How a business manages its information can either be a powerful advantage or a significant bottleneck. Think about the time your team has lost searching for the latest version of a file, chasing approvals through endless email chains, or trying to collaborate on a document with remote colleagues. These small frustrations add up, hindering productivity and slowing down progress. Handling business documents with traditional systems is no longer enough to keep up.
This is where cloud document management comes in, offering a transformative solution for modern teams. It's more than just a method for storing documents online; it's about creating a dynamic environment for secure document management where documents power your workflows instead of complicating them. As businesses embrace digital transformation and hybrid work models, a robust cloud based document management system has become an essential pillar for success, and this extends to concepts like cloud based document automation and the need for a central online document repository. A good cloud based DMS is vital.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about cloud document management. We'll break down what it is, compare it to traditional on-premise solutions, and introduce you to the best software available today. Our goal is to provide you with the insights needed to choose a system that not only solves your current challenges but also empowers your team for future growth.
What is cloud document management?
At its core, cloud document management is a system that uses the power of cloud computing to store, manage, and track electronic documents. Unlike simple cloud storage, which primarily offers a place to keep files, a true cloud based document management system (DMS) provides a full suite of tools for complete document handling—from creation and collaboration to secure archiving and retrieval. It functions as a centralized location and secure online document repository for your entire organization.
A comprehensive cloud based DMS is built on several key pillars that work together to streamline your processes:
Centralized storage and access: It provides a single source of truth for all your documents, eliminating version control issues and ensuring everyone works with the most up-to-date information. This makes it easy to access documents from anywhere.
Real-time collaboration: Team members can co-edit documents, leave comments, and track changes simultaneously, no matter where they are. For example, platforms like Lark take this a step further by integrating chat and video conferencing directly within a shared document, keeping vital conversations right where the work is happening.
Cloud based document automation: This involves setting up automated workflows for routine tasks like document routing, approvals, and notifications. Imagine a system where an invoice is automatically sent to the finance department for approval the moment it’s uploaded. This level of cloud based document automation saves countless hours and reduces human error.
Secure document management: Robust security is non-negotiable. A cloud document management secure system offers granular access controls, encryption, and detailed audit trails to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
Universal accessibility: With a cloud-based system, your documents are accessible from any device with an internet connection, empowering remote and hybrid teams to stay productive on the go.
Ultimately, a true cloud based DMS unifies these functions into a seamless experience. Lark excels here by embedding these capabilities within a single, collaborative workspace, transforming static files into active hubs for teamwork and decision-making.
Cloud vs. on-premise document management
Choosing between a cloud-based and an on-premise document management system is a critical decision that impacts your organization's budget, scalability, and overall agility. So how does on-premise and cloud document management differ? While on-premise solutions were once the standard, the many benefits of the cloud have made it the preferred choice for most organizations. Let's break down the pros and cons of each approach.
On-premise document management
An on-premise system requires you to purchase and maintain your own servers, software licenses, and IT infrastructure. This means the system runs on your company's own network and is managed internally, often acting as a digital replacement for physical file cabinets.
Pros:
Complete control: You have direct, physical control over the servers and all the data, which can be a requirement for certain industries with strict data residency regulations.
Deep customization: Since you own the entire environment, you can customize the software and hardware extensively to fit highly specific or legacy workflows.
Offline accessibility: The system can be accessed on the local network without a connection to the public internet, ensuring availability during internet outages.
Cons:
High upfront costs: This model demands a significant capital investment in servers, new hardware, and software licenses before you can even begin. This also includes having enough disk space.
Ongoing maintenance burden: You need a dedicated IT team to handle all maintenance, security patches, system updates, and troubleshooting, adding to your operational overhead.
Limited remote access: Providing access to employees outside the office is often complex and requires cumbersome VPNs, which hinders real-time collaboration for remote or hybrid teams.
Difficult scalability: To scale up, you must purchase and physically install more server hardware—a process that is both expensive and time-consuming.
