Service · Web development

Custom document management system development.

A document management system tailored to your workflow: case files, versions, audit trail and compliance in one environment. We build DMS solutions for accountancy, notary, legal, insurance, construction, property, government, HR and healthcare, each with the workflow, retention rules and integrations your sector requires.

Version controlAudit trailOCR & AI extractionWorkflow engineE-signature

A DMS is more than a shared folder structure.

A document management system (DMS) is the digital backbone beneath any case-driven process. It differs fundamentally from a file share: documents are indexed, validated, linked to workflows and compliance rules, and their entire lifecycle is traceable, from first upload through to final archiving or destruction.

We build custom document management systems for organisations for whom documents are not a by-product but the work itself: accountancy and bookkeeping firms, notaries, law firms, insurers, construction and installation companies, property managers, government bodies, HR departments and care institutions. Often they are combinations, such as a construction company with a separate property division, or an insurance office with its own claims department, where a single generic package never serves all the workflows equally well.

For many organisations a standard package such as SharePoint, M-Files, DocuWare, OpenText, Alfresco, Doxis, ELO, FileMaker or Therefore is enough. We don't replace those for small or generic work. We only come into the picture when your industry compliance, workflow or integration becomes so specific that a standard package no longer fits without a complicated custom layer. In that case, your own document workflow automation is often cheaper and more manageable than loading an expensive DMS implementation with add-ons and consultancy.

Three levels of document management system.

Which level suits your organisation depends on the number of case files, your compliance requirements and the extent to which the DMS needs to run through your core processes. We'll discuss this together in an initial introductory conversation.

Compact project · fixed sprint budget

Case file portal for a single department

A bounded DMS environment for a single department or workflow, such as an accounts department that wants to archive invoices, annual accounts and correspondence in one place. Document vault with version control, full-text search and a light approval workflow. A good starting point to get a grip on things before you roll out further.

Version controlFull-text searchMetadataRole-based access
Mid-sized project · fixed sprint budget

Industry-specific DMS with workflow

Case management with the rules of your sector built in: notarial retention periods, Wob/Woo publication requirements, Wwft checks, Wgbo or NEN 7510 for healthcare. A workflow engine for review, sign-off and escalation, plus OCR/AI extraction so structured data is pulled automatically from PDF scans.

Workflow engineOCR & AI extractionRetention rulesAudit trail
Larger project · fixed sprint budget

Multi-tenant DMS with deep integration

Mission-critical document management for accountancy, notary and law firms that want to offer fully separated files per client, complete with a client portal for exchanging documents and deep integrations with ERP, CRM or case management. Includes e-signing, retention and destruction policies.

If you work for a government organisation, what you need to keep and hand over changes. How to capture information created outside the office properly from the outset is covered in the app for field-generated archive records.

If you fall under the Dutch Archives Act, document management comes with a requirement for long-term accessibility: metadata, formats and a selection list that monitors retention periods. See Archives Act software.

Multi-tenantClient portalERP/CRM integrationE-signing

What a custom DMS includes as a minimum.

Whatever the level, we deliver a set of core components that any file-driven process needs. We build these as separate modules so you can scale later without redesigning your architecture.

  • Document vault with check-in/check-out and locksCentral storage with version control, locks so two colleagues don't work over each other, and restore points for every change.
  • Indexing, OCR and full-text searchScans and PDFs are recognised automatically; documents are searchable by text, metadata or file properties. Searching feels like Google, not like a file explorer.
  • Workflow engine for review and sign-offInvoice approval, annual accounts review, contract flow, escalation when things stall. Workflows are configurable without us recoding every rule.
  • AI extraction of structured dataInvoice fields, contract clauses, client details and key terms are pulled from documents and made available as data for your core system. A human checks, the model learns along the way.
  • File-level audit trailWho opened, changed, shared or destroyed which document, and when. Demonstrable to regulators, auditors or a judge.
  • Retention and disposal rulesA retention period per document type, with automatic archiving or destruction afterwards. Important for GDPR, the successor to the Dutch Personal Data Protection Act, the Notaries Act and healthcare legislation.
  • E-signing integrationIntegration with DocuSign, Adobe Sign, ValidSign, KENA or Signhost. Documents move from the DMS into the signing flow and return to the file once signed.
  • Integrations with your core systemExact, AFAS, e-Boekhouden, Outlook (email archiving), KvK, EDI or your own case management. We build these through smart API integrations so your DMS doesn't become an island.

