Document Management System Requirements Specification to Get a Quality DMS

This article, the second part of the series, is dedicated to discussing the functional requirements to build a DMS. It provides a background for the distinctive classifications of the business requirements of a document management system into ‘functional’ and ‘non-functional’. Also, we explain why the DMS functional requirements are important, identify the types and examples, and offer our own experience building DMS solutions at ProCoders.

Previously, we’ve published other articles on the document management system:

• Advantages of Electronic Document Management System
• How to Create a Document Management System
• Document Management System (DMS) Guide

As we have consistently posited, if enterprises must move beyond paper to digital records, they need a storage system that enables them to manage, track, and easily retrieve those records as needed. Therefore, possessing a DMS is key to workflow automation and business operations optimization. All these have been covered in the previous article in this series.

Types of the DMS System Requirements

It is impossible to understand the types of DMS system requirements without understanding the BABOK classification schema that underpins much of system engineering in the enterprise development space.

When it comes to business analysis, many organizations defer to the BABOK classification schema. BABOK is an acronym for the book titled ‘A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge,’ which was published as a framework of best practices and industry standards in project management. This schema is widely used to ensure that systems are designed in alignment with business needs, making it a cornerstone for many software development projects, including document management systems (DMS).

Under product specifications, BABOK specifies 4 different types of requirements:

• Business Requirements
• Stakeholders Requirements
• Solution Requirements
• Transition Requirements

For the purposes of this article, we are only concerned with the solution requirements, which are divided into functional and non-functional requirements. According to BABOK, solution requirements “Describe the capabilities and qualities of a solution that meets the stakeholder requirements.” The document continues to explain that those requirements “provide the appropriate level of detail to allow for the development and implementation of the solution.”

Understanding this distinction is critical when planning a DMS, as solution requirements form the backbone of a system’s design. Functional requirements document specify what the system must do, such as document storage, searchability, or security features, while non-functional requirements define how those functions should perform, including speed, scalability, or user accessibility. Both aspects are equally essential to ensure the system meets operational and user needs effectively.

By adhering to the BABOK framework, organizations can achieve clarity in defining requirements, minimize ambiguities during development, and ensure their DMS aligns with strategic business goals. This approach also facilitates smoother communication among stakeholders, business analysts, and development teams, enhancing the chances of a successful project outcome.

The Difference Between the Functional and Nonfunctional DMS System Requirement

DMS System Functional Requirements

Document management system functional requirements specify the most important features of a system, without which the system would fail to accomplish its set purpose. In short, these document management system business requirements are obligatory; without a functional requirement, the system will not work.

They define the scope of development/implementation and serve as the ultimate guide for team members to follow as they build the product. The features identified under this category, considering that they are essential to the normal working of the system, are usually informed by user requirements.

Functional requirements include authorisation, data validation, API integrations, security, legal and regulatory requirements, and so on.

For instance, API integrations enable seamless communication between the DMS and other software systems, ensuring better workflow efficiency. Similarly, legal and regulatory compliance ensures the system aligns with industry standards, safeguarding businesses from legal challenges. These examples demonstrate how functional requirements directly impact both operational efficiency and organizational compliance.

DMS System Nonfunctional Requirements

That these requirements are referred to as non-functional does not mean they are not important. While functional requirements define the system features, non-functional ones define the behaviour of these features.

A system can still work normally without non-functional requirements; however, the usability will suffer terribly in that case. If the functional side is informed by user requirements, the non-functional side is informed by user experience or user expectations. That is, those properties are not required, but they are expected if you want to ensure a delightful experience for users of the product.

Non-functional requirements include system capacity, scalability, speed, customization, etc.

For example, system scalability ensures that the DMS can handle an increasing volume of documents as a business grows, while speed ensures quick document retrieval and smooth performance even during high-demand periods. Customization allows businesses to adapt the system to their unique workflows, enhancing its practicality and usability. These attributes significantly influence user satisfaction and long-term system adoption.

Document Management System Functional Requirements: Types and Specifications

Storage

Of course, a DMS is a digital archive of endless files and records related to the company. These records are stored within the system. Therefore, the most obvious document management system requirements specification is a storage device/component. Secure storage ensures easy retrieval whenever a document is required. The size and type of the storage device may vary according to an organisation’s needs.

Searchability

For a system that’s basically a repository of all a company’s documents, you need a very powerful searchability feature that allows you to sift through all the documents stored in the repository. Preferably, the search feature in a DMS should have various filters and categories by which you can organise documents in order to find the files you want quickly and easily.

Scanner

Even though the world is largely digital now, paper documents have not gone out of vogue yet. Therefore, if you have a DMS, there must be a feature that allows you to transform paper files into digital records for proper archiving. Now, the scanner itself may operate in all manner of ways, that’s about the non-functional requirements. However, there must be a scanner to ensure the proper functioning of the system.

Record Organisation

This is another core requirement for a DMS. Basically, this is about the classification and structuring of records stored in the system. For instance, a DMS has to be able to track changes to every document. Why? Document management is closely associated with business workflow optimisation. Therefore, without a way to track the historical records of stored files, the business workflow will probably suffer too.

Security

Data protection is a top-priority functional requirement for every document management system. Data on the system must be properly secured and encrypted to avoid intentional and unintentional data loss. It is also crucial from a regulatory standpoint because the loss of an important record may affect the organisation’s legal standing and probably ultimately threaten the survival of the business.

Examples of the Document Management System Functional Requirements

• E-signature: the world is growing increasingly paperless and virtual. Nowadays, it’s the norm for people and enterprises to enter into deals and binding agreements after an exchange of emails. Features such as electronic signatures make this possible, and your DMS software cannot be complete without one.