Cloud document management
In contrast, a cloud based document management system is hosted by a third-party cloud provider and accessed securely over the internet. This model typically involves a subscription fee, treating the service as a predictable operating expense. This approach means less paper and more efficiency.
Pros:
Cost-effectiveness: The cloud model eliminates the need for a large initial investment in hardware. Maintenance, updates, and security are handled by the vendor, reducing your IT workload and costs. Features like automatic backups and disaster recovery are often included.
Effortless scalability: Scaling your storage space and user count is simple and fast. With a cloud based document management system like Lark, you can adapt instantly to business growth by just adjusting your plan.
Seamless collaboration: Cloud platforms are built for the modern workforce, enabling real-time co-editing and access from any device, anywhere. This empowers distributed teams to work together without friction.
Robust security and compliance: Leading cloud providers invest heavily in enterprise-grade security measures, data backup, and compliance certifications (like GDPR and SOC 2) that are often superior to what a single business can implement on its own.
Cons:
Internet dependency: A stable internet connection is required for real-time access and collaboration, although some platforms offer offline modes for temporary disconnections.
Subscription fees: While predictable, subscription costs are an ongoing operational expense for the life of the service.
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Less infrastructure control: You rely on the vendor for server management and have less direct control over the underlying hardware and infrastructure.
For most modern teams, the agility, cost-effectiveness, and collaborative power of the cloud are clear winners. Lark embodies this modern approach, offering a scalable and secure platform that frees you from IT burdens and empowers your team to collaborate from anywhere, effortlessly.
8 best cloud document management software in 2025
Choosing the right platform is key to unlocking the full potential of cloud document management. The market is filled with excellent options, each with its own strengths. To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the top eight systems that excel in providing secure, collaborative, and efficient solutions for modern teams. We'll start with a powerful all-in-one contender before exploring other specialized collaboration tools.
1. Lark: The all-in-one collaborative cloud document management system
Lark is more than just a document management tool; it’s a unified digital workspace designed to eliminate friction and bring your team's work into one place. It seamlessly integrates document creation, a powerful database, workflow automation, and communication tools like chat and video conferencing. This all-in-one approach transforms static documents into dynamic hubs for collaboration, making it a standout choice for teams looking to boost productivity and consolidate their tech stack.
Overview
Lark redefines cloud document management by embedding it within a comprehensive productivity superapp. It allows teams to create, collaborate on, and manage digital documents while connecting them directly to tasks, projects, and real-time conversations. By unifying knowledge management, structured data, and automated workflows, Lark provides a single source of truth that moves work forward, faster. Its intuitive design ensures that even the most complex processes become manageable and transparent.
Key features
Intelligent and collaborative documents: Go beyond simple text. You can create and co-edit rich documents in real time, embedding anything from images and videos to polls, mind maps, and interactive charts. Synced blocks allow you to update information in one place and have it reflect automatically across multiple documents, ensuring consistency with zero manual effort. Effective version control is built-in.
Powerful workflow and document automation: With Lark Base, you can turn any process into an automated workflow. Build custom forms to capture data, set up multi-stage approval routes for contracts or expenses, and trigger automatic notifications to keep everyone in the loop. This is cloud based document automation made accessible to everyone, not just IT experts.
AI-powered efficiency: Lark integrates AI to streamline your work. It can help you summarize long documents, improve your writing style and tone, translate content into different languages instantly, and even auto-populate data fields. This built-in intelligence helps reduce manual work and allows your team to focus on more strategic tasks.
Centralized knowledge and secure access: Use Lark Wiki to build a structured and easily searchable online document repository for your entire organization. With granular permission controls, you can manage who has access to view, comment on, or edit specific documents, folders, or wiki pages, ensuring secure document management across the board. This includes setting specific access rights for different users.
