Top 7 Document Approval Software for Boosting Efficiency

Quixy Editorial Team

March 8, 2024

As your business scales, managing an increasing volume of paperwork becomes inevitable. Whether expanding your team, securing budget approvals, or closing deals efficiently, contracts are indispensable to legally binding transactions at every stage. However, managing contracts shouldn’t hinder business growth. To address this challenge, many companies leverage document approval software to streamline operations and minimize time spent on manual tasks. In this blog, we’ll explore the best document approval software options to help you select the right tool for your business needs.

What is Document Approval Software?

Document approval software facilitates automatic reviews and approvals, simplifying the process of forwarding documents to relevant reviewers while meticulously tracking the workflow. It ensures that documentation standards are met and provides a transparent audit trail of document-related actions, enhancing accountability and compliance.

Document approval software holds significant importance in modern business processes due to:

• Accuracy: Manual document approval processes are prone to errors, such as overlooking important details or making mistakes during data entry. Document approval software helps minimize these errors by enforcing standardized approval workflows and providing validation checks.
• Transparency: Document approval software provides a transparent audit trail of all document-related activities, including who approved or rejected a document and when. This transparency fosters accountability and helps prevent unauthorized changes or tampering with documents.
• Scalability: As businesses grow, so does the volume of documents that require approval. Document approval software can easily scale to accommodate increasing document volumes and user numbers without significant overhead or disruption to existing processes.

Also Read: Quixy’s Document Parser: Fast & Easy Document Processing

What are the Benefits of Document Approval Software?

Streamlined Approval Process

Document approval software simplifies the approval process by automating repetitive tasks, reducing manual errors, and ensuring timely approvals. It provides a centralized platform where stakeholders can collaborate and review documents efficiently.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

By eliminating paper-based processes and manual routing of documents, approval software accelerates the approval cycle, resulting in increased productivity. Users can track the status of documents in real-time, enabling faster decision-making and task completion.

Enhanced Collaboration and Communication

Document approval software facilitates seamless collaboration among team members, irrespective of their geographic locations. It enables users to share documents, provide feedback, and communicate within the platform, fostering better teamwork and transparency.

Improved Compliance and Audit Trail

Compliance with regulatory standards and maintaining an audit trail are critical aspects of document management. Approval software ensures compliance by enforcing access controls, version control, and document tracking. It also generates comprehensive audit logs, providing visibility into the approval history and ensuring accountability.

Also Read: Complete Guide to Approval Process and Workflow

Top 7 Document Approval Software

If you’re considering a document approval system for your business, here’s a curated list of the top document approval software to help you make an informed decision:

1. Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a versatile cloud-based service designed to meet the document management needs of businesses of all sizes. Whether deployed in the cloud or on-premise, SharePoint offers a comprehensive set of features for document creation, collaboration, and approval. One of its key strengths lies in its reusable templates, which streamline document creation by providing standardized formats for common types of documents. SharePoint enables administrators to restrict access to sensitive information and ensure compliance with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA.

Key Features

• Reusable templates
• Restricted data sharing
• Customization friendly

Customer Reviews

Users highly value Microsoft SharePoint for its versatility and robust integration capabilities. The platform’s adeptness in managing large volumes of documents and its collaboration features are particularly praised.

2. Quixy

Quixy leverages no-code technology to streamline and automate business processes, offering an ideal solution for organizations seeking enhanced efficiency and productivity. With Quixy, users have the flexibility to configure the platform to automatically execute tasks and manage workflow steps based on predefined rules and conditions. This capability minimizes errors and enhances overall process performance. Additionally, Quixy’s notification triggers play a crucial role in keeping stakeholders informed about the status of documents, fostering transparency and accountability throughout the approval process.

Key Features

• No-code technology for process automation
• Automated task execution and notification triggers
• Document management with categorization, indexing, and audit trails

Customer Reviews

Users praise Quixy for its intuitive user interface and potent automation capabilities. The platform’s knack for streamlining business processes without demanding technical expertise resonates strongly with organizations striving to bolster operational efficiency.

3. Nintex Process Platform

Nintex Process Platform is a visual-based document approval platform designed for non-coders. It offers an easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop functionality for constructing complex workflows. Users can automate multi-stage approval processes and monitor workflow performance through pre-built dashboards. Additionally, Nintex provides bots for automating routine tasks and improving efficiency in reviewing and approving documents.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop design tools for visualizing processes
• Bots for automating routine tasks
• Pre-built dashboard for monitoring workflow performance

Customer Reviews

Users appreciate Nintex’s intuitive interface and drag-and-drop functionality, which make it easy to create and manage workflows. The platform’s automation capabilities and pre-built dashboards are cited as valuable assets for improving workflow efficiency.

