iManage Work vs. NetDocuments

Side-by-Side Document Management Software Comparison for Law Firms
Many law firms now rely on digital document management solutions to manage, secure, and access attorney-client work product, emails, attachments, contracts, images, and other things related to client matters. There are certainly a lot of document management options to choose from. It’s important to choose the document management system that meets the specific needs of your law firm.
With so many options, it can be difficult to take the time required to review the different programs to find the one that’s right for you. So in this article, we’ll do a side-by-side comparison of three of today’s most popular Document Management Systems for law firms: iManage vs. NetDocuments vs. LexWorkplace.
Document Management Software Overview
First in our comparison of iManage vs. NetDocuments vs. LexWorkplace, we’ll provide a brief background and overview of each product. Each Document Management System has its own unique background and advantages.



iManage is powerful software, but it requires significant server infrastructure to run well. Specifically, it requires multiple servers to handle storage, indexing and other functions of the iManage software. (iManage would certainly be not described as “lightweight”). Because of iManage’s inherent complexity (software and IT), you’ll need a qualified iManage consultant to plan, implement and train your firm on using iManage.
NetDocuments is used by a variety of industries including legal, accounting and financial services, and is well-regarded in each industry. NetDocuments includes ndOffice, its Microsoft Office integration. Being web-based, NetDocuments does not require an on-premise server. NetDocuments requires you to hire an independent consultant (VAR) to implement the software and move your data to the platform.
LexWorkplace is a cloud-based, matter-centric document & email management system. LexWorkplace is cloud-based and includes document versioning, powerful search, Email Management/Outlook integration and document tagging/profiling. Data stored in LexWorkplace is secured with two-factor authentication, data encryption in-transit and at-rest, and by geographically redundant data centers.
Software Comparison Chart
Next in our comparison of iManage vs. NetDocuments and LexWorkplace, we’ll provide a side-by-side comparison of each product. We’ll compare deployment (cloud vs. on-premise), features, data security, implementation and other options for each product.
Overview

iManage

NetDocuments

LexWorkplace
Cloud Application
Is the application natively cloud-based?
iManage
No (On-Premise or Hosted)
NetDocuments
Yes
LexWorkplace
Yes
Organization
How are files, folders and data organized?
iManage
By Project
NetDocuments
By Workspace
LexWorkplace
By Client / Matter
Technical Expertise Required
How much technical know-how will you need to have (or hire)?
iManage
High
NetDocuments
Moderate
LexWorkplace
Low
Windows & Mac Support
Does the software work on both Windows and Mac OS?
iManage
Windows Only
NetDocuments
Windows Only
LexWorkplace
Windows and Mac
Storage Included
How much storage is included by default, without having to pay for more?
iManage
Determined by Your Server
NetDocuments
1GB / User
LexWorkplace
1 Terabyte
Migration & Support



Third-Party Consultant Required
Does implementation, training and support require you to hire a third-party reseller/consultant?
iManage
Yes
NetDocuments
Yes
LexWorkplace
No
Migration Performed By
Who handles the conversion and migration of your firm’s data?
iManage
Third-Party Reseller (Not iManage)
NetDocuments
Third-Party Reseller (Not NetDocuments)
LexWorkplace
LexWorkplace Team
Features



Store & Manage Documents
Store, organize and manage documents within the software
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Email Management / Outlook Integration
Save emails to a matter from within Microsoft Outlook
iManage
Outlook for Windows Only
NetDocuments
Outlook for Windows Only
LexWorkplace
Outlook for Windows & Mac
Full-Text Search
Search across content of all documents & email
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Document Version Management
Automatic Versioning, Review Prior Document Versions
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Document Profiling & Tagging
Apply custom document types, statuses and tags
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Document Check-Out / In
Check documents out to keep them locked from editing
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Favorite & Recent Docs
Quick access to recent and favorite documents
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
One-Click Open, Edit & Save
Open and edit documents with a single click
iManage
Profiling Required for Every Document
NetDocuments
Multiple Steps to Open/Edit/Save
LexWorkplace
Profiling Optional, One-Click Open/Edit/Save
Security



User & Group Permissions
Define who can (and cannot) access certain matters and data
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Data Encryption in Transit
Your data is encrypted in transit (on the Internet)
iManage
Determined by Your Network
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Data Encryption at Rest
Your data is encrypted at rest (on the server)
iManage
Determined by Your Server
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Native Multi-Factor Authentication
MFA for additional data security and compliance
iManage
Requires Third-Party Software
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Built-in Geographic Redundancy
Data automatically backed up to multiple data centers / regions
iManage
Determined by Your Network
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Options



