iManage Work vs. NetDocuments

December 30, 2021In Legal Document ManagementBy Dennis Dimka

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.

In This Article

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.

“LexWorkplace is very fast, and documents are easily accessible. Working remotely is seamless.”

Nathan Cobb
Law Offices of Nathan Cobb

See Why Lawyers Love LexWorkplace

Get Organized.  Work Anywhere.  LexWorkplace is modern Document & Email Management, born in the cloud and built for law firms.

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

User Interface

Is the software intuitive, and easy-to-use?  (This is subjective.)

iManage

Cluttered, Dated (Example)

NetDocuments

Cluttered, Dated (Example)

LexWorkplace

Clean, Modern (Example)

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

Alternatives

Top DMS Alternatives

Top 5 iManage Alternatives

Top 5 NetDocuments Alternatives

Get the Chart:  Compare the leading Document Management software used by law firms today.

Get the Chart →

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 Software Reviews - Screen Shot

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.

NetDocuments Review - Screen Shot

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.