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PowerDMS by NEOGOV

PowerDMS by NEOGOV

Overview

What is PowerDMS by NEOGOV?

PowerDMS by NEOGOV is a software platform designed to recruit, train, equip, and protect employees across their careers, used for policy management, community engagement, and staff scheduling.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

PowerDMS is a versatile platform that has proven to be invaluable for various organizations in managing policies, procedures, training, …
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PowerDMS processes

9 out of 10
May 19, 2022
To control signed documents and published documents. To share training with staff.
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PowerDMS for the win!

10 out of 10
October 28, 2021
We use PowerDMS for our policy and procedures first, then we incorporated our training into the system. After we set all that up, we …
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Happy PowerDMS User

10 out of 10
July 19, 2021
We use PowerDMS as a repository for our fillable forms, policies, and reference documents. We create and manage distributed training. We …
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PowerDMS Product Review

6 out of 10
May 17, 2021
It is being used across the whole organization and [I feel] the biggest issue I have seen is that it can be a little confusing to use …
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Awards

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Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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What is PowerDMS by NEOGOV?

PowerDMS by NEOGOV is a software platform designed to recruit, train, equip, and protect employees across their careers, used for policy management, community engagement, and staff scheduling.

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  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Product Details

What is PowerDMS by NEOGOV?

PowerDMS by NEOGOV is a software platform designed to recruit, train, equip, and protect employees across their careers, used for policy management, community engagement, and staff scheduling.

The PowerDMS platform includes the following solutions:

  • PowerPolicy - A cloud-based repository to manage policies and procedures across their entire lifecycle used to develop, review, approve, distribute, and track every policy with confidence, knowing that only one published version exists.
  • PowerStandards - Accreditation software that streamlines the management of policies and compliance documentation. PowerDMS works with 60+ accrediting bodies to publish their standards manuals on PowerStandards.
  • PowerEngage (formerly CueHit) - A citizen engagement software and feedback solution for law enforcement, emergency communications, fire, and EMS. Keeps citizens informed and measures satisfaction to boost morale with an automated solution.
  • PowerTime (formerly PlanIt Schedule) - a personnel scheduling software for law enforcement, emergency communications, fire, and EMS. It keeps responders informed, reduces time spent scheduling, and helps users maintain proper staffing levels.
  • PowerFTO (formerly Agency360) - Manages, tracks, and measures on-the-job training for law enforcement, emergency communications, EMS, and corrections, to ensure employees have everything they need to be successful in any new role throughout an agency.
  • PowerLine - Includes a nationwide network of peer volunteers so responders can connect with someone who shares challenges. It can be used to support a team’s wellbeing and enhance a department’s wellness program with an anonymous mobile app designed specifically for first responders.

PowerDMS by NEOGOV Features

  • Supported: Policy Management
  • Supported: Training Management
  • Supported: Accreditation Management
  • Supported: Approval Process Control
  • Supported: Audit Trails
  • Supported: Policy Library
  • Supported: Policy Training
  • Supported: Content search and retrieval
  • Supported: Workflow Management
  • Supported: Attestation
  • Supported: Policy Creation
  • Supported: Policy Metadata Management
  • Supported: Reporting/Analytics
  • Supported: Version Control
  • Supported: Document Control
  • Supported: Content publish & creation
  • Supported: Automated workflows
  • Supported: Mobile support

PowerDMS by NEOGOV Video

PowerDMS for Policy Management

PowerDMS by NEOGOV Competitors

PowerDMS by NEOGOV Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android

Frequently Asked Questions

PowerDMS by NEOGOV is a software platform designed to recruit, train, equip, and protect employees across their careers, used for policy management, community engagement, and staff scheduling.

SAI360 are common alternatives for PowerDMS by NEOGOV.

Reviewers rate Implementation Rating highest, with a score of 9.1.

