How to Use WordPress For Document Management?

Are you looking for a simple and cost-effective way to manage your documents online? WordPress, the popular website-building platform, isn’t just for blogs or business websites—it can also be a really great tool for organizing and sharing documents. 

With WordPress document management, you can keep the track of revisions, access control, and simply locate the files you need easily. There are multiple plugins that make this possible.

In this blog, we take a look at the steps to use WordPress for document management. We will also discuss why WordPress experts recommend using it for document management. So, let’s get started.

Why Use WordPress for Document Management?

If you’re on a content team, you’re probably using a bunch of different tools to get your work done. For instance, you might share drafts on Google Drive, track progress in Asana, and chat with your team on Slack. Then, you finally publish the finished piece, along with images, on WordPress.

The trouble is, it’s easy to lose track of things when you’re jumping between so many apps.

If those files and documents are meant for your WordPress site, why not keep everything in one place—your WordPress dashboard? This way, you can easily manage, update, and publish your content without the hassle of switching between different tools. Simple, right?

Advantages of Using WordPress Document Management

Using WordPress for document management offers several advantages, especially if you’re already familiar with the platform. Here’s why it’s a great option:

• User-Friendly: WordPress is known for being easy to use, even for beginners. You don’t need to be a tech expert to upload, organize, or share documents. The simple interface makes it easy for anyone to manage documents without hassle.
• Customizable: With thousands of plugins and themes available, you can easily customize your document management system to fit your needs. Whether you want to restrict access to certain files or organize documents by categories, WordPress gives you the flexibility to do so.

• Cost-Effective: WordPress itself is free, and there are many affordable plugins and themes for document management. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to set up a solid document management system.
• Security Features: WordPress offers built-in security tools, and you can enhance security even further with additional plugins. You can protect sensitive documents with password access, set user permissions, and prevent unauthorized downloads.
• Scalability: As your document storage needs grow, WordPress can easily handle it. You can store thousands of documents, manage them efficiently, and even add new users as your team expands. It’s a flexible solution that can grow with your needs.
• Searchable Database: Finding a specific document can be a challenge without a good search feature. WordPress makes it easy to search through your documents with built-in search functionality, helping you quickly find what you need.
• Collaboration Made Easy: If you’re working with a team, WordPress makes document sharing and collaboration simple. You can control who has access to different files, and even allow multiple users to update or comment on documents.

Simply put, using WordPress for document management provides a user-friendly, flexible, and cost-effective solution for storing, organizing, and sharing your important files.

Steps to Use WordPress For Document Management or File Management

By default, WordPress has a media library where you can store different types of files. However, it only lets you store and organize them, without offering much more.

Let’s look at the steps to easily use WordPress to manage your documents and files.

Step 1. Install the WP Document Revisions and Members Plugins

To get started, you’ll need to install two plugins:

• WP Document Revisions: This plugin helps you store, organize, and track documents. It also lets you work on files with others and keeps a history of changes.
• Members: This plugin helps you set permissions for different users, so you can control who can access and edit documents.

Both plugins are easy to install from your WordPress dashboard. For the Members plugin, the free version works well for this guide.

Step 2. Upload a Document to WP Document Revisions

Once you’ve activated the plugins:

• In your dashboard, go to Documents » All Documents.

• Click Add Document.

• Give the document a title that will help you identify it later.
• Click Upload New Version.
• A popup will appear. You can drag and drop your document or click Select File to upload it from your computer.

The document will now be uploaded to WordPress. WP Document Revisions will track all the changes made to the document, so you can view and restore earlier versions anytime.

Step 3. Add a Revision Summary

When you upload or update a document, add a Revision Summary to explain the changes. This note will appear in the revision log, so you know who made the changes and why.

Step 4. Set the Workflow State

You can set the document’s status, such as “Draft”, “In Progress”, or “Under Review”. This helps team members know where the document stands in the process.

• Go to the Workflow State dropdown and choose the appropriate option.

Step 5. Add a Document Image

You can add an image related to the document, which is similar to adding a featured image in WordPress. Click Set Document Image, then either upload a new image or select one from your media library.

Step 6. Change Document Ownership

By default, you are the owner of the document after uploading. If you want to assign ownership to someone else, use the Owner dropdown to choose a different user.

Step 7. Control Document Visibility

• Private: By default, the document is private and visible only to logged-in users.
• Public: You can make the document publicly accessible by selecting Public under Visibility.
• Password Protected: If you prefer, you can password-protect the document by clicking Edit next to Visibility and setting a password.

Once saved, WP Document Revisions will show the document’s URL. You can share this link for others to access the document.

Step 8. Create Your Own Workflow States

WP Document Revisions comes with four default workflow states (Final, In Progress, Initial Draft, Under Review). If you want to add more or change existing states:

• Go to Documents » Workflow States.
• Hover over an existing state and click Edit to change it.
• You can also click Add New Workflow State to create a new one.

Step 9. Manage User Roles and Permissions

WP Document Revisions automatically sets different permissions based on user roles (like authors, editors, etc.). To customize these permissions:

• Install and activate the Members plugin.
• Go to Members » Roles and click Edit next to a role you want to change.
• Under Documents, you can grant or deny permissions like editing or deleting documents.
• Once done, click Update.

Step 10. Control Access to Documents

You can decide who gets access to each document:

• Go to Documents » All Documents.
• Hover over a document and click Edit.
• In the Content Permissions box, check the user roles that should have access to the document.
• Click Update to save your changes.

By following these steps, you can easily use WordPress to manage your documents, set up workflows, and control access for different users.

Best WordPress Document Management Plugins

There are many plugins available to help you manage documents in WordPress. Here are some of the best ones:

• WP Document Revisions: This plugin is perfect for managing and tracking documents. It lets you upload, organize, and share documents with others. It also keeps a history of changes, so you can see who edited what and restore earlier versions if needed.
• User Role Editor: The User Role Editor plugin helps you manage user roles and set permissions, allowing you to control who can access, view, or edit documents on your site. It’s an excellent tool for customizing access based on different user needs.
• FileBird: FileBird helps you organize your documents and files easily by allowing you to create folders inside the WordPress media library. This plugin is perfect for managing large numbers of files in a clean, structured way.
• WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips: If you need to manage invoices and packing slips, this plugin is ideal. It helps you automatically generate PDF invoices and packing slips for WooCommerce orders, making document management easier for eCommerce stores.
• Easy Digital Downloads: If you’re selling downloadable products, this plugin makes it simple to manage your files. It lets you upload and manage documents and offer them to customers for download.

Each of these plugins offers different features, so you can pick the one that best fits your needs for document management in WordPress.

FAQs on WordPress Document Management

Summing Up

WordPress is a great tool for managing documents, whether you’re running a blog, a business website, or a collaborative content team. With plugins like WP Document Revisions, User Role Editor, and others, you can easily organize, store, and track your documents while maintaining control over who can access or edit them. 

Plus, WordPress offers an easy-to-use interface, cost-effective solutions, and customizable options to fit your needs. By following the simple steps, you can create an efficient document management system right within your WordPress dashboard, making it easier to stay organized and save time.

If you need advanced customizations for your WordPress site, hiring professional WordPress developers would be the best choice.