• Document history: being able to track the change history of documents is a non-negotiable feature for DMS software. It helps users to monitor changes to documents and retrieve previous versions when necessary. This contributes to workflow optimisation.

• Permission management: to protect system data by organising permission, granting varying levels of access to users and employees who need to interact with documents. For instance, not everyone who can view a document should be able to edit it, and so on. This depends on the strength and robustness of the permission management feature.

• Backup: today, we live in a world where cyberattacks are to be expected. It’s only a matter of preparedness. One of the most highly recommended security features for a DMS is an encrypted backup option. This is not only useful in cases of attacks but also when there are crashes or other unexpected system failures.

Real-World Use Cases of DMS Functional Requirements

Understanding how DMS functional requirements apply to specific industries can highlight their significance. Here are examples from key sectors

Healthcare

In healthcare, patient record management is critical for operational efficiency and compliance with privacy regulations. A well-designed DMS ensures that medical records are stored securely, with access restricted to authorized personnel. Features like e-signatures streamline processes such as patient consent forms, reducing reliance on paper documents. Integration with hospital management systems further enhances functionality by allowing seamless sharing of patient data between departments while maintaining strict data security standards. This improves patient care and minimizes administrative delays.

Logistics

Managing contracts, delivery records, and supply chain documents for logistics companies is a constant challenge. A robust DMS can streamline contract management by enabling digital signatures, improving the speed of approvals, and ensuring document integrity. The RLM Jobs case study illustrates this perfectly: drivers could sign contracts digitally, reducing delays in hiring and fulfilling orders. Additionally, searchability and record organization features allow for quick retrieval of critical documents, ensuring smooth operations across the supply chain.

Legal Firms

Legal firms handle vast amounts of sensitive documents that require meticulous organization and strict access controls. A DMS tailored for the legal industry ensures that document revisions are tracked, providing a clear audit trail. Permission management plays a crucial role, granting varying access levels to clients, lawyers, and support staff while protecting confidential information. Moreover, the system’s compliance with data privacy laws ensures that legal firms meet their obligations to safeguard sensitive data. These functionalities reduce risks and save valuable time during case preparations.

By exploring these use cases, it becomes clear that functional requirements like security, e-signatures, searchability, and integration are more than technical specifications—they are the foundation for efficient workflows and business success.

Education

Educational institutions deal with an enormous amount of paperwork, from student records and admissions documents to curriculum materials and faculty records. A DMS simplifies this by offering centralized storage and quick searchability. Secure access controls ensure sensitive student data is protected, while collaboration tools enable faculty and administrators to work together on shared documents, such as policy updates or accreditation reports. Integration with learning management systems (LMS) further enhances efficiency by automating document workflows related to online courses, exams, and grading. This reduces administrative burdens and allows staff to focus on improving education quality.

By exploring these use cases, it becomes clear that functional requirements like security, e-signatures, searchability, and integration are more than technical specifications—they are the foundation for efficient workflows and business success.

ProCoders Advice about the Electronic Document Management System Requirements

At ProCoders, we bank on our ability to choose the right software development teams with top engineers, designers, and QAs. We can even help you get rid of the doubts on the topic of product owner versus product manager or help you with establishing n8n automated workflow. All this allows us to build solutions that enable companies to optimize their workflows, supercharge growth, and facilitate sustainable development. A robust DMS would help any organization to achieve these and more. However, building DMS software requires you to hire web developers with the skills sufficient for the task.

ProCoders is a staff augmentation company providing offshore software development services to companies across the globe. At ProCoders, we have a well-curated pool of developers who have been seriously evaluated and proven themselves capable of building efficient software products.

This article has done justice to explaining the importance of various document management system technical requirements for building DMS software. When you partner with ProCoders, we walk with you right from the discovery phase to ensure that the software is built according to your needs and expectations.

Here is what we always ask companies: what are the most important features that would raise the quality of your business operations? When building software that is highly integrated with the business workflow such as a DMS, the pertinence of this question becomes even more apparent.

In our experience, we worked with RLM Jobs to build an e-signature feature for RLM Jobs, a logistics company faced with the challenge of finding contract-to-hire employees. The e-signature platform enabled drivers to sign contracts in record time, and that significantly reduced order delays. ProCoders developers had the full site running within six weeks and in no time, over 50 companies were already posting jobs on the platform.

Like RLM Jobs, your business operations can also receive a boost when you partner with ProCoders to build a DMS solution for you from scratch or even if you want to migrate your existing solution to a better platform.

Conclusion

It needs repeating that having a solid DMS is one of the most rewarding steps to take to optimise your business processes. You need an efficient solution that is able to capture all your needs. However, the first real stage is establishing the functional DMS system requirements that should go into the system. These requirements are the backbone of a system’s success, ensuring it not only functions as expected but also adapts to your organization’s evolving needs over time. A carefully planned DMS will improve workflow efficiency, enhance collaboration, and reduce risks associated with document mismanagement.

As a software development company of repute, ProCoders boasts of wide-ranging experiences in building DMS software as well as other solutions for clients far and wide. Our expertise lies in tailoring DMS solutions to align with unique business objectives, whether you’re seeking seamless integration with existing systems, robust security measures, or advanced customization options to handle industry-specific requirements.

ProCoders supports you at every stage of the development process—from the initial discovery phase, where we define your specific functional and non-functional requirements, to deployment and ongoing support. Our goal is to ensure your DMS is not just a tool, but a strategic asset that drives your business forward.

Before embarking on this project, give us a call to let us know how we can partner with you to build an efficient DMS solution. Together, we can create a system that improves productivity, secures your data, and positions your organization for long-term success.