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ComparisonM-Files or DocuWare: which fits your documents?
Both are established document management systems with workflows, AI and cloud or on-premises options. The difference is in the approach: DocuWare is strong in capturing and processing incoming documents, M-Files in managing documents in their business context.
See when to choose which Talk to an expert
Illustrative example
In short
DocuWare and M-Files are both document management systems with workflows, AI and cloud or on-premises deployment. DocuWare, part of Ricoh since 2019, is known for capture and intelligent document processing, such as invoice processing, electronic forms and employee files. M-Files organises documents by metadata and links them to customers, projects, contracts and other business objects, with permissions and workflows driven by that metadata and deep integration with Microsoft 365. SoftAdvice implements M-Files in the BeNeLux.
It depends on where your documents come from
Both systems can do a lot. Look at your most important documents: are they mostly incoming paper and invoices, or documents your teams create and manage around customers and projects?
Strong in incoming documents
High volumes of invoices, delivery notes and forms that must be captured, indexed and routed, often as an archive next to an ERP.
- Capture and intelligent indexing
- Invoice processing
- Electronic forms
Strong in documents in context
Our choiceClient files, projects, contracts, procedures and quality documents that your teams create, review and approve, linked to the customer, supplier or project they belong to.
- Metadata and business objects
- Lifecycle, approval and permissions
- Inside Microsoft 365
Overlap
Both handle version control, workflows, retention, mobile access and AI assistance. Then the choice comes down to your processes, your Microsoft environment and your partner.
- Versions and workflows
- Cloud or on-premises
- AI assistance
How DocuWare and M-Files approach the same tasks
Based on what both vendors publish. Ask both for a demo on your own documents before you decide.
| Topic | DocuWare | M-Files |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Document management and workflow automation, strong in capture | Metadata-driven: documents organised by what they are and what they belong to |
| Incoming documents | Capture and intelligent document processing with GenAI extraction | Aino suggests metadata when documents are saved |
| Business context | Documents with index fields | Documents linked to objects such as customers, projects, contracts and employees |
| Workflows | Workflow management and electronic forms | Workflow states in the document lifecycle, set off by metadata |
| Permissions | Role-based access | Access that follows metadata, such as customer, project or status |
| Microsoft 365 | Integrations available | Works inside Teams and Outlook; M-Files Cloud stores documents in SharePoint Embedded in your tenant |
| Existing repositories | Documents stored in DocuWare | Can show content from network drives and other systems without moving it all |
| Deployment | Cloud and on-premises | Cloud and on-premises |
| Packaged solutions | Solutions such as invoice processing and HR files | Solutions such as M-Files for Contracts, M-Files for Quality and the Hubshare client portal |
We are an M-Files partner, so judge for yourself
SoftAdvice implements M-Files, so we are not neutral. If your main need is processing large volumes of incoming invoices next to an ERP, DocuWare is a serious option and we will say so.
If your documents are about customers, projects, contracts and quality, and your people work in Microsoft 365, M-Files usually fits better. Compare both on your own documents.
- Ask both vendors for a demo on your documents
- Compare the total effort, not only the licence
- Check the partner who will implement it
Questions about M-Files and DocuWare
What is the main difference between M-Files and DocuWare?
DocuWare is known for capturing and processing incoming documents such as invoices. M-Files organises documents by metadata and links them to customers, projects and contracts, with permissions and workflows that follow that context.
Are both available in the cloud and on-premises?
Yes, both offer cloud and on-premises. Some M-Files solutions, such as M-Files for Quality, run in the M-Files Cloud only.
Which one is cheaper?
Neither publishes a simple price list for every case; both price per user and scope. Compare the full picture: licences, implementation and the effort to keep the system running. For M-Files, the price calculator gives an estimate.
Can we move from DocuWare to M-Files?
Yes. Documents and their index fields can be migrated and mapped to M-Files metadata. We plan it per document type, so daily work continues.
Compare on your own documents
In a one-hour demo we show M-Files on your own use case, so you can put it next to DocuWare.