Difference between Document Management and Knowledge Management

[Rahul_SN]

The difference between ServiceNow Document Management and ServiceNow Knowledge Management lies in their distinct focus, the type of content they handle, and how they are used within an organization. 

1. Purpose and Focus

Document Management System (DMS)

• Document Management is designed to manage a wider range of "digital documents" throughout their entire lifecycle, including storage, collaboration, and version control.
• Unlike KM, which is focused on concise articles, DMS deals with documents in various formats such as PDFs, Word documents, Excel sheets, presentations, and more.
• Document Managment (com.snc.platform_document_management) is a free platform plugin that can be used without any additional license or role 🙂 
• It acts as a centralized repository where documents can be organized and classified, shared with specific users or groups, and accessed based on permissions. 
• Beyond acting as a standalone document repository, DMS also seamlessly integrates with existing ServiceNow workflows.
• This means that whether you’re handling an incident, managing a case, or working with any other ServiceNow record, all related documents are effortlessly tied into the workflow.
• DMS is ideal for organizations that need to securely manage large volumes of documents, ensure compliance, and facilitate collaboration both within and outside the organization.
• It supports key capabilities like version management, sharing permissions, document workflows, document redaction, multi referencing and even integration with popular content providers like Microsoft SharePoint, One Drive and Google Drive.

Knowledge Management (KM)

• KM on the other hand is centered around the creation, organization, sharing, and retrieval of knowledge articles. These articles aim to provide answers to specific questions, guidance for troubleshooting, and best practices. The goal is to help users find solutions quickly and efficiently without the need for further support.
• Knowledge Management is particularly effective in situations where users frequently encounter common questions or known issues, as it allows them to access pre-written articles that address their needs. The focus is on creating a self-service environment where users can resolve issues independently, reducing the workload on support teams.
• For example, it is suitable for maintaining FAQs, how-to guides, troubleshooting steps, and policies. The module supports workflows for approving, publishing, and archiving articles, ensuring that the knowledge base remains up-to-date and relevant.

2. Content Type

 

Document Management

• Flexible in terms of the types of files  it can store (pdf, docx, xlsx, png, ppt, etc.)
• It supports a broad spectrum of unstructured content, ranging from detailed reports and procedures documents to multimedia files
• The system allows users to upload, organize, and version these files in a manner that suits their business needs.
• For example, DMS might be used to store a contract negotiation file that evolves over time, with various versions saved for reference. This flexibility makes it an ideal solution for managing diverse documents that do not conform to a single template

Knowledge Management

• deals primarily with structured content in the form of articles that follow specific templates.
• These templates help maintain consistency across the knowledge base, making it easier for users to search for and consume information quickly.
• The structured nature of the content makes KM especially effective for providing clear and concise answers.
• For instance, articles may include predefined fields for problem descriptions, solutions, and related resources. Users can search through the knowledge base by keywords, tags, or categories, and find step-by-step instructions or solutions to resolve their issues.

 

3. Use Cases

 

Document Management is more suited to scenarios where organizations need to store, manage, and collaborate on a wide range of documents. It is commonly used for:

• Policy Documents: Organizations often need to maintain internal policies like data privacy guidelines, HR policies, or IT security protocols. These documents are typically stored as PDFs or Word files and need version control to ensure employees always access the latest approved version.
• Contracts: Legal departments use Document Management to store contractual agreements with clients or vendors, which might be in formats like PDFs or scanned images. DMS provides secure storage, version history, and audit trails to track changes over time.
• Reports: Business reports, such as incident/ accident reports or project progress reports, are often created in Excel or Word formats and require centralized storage for easy access by stakeholders. The DMS ensures that the latest version is always available while keeping previous versions archived for reference.
• Invoices: Accounting departments use the DMS to manage invoices and financial statements, which might be generated as PDFs or images. Storing these documents in a centralized repository allows easy retrieval for audits and financial reviews.
• Procedures: Departments like Operations or HR use the DMS to store SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), which guide daily tasks and workflows. These are often maintained in Word or PDF formats, ensuring that team members follow the correct steps.

Knowledge Management is often implemented in scenarios where users or customers need quick access to solutions for common problems. It is popular in:

• Customer support portals to help users troubleshoot issues by themselves, reducing the volume of service requests.
• Internal knowledge bases for IT support or HR departments, allowing employees to access information like IT troubleshooting guides or company policies without needing to contact support.
• Providing self-service options where users can search for solutions using keywords and read through detailed articles that help resolve their issues.

 

4. Integration and Capabilities

• Knowledge Management is deeply integrated with ServiceNow's Service Portal and IT Service Management (ITSM), making it easy for users to access knowledge articles directly from incident or service request records. 
• Document Management provides a more robust repository for documents, with capabilities like version control, task tracking, and permissions management to ensure that the right users have access to the right documents. It integrates with external document storage solutions, enabling users to synchronize files, manage collaborators, and access documents from platforms like Google Drive or SharePoint directly within the ServiceNow environment.

 

Summary

ServiceNow Document Management (DMS) and Knowledge Management (KM) are Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive solutions for managing content within an organization. Knowledge Management is ideal for providing quick, structured solutions through searchable articles that help users address common problems and queries.  On the other hand, ServiceNow Document Management is best suited for managing a variety of documents throughout their lifecycle, offering capabilities for collaboration, secure storage, and integration with cloud services. It is the go-to solution for organizations needing a centralized, flexible repository for business documents that supports comprehensive document handling and compliance needs.

DMS documentation for reference- here 

Reach out to me if you have any queries or want to learn more about Document Management- rahul.mathur@servicenow.com

[Shakirat Odin]

Thank you, Rahul.

This is helpful!

[Rakesh Chigari]

@Rahul_SN  How the storage space is managed? DMS has a separate storage from platform it is shared one.