Office 365 Included
Office 365 + Support Included
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Optional
Exchange Email Included
Microsoft Exchange Email + Support Included
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Optional
Additional IT Support
Extended IT Support for your law firm
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Optional
Legal Software Support
Support for Your Firm’s Other Legal Software
iManage
NetDocuments
LexWorkplace
Optional
iManage Details
iManage is a long-standing DMS used traditionally by large law firms. Much like Worldox, it’s used in several industries. iManage can be hosted on-premise or on a private cloud. However, it is not a native-cloud application. It is important for you to know that if you want to install iManage to your own private cloud, you’ll need quite a bit of technical knowledge to do it (and a lot of cloud server horsepower).
iManage integrates with Outlook, Microsoft Office, document scanners, and popular document repositories such as Google Drive, OneNote, and Dropbox. The DMS comes with predictive email management. When this feature is enabled, emails are automatically moved to projects based on the content of the email.

iManage organizes documents through projects. In those projects, you can place emails, documents, and other matter-related data. Projects appear on the left side of the screen. To search the documents, iManage first indexes them. However, it does not come standard with OCR. Users can also tag documents to make searching for what they need a little bit easier. It is important that users go through the process of filling out the client information, author name, and other pertinent information of each document to make it easier to find it through the search feature.
It also provides a check-in / check-out feature as well as document change alerts. These features can make managing and collaborating documents easier. Much like Worldox, when a document is checked-out, other users can still read the document, but they cannot change it. Document change alerts are helpful because they can be set to notify someone anytime a change is made to a document.
NetDocuments Details
NetDocuments is a web-based document management option that gives law firms the ability to store, organize, and manage documents. NetDocuments is used by and made for the medical, financial, and legal industries. Users can work together on documents stored in the program. Documents are organized by workspace. For example, if your law firm has five lawyers, each lawyer could be assigned a workspace. The documents used by each individual lawyer would be stored within their workspace. Their legal support staff would access the proper workstation to work on matters. NetDocuments has a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices.
For law firms that wish to have a digital document management that integrates with Microsoft Office and Outlook, they will need to purchase the ndOffice and ndMail add-ons.

Full Product Reviews
If you’d like to learn more about iManage vs. NetDocuments, we recommend reviewing our comprehensive review of each product.
Additional Document Management Resources
Learning about law firm Document Management Systems? Check out our other resources.
Looking for Document Management Software?
LexWorkplace:
Modern Document Management for Law Firms
LexWorkplace is document & email management software, born in the cloud and built for law firms.
Organize by Client & Matter
Organize documents, email and notes by client or matter. Store and manage all data for a case or project in one place.

Go Beyond Basic Files & Folders
Supercharge your firm’s productivity with true DMS functions.
- Version Management
- Document Tagging & Profiling
- Document Check-Out / Check-In
- Microsoft Office Integration

Search Everything
LexWorkplace is like Google for your law firm. Search across millions of pages, documents, folder email and notes in seconds. Refine your search by matter, document type, author and more.

Seamless Outlook Integration
Save emails to a matter without leaving Outlook. Saved emails are accessible to your entire team.
Organize Email With Folders & Notes
Organize matter-related emails into subfolders. Add notes to call out important emails.

Works with Windows and Macs
LexWorkplace is 100% compatible with Mac OS and Windows.
LexWorkplace Features
The legal industry has had to put up with dated, clunky document management systems for too long.
No more.
With LexWorkplace, you’ll have access to a wide range of features, including:
- A Terabyte of Storage: LexWorkplace starts with 1TB of storage for your firm, giving you plenty of room to grow.
- Advanced security: LexWorkplace encrypts your data in transit and at rest. It also includes enhanced security measures such as permission setting capabilities and two-factor authentication.
- Geographic redundancy: We have multiple independent data centers across North America. This means we can securely back up your data, so you can trust your data is available to you no matter what happens next.
- Document tracking IDs: Each file you save to LexWorkplace has a unique ID for easy document tracking.
- One-click functionality: LexWorkplace can help you move faster. View, edit, and save your documents with a single click, no re-upload required.
- Document check-in/out: Want to make changes to a document without others doing so at the same time? By checking out a document, you can make the changes you need to make without others on your team interfering. Then, just check the document back in when you’re finished.
- Version management: LexWorkplace will automatically track each version of your documents, so you can see when changes were made and by whom.
- Profiling and tagging: You can easily set document types and statuses for each of your files. Plus, you can create tags to keep documents organized based on your firm’s needs.
- Recent file prioritization: LexWorkplace will place your recent files front and center, so you can easily return to your work. Or, you can set certain documents as important for easy access.
- Email management capabilities: Easily save emails to each matter file straight from Outlook. Plus, LexWorkplace will provide instant deduplication, so you can avoid saving multiples of the same email. It’s a time-consuming process that LexWorkplace automates on your behalf.
Get in Touch
Want to learn more? Watch the demo below, or get in touch with our team to learn more about LexWorkplace for your firm.
Watch the Demo
Schedule a Demo
Get in Touch – Speak with a LexWorkplace Specialist Today
What to expect:
- Book your LexWorkplace demonstration online.
- We'll discuss your firm's current Document Management systems and challenges.
- We'll provide a one-on-one demonstration of LexWorkplace for your team.
- If LexWorkplace seems like a fit, we'll prepare a complete proposal.
- Thoroughly impressed, you will sit back in a comfy chair and ponder why you didn’t contact us sooner.
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