Top 10 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Software Systems in 2021

Enterprise content management (ECM) software is defined as a platform that enables an enterprise-scale organization to intelligently store, organize, and retrieve the organization’s content. 

Our reliance on content is rapidly growing. From websites to push your marketing footprint to internal knowledge repositories that inform product development, digitalization has made it easier to generate content than ever before. However, many companies face a challenge when trying to manage their content repositories in a coherent and efficient manner.

To solve this problem, businesses are turning to enterprise content management (ECM) software. An ECM software comprises platforms that consolidate all the activities needed to manage content under one roof. 

Table of Contents

• What Is Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Software?
• Key Must-Have Features of ECM Solutions
• Top 10 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Software Systems in 2021

What Is Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Software? 

Enterprise content management (ECM) software is a platform that enables an enterprise-scale organization to intelligently store, organize, and retrieve the organization’s content.

According to a 2020 Markets and Markets report, options for both buyers and sellers for ECM software are increasing and are expected to grow to a $67 Billion+ market by 2025, a nearly 50% growth in 5 years. This may further accelerate as the COVID-19 shutdown forces more and more companies to switch to remote employment, boosting the demand for an online ECM even more.

Learn More: What Is Enterprise Content Management (ECM)? Definition, Key Advantages, and Best Practices

Key Must-Have Features of ECM Solutions 

Before choosing an ECM solution, it is a must to check if it offers the key must-have features. Here is a list of features businesses must consider before finalizing a product.

10 Features an ECM Software Should Have

1. Robust document and asset management

One of the core features that an ECM must provide is a robust and sophisticated document and asset management system with customizable folders and access verification. This includes storing any type of content and assets intended for internal or external (customer) communication- articles, marketing PDFs, employee training documents and materials, sales pitches, proposals, templates, etc.

2. Secure collaboration 

Collaboration should be a key offering for your ECM; especially with employees across the world working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown, the demand for collaborative features on ECM is high. Collaboration features enable multiple users across multiple departments (if needed) to work on the same document in parallel. It also allows managers to view live progress in content generation. However, with increased accessibility comes the need for increased security and user authentication. An ECM must include robust user access level verification, and only authorized users must be allowed to view, modify, or delete documents. 

3. Record management

Your enterprise content management software will be your centralized document management center – including your internal records for the company and departments. This includes sales reports, accounting, and customer records (CRM integration is recommended), budget and spending, etc. 

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4. Advanced search 

With your entire organization’s content in one centralized software, it is critical that the ECM offers an advanced and fast search feature to ensure that your team can quickly access the correct documents based on search fields. These fields include looking for documents by departments and internal classifications, title, words used in the content, date, etc. ECMs that do not offer fast and accurate search results should not make it to your shortlist.

5. Modification history tracking and rollback

With multiple users accessing and editing organizational files, it is important that your ECM has real-time tracking and storing of edit history – who is making the changes and when. The ECM should subsequently also have the option to roll back a document to an earlier version if an incorrect edit has been made. 

6. Auto-redundancy detection

One of the key uses of an ECM comes from its ability to preserve unique and the latest copy of documents. This is made possible through the auto-detection of redundant files and presenting them for deletion. This ensures that your employees only see a single up-to-date file on a subject and do not get confused with multiple versions. 

7. Integration with existing apps

Enterprise content management integration is essential if you are to build a centralized operational landscape. Your ECM software needs to offer API integration options with your existing department/role-specific systems. Through this integration, you can ensure that you have the most sophisticated and complete repository of organizational content and records, ready for authorized access. For instance, your website, vendor management portal, and human resources information systems (HRIS) might feed into the ECM software. 

Learn More: Top 5 Enterprise Document Management Systems in 2021

8. Compliance

A good enterprise content management system will follow all relevant regional and industry-specific regulations from the get-go. For example, content retiring and retrieval mechanisms will be GDPR-compliant, keeping records of user consent for every asset. Further, it will also support company-specific archival policies via advanced customizations.

9. A hybrid hosting environment

You can choose to host your content and ECM processes on the public cloud, a private server (remote), or on-premise. And it is ideal to have the flexibility to choose your best-fit combination. Hybrid hosting lets you select an environment that is in sync with your industry needs. For example, a contact center with a large distributed workforce might require a cloud-first infrastructure for easy access across the world, while a bank might want to store all content on-premise for security.

10. Sophisticated analytics

The combination of analytics and traditional ECM gives you intelligent information management (IIM), which the Association of Information and Image Management calls the next bend in ECM software evolution. This feature takes content management a step further, adding to data handling capabilities.