When custom software pays off, and when it doesn't.

To be honest: for small or standard document needs, SharePoint, M-Files or DocuWare is usually the quicker choice. We come into the picture when one or more of the patterns below fit your situation.

Compliance

Sector-specific retention

Notarial retention periods, Wob/Woo publication obligations, Wgbo retention requirements in healthcare or Wwft checks in finance. Standard packages can sometimes handle these, but the configuration often ends up costing more than a custom solution.

Workflow

Documents at the core of your business

Invoice approval, annual accounts review, contract flow, deed execution. If the document is part of the work that generates revenue, rather than a by-product, you don't want to route it through a separate tool.

Data from PDFs

AI and OCR extraction

When you receive hundreds of invoices, contracts or forms every day and want the relevant fields sent automatically to your accounts, CRM or ERP. A DMS that only archives is a waste of effort in that case.

Customer portal

Exchanging documents with clients

For accountancy, notary, legal or HR firms: a secure place where clients or employees upload, your team reviews, and everything lands automatically in the right file. Similar to our vendor portal, but for documents.

Multi-tenant

Fully separated per client

Accountancy and notary firms often want each client to have their own space, with no ordinary query ever able to show client A's data to client B. Multi-tenancy at database level is a design decision, not a plugin.

Integration

Deep integration with ERP/CRM

When document flow and data flow need to know the same things. Think of accountancy software where every uploaded invoice appears immediately as a draft entry in Exact.

Document management by sector.

Which rules, file structures and integrations are relevant depends heavily on the sector. Here is a selection of the industries for which we have built or advised on document management in recent years.

Accountancy and administration firms

Client files, annual accounts and audit trail

A separate file per client containing annual accounts, payroll records, VAT returns and correspondence. Deep integration with Exact, AFAS or e-Boekhouden so that uploaded invoices land directly as draft bookings. Retention periods follow statutory obligations, plus an audit trail showing who reviewed what and when, so an accountant can account for every decision.

Multi-clientExact & AFASTax retentionApproval workflow
Notaries, law firms and insurers

Deed files, claim files and confidentiality

Strict confidentiality at file level, retention in line with professional regulations, KvK filing directly from the file, and for insurers a claims flow that automatically links policy documents, claim forms and correspondence. Wwft (anti-money laundering) checks at intake and a complete audit trail right through to archiving.

ConfidentialityWwftKvK integrationClaims flow
Construction, installation, property and government

Project and case files with version control

For the construction and installation sector: project files with drawings, permits, certificates and handover reports. Version control is critical here, as an incorrect drawing has physical consequences. For property managers: rental and purchase files with valuations, contracts and maintenance plans. For government: case files compliant with Wob/Woo, with a publication workflow and editorial steps.

Drawing managementPermitsWob/WooCase-based working
HR and healthcare

Staff and client files with GDPR and NEN 7510

HR files with contracts, assessments, leave requests and GDPR-compliant retention per document type. For healthcare: client files that meet the Wgbo retention obligation and, where relevant, NEN 7510 for information security in healthcare. Strict role-based access, explicit recording of the legal basis per document type, and controlled destruction when the statutory retention period expires.

GDPR retentionNEN 7510WgboRole-based access
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Workflow, AI extraction and e-signing explained.

Three modules that many clients want to hear more about in a first conversation. We briefly outline how we build them and why the choices matter.