The most common users of PowerDMS by NEOGOV are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(155)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

PowerDMS is a versatile platform that has proven to be invaluable for various organizations in managing policies, procedures, training, and accreditation activities. Users, including police departments, healthcare facilities, retail stores, and emergency services agencies, have praised the software for its efficiency and convenience. One of the key use cases of PowerDMS is improving internal communication and simplifying workflows. With the ability to review policies and procedures electronically, make edits, send them for approval, and distribute them to staff by assigning documents, PowerDMS streamlines the process of policy management.

Another important use case of PowerDMS is ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements. The software helps organizations track document signatures, attendance records, and test scores for trainings, making it easier to demonstrate compliance with accreditation bodies. It also simplifies the accreditation process by highlighting sections of policies that meet criteria and providing real-time updates of documents to ensure accurate compliance assessment. Additionally, PowerDMS serves as a centralized database for all agency-related documents, training materials, surveys, and accreditation processes. This allows for efficient tracking of approval activities and user signatures.

PowerDMS is also highly regarded for its document management capabilities. Users appreciate how the software enables easy creation, editing, and sharing of policies and procedures manuals. It provides a searchable database of policies and resources, making it simple to locate necessary information. Moreover, PowerDMS acts as a one-stop shop for storing policies, procedures, training videos, annual tests, newsletters, certifications, and other forms of communication. By centralizing these documents and eliminating the need for multiple sites or physical copies, PowerDMS reduces the risk of errors and saves time.

Besides its effectiveness in policy management and accreditation support, PowerDMS plays a crucial role in training employees. The software facilitates remote web-based training and tracks training requests, courses, certificates to ensure employees receive necessary training on policies and critical aspects of their positions. It also aids in staff onboarding and career development by managing training, credentials, and personnel files. PowerDMS provides accountability by tracking employee signatures, ensuring all necessary documents, training materials, and communications are received and signed for.

Overall, PowerDMS has proven to be a valuable tool for organizations across various industries. From improving internal communication and simplifying workflows to enhancing compliance with accreditation requirements and centralizing document management, the software offers a wide range of use cases that help streamline operations and boost efficiency.

Comprehensive Solution: Users appreciate the comprehensive solution provided by PowerDMS for managing policies and procedures. Many reviewers have stated that it eliminates the need for uploading policies twice in different systems, streamlining document management processes.

Time Limit Feature: The time limit feature in PowerDMS is highly valued by users. Several reviewers have mentioned that it ensures employees read important policies and procedures before signing them, providing reassurance that documents are not being signed without proper review.

Customer Support: Users praise the customer support provided by PowerDMS. Many reviewers have highlighted the availability of consultants through one-on-one webinars, email, and web-chat options. They also appreciate the quick response time and helpfulness of the support team, describing them as friendly, patient, and going above and beyond to resolve issues.

Confusing User Interface: Many users have expressed frustration with PowerDMS's user interface, finding it confusing and difficult to navigate. Some reviewers without an administrative background have stated that the workflow process is not intuitive and requires more explanation.

Clunky Highlighting Process: Several users have mentioned that the highlighting process in the Standards module of PowerDMS is clunky and needs improvement. This has caused difficulties for users when trying to highlight specific sections of documents.

Confusing Permissions Process: The permissions process for standards viewing and proof uploading in PowerDMS can be confusing for users. Some reviewers have found it difficult to understand how to set permissions correctly, leading to confusion and potential access issues.

Users commonly recommend the following:

  1. Taking advantage of the online tutorials, support, and webinars: Users suggest making use of the various resources available to enhance their understanding and proficiency in using PowerDMS. They recommend accessing online tutorials, seeking support when needed, and participating in webinars to fully utilize the features of the software.

  2. Keeping protected information off of PowerDMS: To ensure security and privacy, users advise being cautious about what information is stored on PowerDMS. They suggest considering ways to keep sensitive or protected data off the platform to minimize potential risks.