Now that you know all about enterprise content management (ECM) software and its key features, let’s consider the top offerings in the market today.

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Top 10 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Software Systems in 2021

Enterprise content management software is worth $40.1 billion globallyOpens a new window – and by 2025, it will reach $66.9 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 10.8%. How do you find the best ECM solution for your company in this steadily growing market? We studied the latest reports and analysts’ recommendations to bring you our 2021 list of top ECM software (arranged in alphabetical order).

Disclaimer: The listings are based on publicly available information and include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their own final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

Top 10 ECM Solutions in 2021

1. Alfresco Software – A full feature ECM solution for large enterprises 

The Forrester Wave™: ECM Content Platforms, Q3 2019, ranks Alfresco SoftwareOpens a new window as a leader in the ECM space. 

• The company offers a full suite of information management products for companies using MS Windows and Unix. It goes well beyond barebones ECM, covering business process management (BPM) and regulatory management (RM). Forrester recognizes Alfresco for its end-to-end capabilities. 
• The software is built on AWS to provide maximum uptime on the cloud. It also uses AWS’ cognitive services to embed AI capabilities within its ECM offering.
• Companies using Alfresco for ECM include Cisco, NASA, Harvard Business Publishing, and several other giants cutting across industry barriers.

2. Box: A SaaS ECM solution for power collaborators 

Box is a leader as per the Gartner MQ for CSP and a strong performer on Forrester Waveâ„¢ for ECM platforms.

• Box’s USP is its cloud-first approach. Unlike Alfresco, it is a cloud-only software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that boasts of a simple UI, easy implementation, and a transparent pricing model. Box bundles collaboration, security, and workflow management under one roof along with a dedicated security model called box shield. The company’s list of integrations has 1500+ apps and growing, reducing your in-house development needs.
• Box is a good alternative for any company looking for a collaboration-ready ECM, with interoperability across G-Suite, Microsoft 365, and Slack. 
• Its customers range from mid-sized companies who want to leverage their specific AI and automation capabilities to global giants like Coca-Cola and GE.

Learn More: Top 10 Document Management Systems in 2021

3. DocuWare: A business use case-specific platform for SMBs and large companies

DocuWare sits in a niche player position on the Gartner MQ for CSPs. The G2 Momentum Grid® Report for Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Spring 2020, ranks DocuWare as a leader.

• DocuWare provides document management and comes in two variants: DocuWare On-Premise and DocuWare Cloud. 
• The company solves business use cases across invoice processing, HR, sales, and marketing, helping you digitize operations right out of the gate. This ECM solution comes with pre-built configurations to reduce implementation efforts, as well as a mobile app to capture content on the go.
• For companies looking to digitize invoice processing, employee management, and sales/marketing specifically, DocuWare should be on the top of the list. It has packaged ECM solutions for SMBs, in addition to its core enterprise offering – so scalability isn’t an issue.
• Currently, 14,000 customers in 90 countries use DocuWare.

4. Hyland: Verticalized ECM solution with hard-to-find integrations

Hyland is a leader on the Gartner MQ for CSPs, as well as on the Forrester Waveâ„¢: ECM Content Platforms, Q3 2019. You could call Hyland a direct competitor to Alfresco Software, as it offers end-to-end features with robust service support.

• Hyland has industry-specific solutions for services-heavy organizations, including the public sector, education, insurance, and healthcare. If your company operates in one of these domains, make sure you check out Hyland’s built-in integrations with industry-specific third-party platforms like GIS systems, healthcare imaging tech, or insurance underwriting software.
• Hyland’s product suite spans nearly every ECM requirement — Hyland Cloud for secure storage; Saperion ECM to optimize the entire content lifecycle; Hyland Credentials, a blockchain-anchored access management tool; and OnBase, Hyland’s flagship platform for intelligent information management.

A strong vertical focus and reliable support set Hyland apart in a competitive market.

5. IBM: AI/ML, hybrid hosting, and custom services in one solution

As per the Forrester Waveâ„¢: ECM Content Platforms, Q3 2019, IBM is a strong performer. The company also finds mention on the G2 Momentum Grid® Report for Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Spring 2020. If you’re still not convinced, Gartner names IBM a leader.

IBM addresses your ECM needs through a number of products, including:

• IBM Digital Business Automation Enterprise
• IBM Digital Business Automation on Cloud
• IBM Digital Business Automation for Multicloud

Its standout capability is a combination of products and services, to which its AI engine – Watson – gives an additional thrust. IBM works closely with companies to build content management solutions, spanning document capture, imaging, workflow design, and case management.

Any large enterprise eager to modernize its ECM systems through AI and ML can trust IBM as an enterprise content management software vendor.