  • Workflow engine as a native moduleThe workflow engine is not a loose plugin but a first-class component of the DMS. We configure steps, conditions, parallel paths, escalations and deadlines as data rather than code. This means an administrator can adjust a workflow without us having to release a new version, and every version of a workflow remains traceable in the audit trail.
  • OCR and AI extraction with a human in the loopFor scans and PDFs, we combine classic OCR with language models that identify contract clauses, invoice fields, personal details and key terms. Each extraction result receives a confidence score: where the score is low, the document automatically goes into a review queue; where it is high, it flows directly into your core system. The model learns from your own documents without any data leaving your environment.
  • E-signing without fragmentationWhether you use DocuSign, Adobe Sign, ValidSign, KENA or Signhost, the signing process starts from the case file, the status is always visible within the DMS, and the signed document automatically returns to the same case folder with the correct signature metadata. No more scattered emails asking "could you just sign this?"
  • Email archiving from OutlookIn many sectors, half the document flow still comes in by email. With an Outlook add-in, staff drag an email or attachment into the right file, and the DMS automatically captures metadata, sender and any invoice data. You no longer need a second inbox to empty every day.

How a DMS project works with us.

1

Introduction and intake

A no-obligation conversation in which we map out the types of case files, review the compliance requirements (GDPR, NEN 7510, the Notaries Act, Wwft, sector-specific rules) and establish whether a custom build is the right choice or whether a standard package will suffice. Sometimes we advise the latter, which saves you time and budget.

2

Workshop and process scoping

A one-day working session with your key users. We map out the document flows, identify the real pain points (where people lose things, where approvals stall, where the audit trail leaks), and together define a scope that can be delivered in a first release.

3

Building in sprints

A working build every two weeks. The document vault comes first, then search, then workflows, then integrations. You test along the way and give feedback each sprint, so we can adjust course as we go rather than at the end.

4

Migration and go-live

We migrate existing documents in phases: new case files go into the DMS first, followed by historical files in a controlled process with OCR and metadata enrichment. Your team already works in the new environment while the archive is brought in the background.

5

Operations and ongoing development

After go-live, we monitor performance, security and usage. New workflow steps, additional integrations or extra document types are picked up in small further-development sprints, so your DMS grows along with your organisation.

Frequently asked questions.

The questions we almost always receive in a first conversation.

Do you replace SharePoint, M-Files or DocuWare?
For small or standard document needs, usually not: an existing package is quicker and cheaper. We come into the picture when your industry compliance, workflow or integration becomes so specific that such a package only works with an expensive custom layer on top. In that case, a dedicated DMS is often easier to manage.
How do you handle sector compliance and retention?
Retention rules per document type are a first-class concept in our DMS architecture, not an afterthought. For notaries, we configure the statutory retention periods; for healthcare, we align with NEN 7510; for financial services, with Wwft. Everything is recorded in an audit trail that you can show to a regulator.
How reliable is OCR and AI extraction from PDFs?
For standardised documents (invoices, forms with fixed fields), modern OCR engines combined with language models achieve high accuracy. We always build a human-in-the-loop step to check extracted data until the model performs reliably for your document type. After that, the focus shifts to exception handling.
Which e-signing solutions do you integrate with?
DocuSign, Adobe Sign, ValidSign, KENA, Signhost, depending on your existing contracts and the legal requirement (qualified, advanced or simple electronic signature). We make sure a document leaves the DMS and enters the signing flow, and comes back signed in the correct file, including the digital signature status in the audit trail.
How do you handle GDPR and the right to erasure?
GDPR requires that personal data is not kept longer than necessary and that a data subject can have their data deleted. We build explicit retention and destruction processes for this: automatic archiving after a statutory period, explicit confirmation before destruction, and logging so that what has been deleted can be demonstrated. Specific exceptions (such as the statutory tax retention obligation) are configured per document type.
How long does a DMS project take?
A defined client file portal for a single department can be up and running within a few sprints. A sector-specific DMS with workflows and integrations is a project spanning several sprints. A multi-tenant system with deep integration and migration of a large existing archive takes longer. During the intake, we agree together what is realistic for your situation.
What determines the cost?
The biggest cost drivers are the number of document types, the complexity of the workflows, the depth of integration with your core systems, and the requirements around compliance and migration. A defined client file portal is a different project from a multi-tenant DMS with a client portal. We work with fixed sprint budgets so you stay in control of spend sprint by sprint.

Talk to us about your document management system.

A no-obligation conversation of half an hour. We listen to your document flows, ask questions about your compliance and workflow requirements, and give direction where it helps you, including when the outcome is that a standard package suits you better than custom work. You can read more about our approach on the web development overview page.

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