  3. Becoming an active participant in the PowerDMS Success Community: Users highly recommend engaging with the PowerDMS Success Community, a platform that provides additional support and guidance to users. They advise actively participating in discussions, sharing experiences, and learning from others within the community. Additionally, users suggest watching all available support videos to gain further insights into PowerDMS functionality.

Overall, reviewers commend PowerDMS for its flexibility and ease-of-use in organizing documents and providing training. The software's superior support after the sale is highlighted as a distinguishing feature compared to other products. Users highly recommend PowerDMS for managing policies, accreditation, and training needs, emphasizing its ability to track policies and employee actions with accountability. It is particularly recommended for organizations still relying on manual systems for organizing accreditation files. PowerDMS is praised for solving paperwork-related challenges and enabling easy distribution of information to employees. Lastly, users appreciate that PowerDMS continuously improves based on customer feedback and highlight its accessibility from anywhere as a valuable benefit.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(76-100 of 131)
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January 12, 2018

I've got the power!

Erin Carden | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
PowerDMS is used by our entire organization to manage policy and forms, provide online training, and manage accreditation assessments. It allows us to have the most up to date documents available to all personnel, accessible on the cloud from anywhere. It significantly reduces the work involved in managing our law enforcement accreditation project.
  • The company is very open to user feedback to make their product work better for those who use it. Through usability sessions, the company seeks customer feedback and actually implements our suggestions.
  • The software is very user friendly and intuitive to use
  • The search feature has been improved significantly in the past year and makes finding what you're looking for very easy.
  • I'd like to see enhancements in the training module. Particularly, the test feature could allow for a larger variety of types of questions.
  • The expansion of the menus/tabs when you pass the mouse over them without clicking can be cumbersome. I often move the mouse over something and do not want the search bar, etc expanding.
I recommend PowerDMS for accreditation management and document management. I could see it being used in many varied scenarios, especially any type of accreditation and HR functions. If you like streamlined processes, I highly recommend this product! It makes it easy to track revisions to policy and forms and user policy acknowledgments. The reporting feature is top notch, and I can customize reports to suit my needs easily. The support staff is outstanding as well, and any issues or questions are addressed thoroughly and quickly.
January 12, 2018

Great Software

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We are an emergency services agency and use PowerDMS for our accreditation.
  • Easy to navigate software
  • Easy to search
  • Super awesome customer service
  • Integrated and useful help files and blog - love the help blogs - easier than 90% of the customer blogs out there
  • I would like to see more of a dashboard look, especially for the courses - easier to add modules, etc.
  • They just added folders, but more fully integrated folders and the ability to easily move items around would be more efficient
PowerDMS is definitely suited to any entity seeking to manage their accreditation, or their policies and procedures.
Miyoshi Carstaffin | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
PowerDMS is being used by my organization as a whole for training, electronic filing and it addresses PAPERLESS.
  • PowerDMS allows my company to MANAGE documents electronically versus the old way. With the old way, things were lost and never located therefore causing employees to redo and retake certifications. Now we are able to keep track of documents, test, certifications and etc.
  • My only con for PowerDMS right now is not having the time to utilize the software to become familiar with everything. However, I LOVE when it updates to sent out about new features.
PowerDMS is well suited for training and records keeping and I cant think of why it would be less appropriate to use.
October 30, 2017

PowerDMS Review

Anne Camaro | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is being used by our department to track policies and procedures, staff memorandums, reviews, trainings, and certificates. It has helped us with the accountability factor, especially because we are able to have the documents signed electronically.
  • Track Certifications - We no longer use Excel and Outlook to track certifications. It becomes cumbersome to look in multiple places for certification expiration dates. PowerDMS allows us to input the information once and renew once the recertification is done.
  • Track Online Signatures - Whenever we issue a new policy we have employees sign them electronically, this allows us to track what employees have read and helps us with accountability.
  • Trainings - a lot of the operational procedures in 911 centers are unique to the centers, and it allows us to customize our trainings to our needs.
  • Developing the trainings is not very easy, there are many different steps. I feel it could be simplified.
PowerDMS is great for tracking, and assigning ready projects. The workflow could be better by not having to download the author every time.
October 26, 2017

