Picture this: Stacks of paper towering over desks, overflowing filing cabinets, and lost documents causing delays. For education administrators, navigating such scenarios is a daily reality. This is where document management software, tailored to the unique processes of educational institutions, becomes an ally. These software solutions automate and digitize file storage and management, reducing manual errors and saving time.
However, selecting the right software includes evaluating several factors, such as integration with existing tools, customization options, scalability to accommodate future growth, and cost—making the selection process time-consuming.
To help businesses make the right decision, this article highlights, in alphabetical order, five top-rated document management software for education management based on user reviews. For each product, we include overall user ratings along with the highest-rated parameter, review excerpts from industry professionals, and product pricing.
1. Adobe Acrobat
To present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report's analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from education management professionals who have used Adobe Acrobat:
“It has a lot of features to edit your document and it also turns your paper in the format you want! It also has an option to make a signature and it is a life saver. You can also download it in any electronic device, which is very convenient.”
“I appreciate how versatile Adobe Acrobat is. There are many features available to make document editing easy and convenient to all users.”
“I've used Adobe Acrobat since 1998, and the product has remained a solid option and in my opinion, the best option for managing and creating pdfs. Chrome and Edge both have pdf plug-ins, but having access to Adobe Acrobat as the default pdf app ensures there are no issues when sharing pdfs with colleagues.”
Read all Adobe Acrobat reviews here.
2. Box
To present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report's analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from education management professionals who have used Box:
“Box has been a wonderful experience. I really like when you have large files you can upload them and then send the link to other people to have the information.”
“It has a multi-platform feature so that I can switch my files between my phone and my computer. It has a WebDAV feature. I like the history change feature of files. It is as simple as that. I like the built-in Microsoft Word and Excel on Box. Files can be shared easily and quickly. 20 GB of storage is an excellent starting point, with 10 GB for signup and 10 GB for mobile app.”
“The collaboration features are very helpful, it is easy to determine who has access to what documents and to collaborate on them.”
3. DocuSign
To present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report's analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from education management professionals who have used DocuSign:
“It is very easy to use and set up your documents. The signature process is easy to make for the creator and easy to read and sign from the signer's perspective. The colors are clean and you have many options for signature presets besides signing your own.”
“The ease of use and interface is the industry leader for digital signature and document authorization software. Not being an administrator of an account myself, but an end-user, I've always been pleased with my DocuSign experiences. Receiving copies of completed documents and the ability to log back in and retrieve those documents is really valuable for record-keeping.”
“DocuSign made signature collection simple and easy when completing my doctoral study last year. Personally, I also enjoy using a free CamScan app on my phone, then uploading the files, and using Docusign to sign any legal documents that are required of me by insurance companies or other parties.”
Read all DocuSign reviews here.
4. Google Drive
To present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report's analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from education management professionals who have used Google Drive:
“Google Drive allows me to share documents with coworkers and students seamlessly. I especially love that Google Drive is built-in to so many other programs, allowing for easy sign in, transferring information, etc. Google workspaces is so helpful during conferences and report time when I have to reference lots of files.”
“I love the ease of access from anywhere and everywhere! No matter where I am, no matter the time, I can access my files, edit them in real-time, and share them with anyone. It is super user-friendly and gives me the storage I need for documents, images, audio, video, etc. It is multifaceted and I love that about Google...they really do think of everything! In today's work world, something like Google Drive is a no brainer for employees and administrators.”
“Google Drive is great it helps me to share files and documents it helps me to remotely get a soft copy of files I may have forgotten home and it also helps me with gathering information to prepare reports as I can store files on Google Drive.”
Read all Google Drive reviews here.
5. iCloud
To present the most up-to-date information, the product information below shows the latest real-time ratings, which may differ from the ratings values at the time this report's analysis was conducted, since new reviews may have been left in the meantime.