Learn More: What Is Enterprise Content Management? Definition, Key Advantages, and Best Practices

6. Laserfiche: Analytics-led ECM software for the mid-market

The Gartner MQ for CSPs places Laserfiche as a challenger right below Alfresco Software. It is a leader in the G2 Momentum Grid® Report for Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Spring 2020, and a strong performer as per Forrester Wave™.

• Laserfiche is designed for mid-market organizations – but the company is fast making inroads into the large-scale enterprise segment, thanks to its integrations with Fujitsu and other imaging technology providers. It covers all your content management basics, including document management, process automation, analytics, security, and cloud-based hosting. You could also deploy Laserfiche on-premise, which is useful for BFSI companies.
• Its powerful predictive capabilities would earn Laserfiche a spot on any list of top ECM software; its sophisticated analytics technology can tell you which content tasks are likely to be overdue and how long each document will take.

Like Hyland, Laserfiche targets the public sector, education, banking/insurance, and healthcare. Government agencies and educational institutions across North America and the EU have gained from its technologies.

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7. M-Files: Powerful AI ECM solution for Office loyalists

Laserfiche and M-Files are neck and neck in our list of top ECM software, as they both find mentions on Gartner, G2, and Forrester Waveâ„¢. Gartner names M-Files a visionary, while it is a leader on the G2 Momentum Grid Report, and a contender as per Forrester.

• M-Files supports cloud, on-premise, and hybrid installation – along with rapid deployment and consulting services for those who are unsure of the best-fit route. 
• It has specialized solutions for the industrial sector and service companies (financial services, professional services, and real estate). 
• A major differentiator for M-Files is its packaged solution for Office 365 (now rebranded as Microsoft 365). If your company uses the Office productivity suite, you can add on M-Files’ AI-driven ECM automation processes to empower users further.
• Companies with a sprawling technology landscape can use the platform’s Intelligent Metadata Layer to fetch content from the entire ecosystem without any migration. Therefore, M-Files finds adoption among NBC, SAS, and other large players.

8. Microsoft: A productivity-first content management suite

Microsoft is the no.1 platform on the Gartner MQ for CSPs, ahead of IBM, Hyland, and OpenText. Forrester also names Microsoft as a leader in ECM software. While SharePoint handles the organization and distribution part of it, Office tools let you generate content from within the ecosystem.

• If you’re looking to manage enterprise content using Microsoft tools, try a combination of Sharepoint and Office 365. SharePoint is a collaborative web-based platform that covers multiple use cases, including document management, file storage, and ECM. 
• A Microsoft-based enterprise content management system is excellent for any company prioritizing productivity. 
• You can leverage Office for content generation/collation, Teams for collaboration, and SharePoint for storage and delivery – all with tight integrations with each other.
• With the launch of Microsoft 365, the company is headed in a cloud-first direction, which might be an important consideration when investing.

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9. OpenText: Collaboration, communication, and connectivity on the cloud

OpenText is marked as an industry leader on both Gartner MQ as well as Forrester Waveâ„¢ with a sizable market presence across the globe.

• The software has robust solutions, whether you’re on-premise or want to migrate to the cloud. For companies that are new to cloud-based ECM, OpenText offers fully managed services to guide migration, management, and day-to-day activity support. It also offers a dedicated solution called the OpenText Business Network, which builds a secure data exchange on the cloud, eliminating IT fragmentation.
• OpenText has targeted solutions for legal, BFSI, automotive, oil & gas, life sciences, and the public sector, with the requisite integrations for each. 
• There is also an impressive library of developer solutions, making the platform easy to configure and integrate. You can enjoy powerful core functionalities as well as add-on capabilities like AI (via Magellanâ„¢), sophisticated analytics, and customer experience management through OpenText.
• This platform is the ECM solution of choice for Sprint, Philips, Vodafone, and other large enterprises, so you know you’re in great company.

10. Seismic: ECM software designed for sales and marketing teams

The G2 Momentum Grid® Report for ECM Software, Spring 2020, names Seismic the no.1 platform (a leader) ahead of the pack.

• As an enterprise content management system, Seismic targets one key use case as an enterprise content management system: the orchestration of sales and marketing collaterals. It uses a personalization engineOpens a new window to deliver effective sales content for buyers. It has an analytics dashboard to surface insights on how each content asset is performing in the market. Its workflow optimization system allows marketers to track their content calendars.
• Seismic includes features for training content as well.
• Companies like IBM, Cisco, American Express, and Siemens leverage Seismic for their sales and marketing enablement activities, making it a niche but compelling product.

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