4. Cflow

Cflow is a no-code BPM platform designed to automate key business workflows, including document approvals, for SMBs and enterprises. It eliminates repetition and redundancy in approval workflows by automating low-value admin activities. With Cflow, users can set up custom workflows for handling document approvals, streamlining routing, and tracking progress. The platform’s intuitive interface and customizable features make it easy for new users to create and manage workflows without extensive technical knowledge.

Key Features

• No-code BPM platform for automating workflows
• Streamlined approval workflows
• Customizable features for creating and managing workflows

Customer Reviews

Users praise Cflow for its ease of use and effectiveness in automating approval workflows. The platform’s no-code approach and customizable features are highlighted as key advantages, making it a valuable tool for improving operational efficiency.

5. Integrify

Integrify is a flexible document approval system that requires basic technical knowledge to implement its features. It offers drag-and-drop tools for building automated workflows and integrates with AWS Lambda for executing code in response to actions. Integrify’s approval management system streamlines document approval workflows by automating routing and tracking progress. The platform’s intuitive interface and powerful automation capabilities make it a valuable asset for organizations looking to streamline document approval processes.

Key Features

• AWS Lambda Integration for executing code
• Drag-and-drop tools for building automated workflows
• Approval management system for streamlining document approvals

Customer Reviews

Users commend Integrify for its flexibility and ease of use. The platform’s robust features and customizable workflow capabilities are praised for improving efficiency and reducing manual effort.

6. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is an enterprise-centric platform that empowers teams to efficiently manage projects and automate workflows, facilitating streamlined document approvals. Its collaborative features include leaving comments on tasks for faster communication and customizable Gantt capabilities for visualizing projects. Smartsheet integrates seamlessly with various file storage platforms, allowing easy attachment of files for document approval processes.

Key Features

• Expedite approval from the right team members and stakeholders using comments or @mentions for communication
• Customizable Gantt capabilities
• Easy file attachment from various platforms

Customer Reviews

Users appreciate Smartsheet for its collaboration features and project management capabilities. The platform’s ease of use and integration with popular file storage services are cited as key benefits.

7. DocuWare

DocuWare offers mobile document management and workflow automation for workers on the go. Its centralized access feature provides instant access to documents and workflows, even without VPNs. DocuWare’s stamps and data fields facilitate the initiation of document approval processes and add context to documents via mobile devices. Its features include invoice processing, proposal editing, and secure document archiving.

Key Features

• Mobile document management
• Workflow automation
• Centralized access to documents and workflows

Customer Reviews

Users appreciate DocuWare’s mobile accessibility and workflow automation capabilities. The platform’s intuitive interface and secure document archiving are highlighted as key strengths.

Also Read: 10 Key Business Processes you can Accelerate with Document Generation Software

Factors to Consider when Choosing Document Approval Software

When selecting document approval software, it’s crucial to consider various factors to ensure it meets the specific needs and requirements of your organization:

Integration with Existing Systems

Seamless integration with your organization’s existing systems, such as CRM, ERP, and file storage solutions, is essential for efficient workflow management.

Look for software that offers robust APIs or pre-built integrations with commonly used platforms to facilitate data exchange and streamline processes.

Customization Options

Choose software that provides ample customization options to tailor the approval workflows according to your organization’s unique processes and requirements.

Look for features like customizable forms, templates, and workflow logic to adapt the software to fit your specific business needs effectively.

Security Features

Security is paramount when handling sensitive documents and data. Ensure that the document approval software offers robust security features to protect confidential information.

Look for features like role-based access control, encryption, audit trails, and compliance certifications (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) to safeguard data privacy and meet regulatory requirements.

Scalability

As your organization grows, the document approval software should be able to scale seamlessly to accommodate increasing document volumes and user demands.

Choose a solution that can handle large volumes of documents, users, and concurrent workflows without compromising performance or efficiency.

Customer Support

Reliable customer support is essential for resolving issues promptly and ensuring the smooth operation of the document approval software.

Look for vendors that offer comprehensive customer support services, including documentation, training resources, and responsive technical support channels (e.g., phone, email, live chat) to assist users effectively.

Considering these factors will help you make an informed decision that best aligns with your organization’s needs and goals.

Conclusion

Selecting the appropriate document approval software is paramount for organizations striving to enhance their workflow efficiency and productivity. Among the leading options, Quixy’s no-code platform offers seamless automation of business processes, while Nintex Process Platform provides intuitive, visual-based workflow design. Cflow streamlines approval workflows with its user-friendly BPM platform, and Smartsheet facilitates enterprise project management with its collaborative features. When choosing the right software, factors such as integration capabilities, customization options, security features, scalability, and customer support play critical roles. By carefully evaluating these factors and aligning them with organizational requirements, businesses can optimize document approval processes, foster collaboration, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)