Evaluation criteria
Before comparing vendors, it's worth fixing the criteria the decision will be based on. These are the ones that should carry the most weight for an SME or mid-sized company:
| Criterion | What to evaluate |
|---|---|
| Functionality | OCR, approval workflows, electronic signature, and version control included by default, not as costly add-on modules. |
| Ease of use | Learning curve for non-technical users: admin, finance, or HR — not just IT. |
| Integrations | Native or API-based connection to the ERP, CRM, or invoicing tool the company already uses. |
| Security and compliance | Encryption, role-based access control, data center location, and eIDAS, ENS, and GDPR compliance. |
| Support and guidance | Availability of local support, response time, and hands-on help during implementation — not just during the sale. |
| Pricing model | Price per user, storage volume, or documents processed, and what happens as the company grows. |
Key questions to ask the vendor
- What exactly is included in the proposed plan, and what's left out?
- How long does a typical implementation take for a company our size?
- Where is the data hosted, and who has access to it?
- What integrations already exist with our current ERP or CRM?
- What happens to our documents if we decide to switch vendors?
- What support do we get after go-live, and with what response time?
Checklist before signing
- We've defined which document types and volume we handle today.
- We've identified the departments that will use the system daily.
- We've compared at least two or three proposals using the same criteria.
- We've verified where the data is hosted and under what regulations.
- We've confirmed the integrations needed with our current tools.
- We've calculated the total cost over 2-3 years, not just the initial fee.
- We've explicitly asked about the training and support plan.
Common mistakes when choosing
The most frequent mistake is deciding on price alone, without checking whether the tool covers the company's real approval workflows. The second most common is underestimating the effort of migrating the historical archive, assuming the vendor will handle it without any involvement from the internal team. The third is not asking about data portability: what happens, in practice, if the relationship with the vendor ends.
When it's worth consulting a specialist
If your company handles several types of documents with different requirements (for example, invoicing, HR records, and certified quality documentation), or if you've already tried implementing a generic tool without success, an initial consultation helps map out the real processes before committing to a specific platform.