A truly unified workspace: Lark combines documents, spreadsheets, databases, chat, calendar, and video meetings in one application. This eliminates the need for constant app-switching and keeps context and conversations linked directly to your work. You can discuss a document in a side chat or launch a video call right from the file you're editing to better manage documents.
Starter: Free for up to 20 users, including 100GB of storage and 1,000 automated workflow executions per month.
Pro: $12 per user/month, with expanded storage, unlimited message history, and more automation.
Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger agencies needing advanced security and support.
Best for
Teams of all sizes seeking to replace multiple apps with a single, cost-effective platform that combines document management with collaboration and workflow automation.
2. Microsoft 365: An enterprise-grade secure document management and productivity suite
Image source: microsoft.com
Overview
Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive suite of office productivity tools, including Word, Excel, and SharePoint, all connected via its OneDrive cloud storage. It's a powerful choice for enterprises deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem looking for robust document management.
Key features
Real-time co-authoring in familiar applications.
Advanced security and compliance features suitable for large corporations. This provides secure storage for all business documents.
Deep integration with Microsoft Teams for communication.
Pricing
Free (for home): Up to one person, 5GB cloud storage.
Basic (for home): Starts from $1.99/month for one person.
Personal (for home): Starts from $9.99/month for one person.
Family (for home): Starts from $12.99/month for six people.
Business basic: Starts from $6.00/user/month, or $36.00/user/month with Copilot.
Business standard: Starts from $12.50/user/month, or $42.50/user/month with Copilot.
Business premium: Starts from $22.00/user/month, or $52.00/user/month with Copilot.
E3 (no Teams): Starts from $33.75/user/month.
E5 (no Teams): Starts from $54.75/user/month.
Best for
Large organizations and enterprises that rely on the Microsoft Office suite for their daily operations.
3. Google Workspace: A cloud-native system for real-time collaborative document editing
Image source: google.com
Overview
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a cloud-native solution centered around Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, all managed within Google Drive. It is renowned for its intuitive and seamless real-time collaboration capabilities, making it easy to manage your documents online.
Key features
Best-in-class simultaneous document editing with live cursors.
Powerful cloud search that scans across all of Google Workspace. This helps locate data quickly.
Simple sharing and permission settings. This makes document sharing straightforward.
Pricing
Starter: Starts from $7/user/month.
Standard: Starts from $14/user/month.
Plus: Starts from $22/user/month.
Enterprise: Custom pricing.
Best for
Teams that prioritize simplicity and real-time co-editing in a purely cloud-based environment.
4. Dropbox Business: A cloud based document management storage with team collaboration
Image source: dropbox.com
Overview
Initially a file storage service, Dropbox has evolved to include strong document management features. It offers Dropbox Paper for collaborative document creation and robust tools for secure file sharing and organization, including version history to track changes.
Key features
Industry-leading file sync and cloud storage technology.
Dropbox Paper for creating simple, collaborative digital documents.
Advanced sharing controls and e-signature capabilities.
Pricing
Professional: Starts from $16.58/month.
Standard: Starts from $15/user/month.
Advanced: Starts from $24/user/month.
Enterprise: Custom pricing.
Best for
Creative teams and businesses that need to manage and share large files securely.
5. Box: A secure cloud content management platform for enterprises
Image source: box.com
Overview
Box is a cloud content management platform focused on security, governance, and compliance. It provides a secure environment for enterprises to manage the entire lifecycle of their documents and digital assets. It is an excellent online document management system for regulated fields.
Key features
Advanced security protocols, including Box Shield for threat detection. This protects sensitive data.
Built-in workflow automation for content-centric processes.
Over 1,500 integrations with other business applications.
Pricing
Individual: Free for single user.
Personal pro: Starts from $10/month.
Business starter: Starts from $5/user/month.
Business: Starts from $15/user/month.
Business plus: Starts from $25/user/month.
Enterprise: Starts from $35/user/month.
Enterprise plus: Starts from $50/user/month.
