Every document controlled. Every record easier to find.
Ciphercom EDMS helps organisations replace scattered shared drives, email attachments, paper files and uncontrolled document copies with a structured electronic document and records-management environment. It connects document capture, metadata, search, version control, workflow, access permissions, retention and audit activity so authorised teams can work from dependable information.
Government and public-sector bodies, financial institutions, SACCOs, NGOs, universities, healthcare and professional-service organisations, regulated enterprises and any institution managing high volumes of operational, contractual, administrative or governance records.
Problems addressed
Move from fragmented activity to clearer operations.
Documents scattered across paper files, personal computers, email and shared drives
Staff spending excessive time locating the current or authoritative document
Duplicate copies and uncontrolled versions creating operational uncertainty
Reviews and approvals moving through email without clear ownership or deadlines
Confidential information accessible to people without a legitimate business need
Records retained indefinitely or destroyed without an approved lifecycle process
Limited evidence showing who viewed, changed, approved, downloaded or shared a document
Business systems and departments maintaining disconnected document repositories
Major capabilities
One practical working environment.
Document upload, bulk import and configurable capture profiles
Scanning and optical character recognition where configured
Document types, metadata schemas, taxonomies, tags and reference numbering
Structured repositories, folders, workspaces and related-document links
Full-text and metadata search with filters, previews and saved searches
Version history, check-in and check-out, controlled copies and restoration
Configurable review, approval, acknowledgement and publishing workflows
Task assignment, due dates, notifications, reminders and escalation rules
Role-based access, document classification and granular permission controls
Controlled external sharing with expiry and access restrictions where enabled
Retention schedules, review triggers, legal holds and controlled disposition
Audit trails, repository activity reports and governance dashboards
Application programming interfaces and integration with agreed business systems
Repository administration, storage monitoring, backup planning and support
Functional scope
Manage the complete document and records lifecycle.
Each area is configured around the organisation’s approved information structures, responsibilities, security model and records policies.
01
Document capture and ingestion
Bring documents into the repository through controlled, repeatable capture channels.
Single and multiple-file upload with required metadata
Bulk import from approved source folders or migration packages
Scanner capture and OCR for searchable text where configured
Email and attachment capture through agreed mailboxes or integrations
Capture templates for common document types and departments
02
Classification and metadata
Describe information consistently so it can be found, governed and reported on.
Configurable document types and metadata fields
Controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, tags and organisational classifications
Mandatory-field and data-format validation
Automatic or rule-based reference-number generation
Relationships between cases, customers, projects, contracts and documents
03
Repository organisation
Create a dependable information structure without recreating uncontrolled shared drives.
Departmental repositories, workspaces, folders and case files
Reusable filing structures based on document type or business process
Related-document links and compound document sets
Document ownership, custodianship and responsible department
Archive and inactive-record areas governed by permission
04
Search and retrieval
Help authorised users locate relevant information quickly and confidently.
Full-text search across OCR-enabled and digitally created content
Metadata, date, owner, department, document-type and status filters
Search within an authorised repository, case or folder
Saved searches, recent documents and frequently accessed records
Browser previews that reduce unnecessary downloading
05
Version and controlled-document management
Maintain an authoritative history while preventing accidental overwriting and obsolete use.
Major and minor versions with a complete version history
Check-in, check-out and editing responsibility
Version comments, change reasons and restoration of earlier versions
Draft, review, approved, published, superseded and archived states
Controlled-copy identification and acknowledgement where required
06
Workflow, review and collaboration
Move documents through accountable review and approval steps instead of unmanaged email chains.
Sequential or parallel review and approval routes
Task assignment, due dates, reminders and escalation
Comments, annotations and review notes linked to the document
Approval, rejection, return-for-correction and acknowledgement actions
Reusable workflow templates for recurring document processes
07
Records retention and disposition
Apply approved lifecycle rules while keeping disposition decisions reviewable and traceable.
Retention categories and schedules based on record type
Retention triggers based on dates, events or case closure
Disposition-review queues and authorised approval
Legal or administrative holds that suspend normal disposal
Documented destruction, transfer or permanent archival decisions
08
Security and information control
Restrict access according to responsibility, sensitivity and organisational context.
Role, group, department, repository, folder and document-level permissions
Security classifications and need-to-know restrictions
Separate rights to view, edit, approve, download, print, share or administer
Watermarking and controlled-download options where configured
Detailed activity history for accountable access and change
09
Sharing and business-system integration
Make governed documents available to approved people and connected processes without creating uncontrolled copies.
Time-limited external sharing with identity and access restrictions where enabled
Secure document-request and submission workflows
Integration with email, identity providers and office-productivity tools where agreed
APIs for linking documents to customer, member, case, contract or transaction records
Integration logging and exception handling for supported connections
10
Administration, reporting and continuity
Give administrators visibility over repository use, workload, storage and governance activity.
User, role, group, metadata and workflow administration
Dashboards for repository activity, tasks, approvals and overdue work
Audit, access, workflow, retention and disposition reports
Storage utilisation, file-type and repository-growth monitoring
Backup, recovery, monitoring and continuing support procedures
Product interface
Designed around real operating work.
Approved product screenshots will replace the clearly labelled interface previews below before final publication.
Product interface previewRepository, metadata and search workspace · replace with approved screenshot
Product interface previewDocument review and approval workflow · replace with approved screenshot
Product interface previewRecords retention and audit dashboard · replace with approved screenshot
Typical customer journey
From priorities to sustained use.
A staged approach keeps configuration, people, records and operational readiness connected.
01
Discover and govern
Map document types, repositories, users, access responsibilities, workflows and records policies before configuration.
02
Configure and prepare
Set up metadata, classifications, permissions, workflows, retention rules and a controlled migration plan.
03
Pilot and adopt
Validate priority use cases with selected departments, train users and refine operating procedures before wider rollout.
04
Operate and improve
Monitor repository activity, workflow performance, storage, access and retention processes while extending adoption in planned phases.
Security & operational control
Control is part of the workflow.
Product security is supported by clear responsibilities, controlled access and traceable operating activity.
Role-based and group-based access aligned to organisational responsibilities
Granular permission controls across repositories, folders and individual documents
Separate view, edit, approve, download, print, share and administration privileges
Security classifications for public, internal, confidential and restricted information
Traceable document, workflow, access, sharing and administrative activity
Controlled external access with expiry or revocation where enabled
Retention, legal-hold and disposition actions restricted to authorised roles
Version history that protects the authoritative document record
Backup, recovery, monitoring and incident-response procedures agreed during implementation
Periodic access and configuration review supported by administrative reporting
Implementation & support
A practical path to adoption.
EDMS implementation begins with information-governance discovery rather than immediate file migration. Ciphercom works with the organisation to identify document classes, metadata, filing structures, access responsibilities, workflows, retention requirements, source repositories and integration priorities. A representative pilot is configured and validated before phased migration, user training and wider rollout. Ongoing support covers monitoring, administration guidance, issue resolution and controlled expansion to additional departments and document processes.