There are at least 2 main types of document managers (here on referred to as DM’s). The first group uses a database system, either proprietary or standard database. The second group uses standard file type that are stored as individual files on your computer. I have been burned many times in the past by relying on database software because it really limits portability (what happens when you change pc’s or your computer crashes?) These DM’s require you to install the front end interface as a software manager of the documents. This may be a good idea in some office evironments, and is most likely the better solution for data security in an office, but I do not like the idea of being locked into a certain software that holds all my files. Again, been there, done that, been burned. So for portability, easy of access from different pc’s on a network, and using industry standards (.pdf, .tif, .jpg) file types, I like the second type of DM. This way I can read, move, copy, or email an individual file without the DM software. This is not to say all that cannot be done with the database DM, indeed, they frequently have far more features and (bells and whistles) than the non-database DM’s (and the pricing of those reflects the feature list). I really like the .pdf standard as it is quite popular, easy to use, and almost everyone who surfs the web has had to install at some point a .pdf reader. I won’t cover security in this post, but if you are scanning everything like credit card statements, bank statements, etc. you will need security to protect those .pdf’s and folders.