Best for
Highly regulated industries like finance and healthcare that require enterprise-grade security and compliance.
6. Confluence: A knowledge management system and online document repository
Image source: atlassian.com
Overview
Developed by Atlassian, Confluence is a knowledge management tool that helps teams create, organize, and discuss their work. It functions as a collaborative wiki, making it excellent for storing documents like technical documentation and project planning.
Key features
Structured pages and spaces for organizing knowledge. This avoids the chaos of traditional file cabinets.
Powerful templates for meeting notes, project plans, and more.
Seamless integration with Jira and other Atlassian tools.
Pricing
Free: Up to 10 users.
Standard: Starts from $5.16/user/month.
Premium: Starts from $9.73/user/month.
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Best for
IT, software development, and product teams that use the Atlassian ecosystem.
7. Revver: A cloud based DMS with advanced workflow automation
Image source: revverdocs.com
Overview
Revver is a cloud-based document management system that emphasizes process automation. It helps businesses digitize their workflows by providing tools to automate document routing, approvals, and archiving. It is focused on advanced document processing.
Key features
Drag-and-drop workflow builder to automate processes.
Zonal optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically extract data from documents.
E-signature and document templating features.
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request from their sales team.
Best for
Organizations looking to automate complex, document-heavy business processes like accounts payable or HR onboarding.
8. DocuWare Cloud: A solution for large-scale cloud based document automation
Image source: docuware.com
Overview
DocuWare Cloud is a robust solution designed for enterprise-level document management and workflow automation. It helps large organizations digitize paper documents and maintain strict compliance and security standards.
Key features
Intelligent indexing for automated document filing. This streamlines user management and access.
Customizable electronic forms and workflows.
Strong focus on security and regulatory compliance. It includes options for disaster recovery.
Pricing
Pricing is customized based on organizational needs and provided upon request.
Best for
Large enterprises aiming to digitize and automate document-intensive processes across multiple departments.
Why Lark is the ideal choice for cloud document management
While many platforms offer pieces of the puzzle, Lark stands out by providing a truly integrated solution where the management of documents is a natural part of your team's daily workflow, not a separate task. Its strength lies in how it seamlessly combines creation, collaboration, and automation. Let's explore the core components that make it an ideal choice for your document management needs.
Lark Docs
Lark Docs transforms a standard document into a living, collaborative workspace. It moves beyond being just a place for storing documents and text; it's where your team’s ideas truly come to life. You can co-edit reports with colleagues in real time, with everyone’s contributions appearing instantly. This creates a seamless flow of work, keeping everyone aligned without confusion over document versions.
The real power of a shared document in Lark lies in its rich, interactive capabilities. You can embed content like mind maps for brainstorming, project timelines, or even charts that pull live data. Furthermore, with synced blocks, you can ensure key information like project goals or contact lists remains consistent across all related documents. Update it once, and every linked instance updates automatically, making each document a dynamic hub for teamwork with minimal effort.
Lark Base
This is where Lark’s power for cloud based document automation truly shines. Lark Base is a flexible online database that skillfully turns unstructured information into structured, manageable data. It empowers you to build custom solutions for almost any business process, from tracking project deliverables and managing sales contracts to handling detailed HR onboarding checklists.
Because it functions as a smart database, you can create customized views and, most importantly, build powerful automations. For example, when a new entry is submitted to an expense report in Base, it can automatically trigger an approval request to the finance manager. This creates a hands-off, fully transparent process from start to finish, minimizing repetitive tasks and reducing errors.
📖Learn more about Lark templates
Lark Wiki
An effective cloud document management system needs a powerful organizational layer, which Lark Wiki provides beautifully. It allows you to build a centralized knowledge hub for your entire company, preventing important guides and project documentation from getting lost in a maze of folders. You can create a structured and easily navigable online document repository that serves as your team's single source of truth.