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Highest-rated parameter
Commonly used by
Starting price
Billing cycle
Device compatibility
Here are some review excerpts from education management professionals who have used iCloud:
“I do like iCloud software for the reason that it stores your personal files and enables you to recover them in case of delete. it prevents any external access to your end-to-end encrypted data. it offers the data synchronization in case you are distant.”
“The most visible benefit of having to use iCloud for many years now is it’s seamless synchronization to all of my devices. Even devices I no longer use, my files are still on the cloud which I can access anytime I need them.”
“The fact that I can sync the media files like photos, videos, emails, etc. and easily share them with the required people is made easy. Also, I can manage my devices like AirPods, iPhone, MacBooks directly.”
What features do document management tools offer?
Education document management software solutions offer the following core features:
Document capture: | Store, manage, and organize educational documents. This feature allows you to convert paper-based documents into digital documents via scans or optical character recognition (OCR) technology to capture data from images and physical documents. |
Document storage: | Maintain a secure repository of digital documents, such as text files, spreadsheets, presentations, images, and PDFs. You can also manage access to the stored documents through user authentication and authorization. |
Full-text search: | Search for specific content within the document repository, rather than just metadata. This feature allows you to find paragraphs, sentences, or individual words using specific keywords or phrases. |
All products listed in this report include the features mentioned above. Besides these core features, education document management tools also commonly tend to offer:
Access controls/permissions
Activity tracking
Archiving and retention
Collaboration tools
Compliance tracking
Customizable templates
Document classification
Electronic signature
File conversion
File sharing
Search/filter
Version control
Workflow management
How to choose the right education document management software
Here are some factors to consider when evaluating document management software for education:
Assess collaboration features. An ideal education document management tool should allow real-time collaboration, version control, and the ability to track changes. Features such as commenting, editing permissions, and shared access ensure on-time communication between faculty, staff, and students. Students can use the real-time editing and communication features to collaborate on projects and assignments. Additionally, they can receive prompt feedback and guidance from teachers through online comments and annotations. These features also help prevent errors such as delays in assignment submission or grading.
Check integration with existing systems. Document management software should integrate smoothly with the other educational management systems you use, such as student information software and learning management software. Seamless integration ensures student records, enrollment information, and academic progress are synchronized across systems. This means your administrators, faculty, and staff can access and update student data in real time, reducing the risk of errors associated with manual entry.
Evaluate document search and retrieval capabilities. Advanced search features, including keyword search, metadata filtering, and content indexing, ensure your administrators, faculty, and staff can easily locate and retrieve documents related to student records, curriculum materials, and administrative information. Additionally, the system should support proper categorization and organization of documents for easy navigation. For instance, it should allow your administrators to categorize documents based on courses, academic years, or specific departments, contributing to the overall productivity of your educational institution.
Common questions to ask software vendors before purchasing education document management software
Consider asking vendors the following questions to ensure you shortlist the best document management software for your educational institute:
Does the tool have access control and permission management features?
The document management tool should incorporate robust access control features, including role-based access, secure user authentication, and encryption protocols. This ensures a multi-layered approach to document security, which is important for handling sensitive and confidential educational documents. Furthermore, the tool should offer flexibility in permission management, allowing your administrators to assign different access levels to individuals or groups based on their roles and responsibilities. For instance, certain documents may be restricted to “view only” for some users, while other users may have the authority to edit or collaborate.
How scalable is the document management software?
As your educational institution grows, so will the volume of documents and users. Assess the scalability of the software to ensure it can handle an increasing workload. Inquire about the vendor's roadmap for future upgrades, new features, and compatibility with emerging technologies. Understanding the software tool's ability to grow alongside your institution will help safeguard your investment in the long term.
Does the software offer automatic backups?
Automatic backups save you from the hassle of manually uploading and downloading documents to the backup servers. This feature ensures no new documents are missed during busy periods when other tasks take priority. It's essential to check the time intervals for automatic backups and whether this timing can be customized based on the frequency of new documents and updates.