The Next Evolution of Document Management
The Next Evolution of Document Management: How M-Files Workspaces Puts Your Business Objects First
For too long, Document Management Systems (DMS) have forced users to adapt their workflows to the software's structure. You had to decide what you were looking for - a document, a task, a contract - before you could even start searching. M-Files Workspaces changes that dynamic, flipping the script to center your experience around the business object you care about: your client, your project, or your engagement.
Workspaces are not just a new interface; they are the core experience in M-Files, designed to help users organize, access, and collaborate on information more efficiently. It’s a dedicated area where all related documents, tasks, and resources can be grouped together for a specific project, client, or any other business object.
Here is why Workspaces are the next best thing in Document Management:
- Context-First Navigation: The 360-Degree View
Traditional M-Files "Views" required you to choose the use case (like "All Contracts") and then filter down to your context (like a specific client). If you needed to pivot mid-way - say, from a client's documents to their active engagements - you often had to backtrack and start a new search.
Workspaces turn this approach upside down.
- Start with the Context: You begin by locating the central business object - the client, the project, or the asset - using a simple, powerful search.
- Get a 360-Degree View: Once inside the Workspace for that object, a series of tabs provides a complete, contextual view of all related information. For a client, this could include tabs for Documents, Engagements, Contacts, and Emails.
- Switch Use Cases Instantly: You can simply switch tabs to change your focus from a client’s contracts to their open assignments, without losing your current scope or having to repeat search steps.
This knowledge graph-like approach, which brings relationships between objects like projects, documents, and people easily available in one simple view, is built on the unique M-Files architecture.
- Goodbye to Virtual Folder Overload
As a business grows, the number of objects - clients, projects, or equipment - can easily swell into the thousands. In the past, this led to views grouped by metadata properties that created thousands of "virtual folders," making it difficult to find what you needed.
Workspaces eliminate this bottleneck.
By starting with the context object, you navigate directly to the relevant client or project. You can use the "Search within this view" feature to quickly find the specific object by searching its name and other properties, like an address or a manager's name. This efficient navigation removes the need to browse through lengthy lists of virtual folders, improving workflow and speed.
- Core Experience, Total Flexibility
Workspaces offer similar functionality to the old "View Extensions," but now as part of the core M-Files Web and new M-Files Desktop experience. You do not need to install them separately , and they are available whether you use M-Files Cloud or an on-premises vault.
Furthermore, they offer customization for every use case:
- Custom Columns: Each tab within a Workspace can have its own set of columns, just like a standard view.
- Tailored Tabs: Workspaces are object-type specific and can be configured in M-Files Admin (with a user-friendly configuration interface coming in future releases) by selecting which other object types users can browse.
Workspaces are designed to simplify the user experience, allowing both frequent and infrequent users to focus on their work and spend less time adapting to the system.
Workspaces are the future of content management - a feature that centers your DMS around the way you actually work. To learn how Strickland Solutions can help you implement M-Files and revolutionize your document management with Workspaces, contact us today!