You can organize content by department, project, or topic, and its powerful search ensures any team member can find what they need in seconds. Lark Wiki also enables secure document management by giving you granular access control to determine who can view or edit certain sections. This makes it a safe and reliable home for all of your team’s collective knowledge.
Common use cases of cloud document management with Lark
The true value of a cloud based document management system is seen in how it solves real-world business challenges. With its integrated tools, Lark is uniquely positioned to streamline processes across various departments. Here are a few common use cases where Lark excels.
Human resources onboarding: The onboarding process is traditionally filled with paperwork, meaning there is less paper to handle. With Lark, HR teams can create a master onboarding checklist in Lark Base. When a new hire is added, a personalized checklist is automatically generated. Offer letters and other document types created in Lark Docs can be sent for e-signature, and automated reminders are sent to IT and other departments to prepare equipment and access, ensuring a smooth and transparent experience for everyone.
Sales and contract management: Sales teams can use Lark Base as a lightweight CRM to track leads and deals. When a deal is ready to close, they can generate a contract using a template in Lark Docs. The contract can then be submitted into an approval workflow, automatically notifying legal and finance for review. Every step is tracked, and all communication happens within Lark, creating a clear audit trail and speeding up the entire sales cycle.
Marketing campaign collaboration: Marketing teams can plan and execute campaigns entirely within Lark. They can use a mind map in Lark Docs to brainstorm ideas, create a project timeline, and assign tasks. All creative briefs, copy, and design assets can be stored and co-edited in shared documents. Team members can leave comments and feedback in real time, while a Lark Base can track campaign performance metrics, providing a single view of the entire project from ideation to results.
Finance and invoice processing: Finance teams can use Lark to automate their accounts payable process. Vendors can submit invoices through a Lark Base form, which automatically creates a new record. An automated workflow then routes the invoice to the appropriate manager for approval. Once approved, the status is updated, and the record is stored in a secure, searchable archive for easy reference during audits. This level of cloud based document automation reduces manual work and minimizes the risk of delays or errors.
Conclusion
Embracing the right technology for handling documents is no longer just an operational upgrade; it's a strategic move that fundamentally reshapes how work gets done. By moving away from siloed folders and clunky, traditional systems, you empower your team with the tools they need to collaborate effectively, innovate faster, and stay agile in a competitive landscape. A modern cloud document management system is a comprehensive solution and the backbone of a productive organization.
It provides a single source of truth that enhances security, ensures compliance, and eliminates the daily friction that slows progress. When your documents are integrated with your workflows and communication channels, your team can spend less time searching for information and more time creating value. This shift is essential for any business looking to enhance productivity and thrive in the digital era.
For teams ready to make this transformation, the right platform makes all the difference. With its seamlessly integrated suite of tools for document creation, workflow automation, and real-time collaboration, Lark is designed to unlock your team's full potential.
FAQs
What is cloud document management?
Cloud document management is a system that uses a provider's cloud computing servers to store, manage, and track documents. It goes beyond simple storage, offering features like real-time collaboration, automated workflows, version control, and the ability to access documents securely from any device. This creates a centralized, efficient, and secure digital workspace.
Does AWS have a document management system?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers foundational services like Amazon WorkDocs for collaboration and S3 for storage, which can be used to build a custom system for managing your documents. However, it is not a pre-packaged, all-in-one solution like other cloud applications. For a more user-friendly experience, platforms like Lark provide a fully integrated DMS out of the box.
Can I use SharePoint as a document management system?
Yes, absolutely. SharePoint is a powerful and widely used platform for managing documents, especially for organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It provides robust features for creating document libraries, setting access rights, and setting up workflows. It serves as the backend for document handling in Microsoft Teams.
What is an example of a DMS?
A great example of a modern DMS is Lark. It represents the evolution of document management systems by integrating document creation, a powerful online database (Lark Base), workflow automation, and team communication into a single, unified platform. This approach transforms documents from static files into interactive workspaces.