PowerDMS Review

Adam Marois | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Our entire agency uses PowerDMS. It allows employees to quickly and easily access policies at any time. It allows for changes and updates to be made easily.
  • You are able to create training files that employees go through and sign off on.
  • You can easily search files by keywords.
  • Administrators can track who has read a particular file or not.
  • The site key is listed once a person has already logged in. This is not really helpful as someone needs the site key in order to initially log in.
I like having employees sign off on new or updated policies. This way we can tell who has looked at the policy and who has not.
October 26, 2017

PoweredUP

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Several departments utilize PowerDMS to organize and secure documents. We are able to control who sees what and pull reports when necessary. Some documents address more than one department and all are able to access.
  • Secure
  • Organized
  • Simplified
  • So far I have not encountered any issues.
Document signatures across several departments when implementing new procedures. Viewing more than one department's documents in the instance something could be incorrect somewhere else.
October 25, 2017

I've got the Power(DMS)!

Julie Rosenburg | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Our agency uses PowerDMS to organize and distribute all policies and procedures. Our training staff also utilizes the software to develop training courses, track certificates, and ensure compliance with field training, continuing education, remedial training, and all other aspects of training and employee development. Our users love the mobile app because it puts their policies right in the palm of their hand no matter where they go. As administrators, we rely on the accountability the system provides and our ability to expeditiously update our staff of changes in policy or procedures. This has been tremendous for us during our accreditation process and we truly rely on the centralization of all of our information now.
  • Policy distribution: There are no longer gaps or delays in disseminating policy updates or written directives or procedural clarifications.
  • Document organization: The folder structures and folder securities that are available provide greater control and flexibility. Your agency's creativity is the only limit as to how you use this system. We are discovering new opportunities every day.
  • Access: Probably the greatest "plus" for our end users is the flexibility of having everything right where you need it when you need it.
  • Keyword Search: Find every reference to a needed term with super simple ease.
  • Sometimes if I get too deep into my folders I end up having to just return to the home page because backing up only one or two steps gets messy. This may be simply a user comfort level, though, and not a flaw in the system.
  • I have come across a few reports that I would love to have, and I am positive that PowerDMS would listen to user suggestions, but as of right now, there is no easy "suggest this" button or options.
  • I genuinely cannot think of a third issue/con that I would mention because we are always pleased with our experience with PowerDMS
Anywhere that desires a centralized point for policies, procedures, training, or other similar functions should consider PowerDMS a strong contender for their agency. The flexibility of structuring and security combined with the ability to delegate workflows and tasks allows an organization to more efficiently manage employee resources and foster stronger time management skills.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use PowerDMS to achieve accreditation from CALEA. It is currently being used in just our department. It gathers the information that you need readily.
  • One place for all information
  • Use of gathering information for reference
  • Allows others to assist you at looking at your information
  • Less SMALL checkboxes
  • Don't have restrictions on what text font you use. I have to retype entire documents because the program can't read the font.
  • Less restriction on video uploads. In CALEA you can use a video to cover a lot of proofs you can only have it in one format and it isn't the format the computer saves it as.
If the problems get fixed and you are not told "yes we have a group working on that " for a year then I think my rating would go up.
Katherine Luvisi | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Power DMS to store our policies and procedures. We also use it for our accreditation process.
  • Allows users to electronically sign for the agency policies and procedures.
  • We can easily revise polices and procedures without needed to reprint a manual.
  • Holds all documentation of proofs for our accreditation process.
  • Users can review their policy anywhere.
  • I would like a way to redact a document inside the standards module.
It is the best way to get information out to a mass of people all at once and to keep up with who has reviewed the material and who needs to be reminded to review the material.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is being utilized to manage 3 accreditation processes, both in a national and state accreditation. It is being utilized throughout the department. It address problems that include accreditation management, training management and document control. Has greatly served in the reduction of paper usage, particularly with the accreditation process. Significant savings in personnel costs with its web based process.
  • Full integration of policy/procedures, training and document management.
  • Employees are able to utilize PowerDMS for policy distribution and review.
  • Automatic electronic documentation of employee training.
  • Interface seems a bit static.
  • Unable to adjust training due date once it has been acquired by an employee.
  • Ability to copy documents to various accreditation processes as opposed to being limited to previous cycles within the same accreditation process.
It is well suited for document management and distribution. [It's an] Effective way to communicate policy or procedural changes to many employees from various divisions within a single department who work different schedules. The electronic workflows are effective for tracking policy review and recommendations and assigning various areas of responsibilities.
Michael Flanagan | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is a big asset for our agency. It allows us to keep all of our policy and procedure documents in one loaction and tracks all users as they read, acknowledge, and put the policies and procedures in action. It reduces the need to print and reprint documents that we use on a regular basis. It also allows for quick disbursement of information to all officers.
  • Policy and procdure acknowledgement and testing
  • When a safety bulliten is uploaded, the system emails officers to check the system
  • Makes for easy policy review and updating
  • So far, I haven't found anyting that needs improvement
Excellent software, I would recommend that all agencies use it.
July 13, 2017

