centralised, searchable document repository
• Version control and revision history
• Role-based access and permissions
• Workflow management for review and approval
• Document-to-asset and document-to-tag linking
• Transmittal and distribution management

How Sharecat goes beyond traditional document management

Sharecat combines document management with structured data management — connecting documents not just to folders or projects, but to the specific tags, equipment records, and data objects they relate to. This means that when an operator searches for everything related to a specific pump or valve, they retrieve documents, datasheets, revisions, and supplier records in one place, with full traceability.