Power DMS rocks!

David Kostiak | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Power DMS to maintain our accreditation.
  • We track proofs.
  • We update policies.
  • We use it for downloading updates for SOPs.
  • More user-friendly for updating proofs.
  • It should have clickable titles to select for proofing.
  • More web-based training to help onboard users.
Sending out new policies, tracking procedures and policies.
Quessie Foreman Parks | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is the system that holds our agency staff members and vendors accountable and is making our agency better. We use the system for policies, training/other orders, tests, reviewing and revising policies, certification notifications and for audits/inspections (to view policies and procedures). Staff not only use the system on the job, they use their smartphones and other devices to keep abreast of updated information when they are at trainings, vacations or off.
  • Certification Notifications--notify staff 30 days in advance of upcoming re-certifications.
  • Workflows--able to send a document to varies staff members for review of a document.
  • Reports--allows you to obtain a report on documents that overdue in signing.
  • Event logs--able to view the staff members activities in the system.
  • Workflows--to be able to add another staff member to the workflow and give them a different voting rights.
PowerDMS is very valuable when our Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) is conducting an investigation in violation of a policy. In the past OPA had to contact the Accreditation unit to obtain documentation of staff signatures for a policy/procedures. Sometimes it would take 30 minutes to an hour to go through the stack of paperwork to locate the requested information. With PowerDMS it's just a click away and very time saving and accurate.
July 13, 2017

PowerDMS is Great

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use PowerDMS for our CALEA Accreditation, as well as for testing and training of the employees. Our entire agency uses the program and has found it beneficial in cutting out paper files and helping maintain more organization. Employees have access to the program at each CAD workstation on the floor and at all computers that have internet access.
  • PowerDMS helps organize your accreditation files and gives a great reporting view to be able to get the information you need from the files in an instant.
  • PowerDMS makes it so easy to upload and publish documents and get them out to the end users quickly. With workflows and reports, you can see all stages of the document and easily audit it.
  • The training that is completed in PowerDMS is accessible and can be audited at any time. If you are looking for which employees did not take a certain training program, or even the percentage of employees that passed certain criteria, it is easily accessed.
  • The 20 minute time-out feature should be agency specific. I think the agency should have some say in being able to extend that time period if they see the need.
  • Proofs that are in one standard can't be copied to another standard. For example, if I use 1 document as proof for 3 separate standards, I have to upload that same proof 3 separate times into PowerDMS to be able to add it to each standard that I need it.
  • Tests that are given an expiration date do not disable after the expiration date. The creator still has to go in and manually disable the tests.
PowerDMS has organized our online training more than before when we had a different system. Our accreditation files are no longer paper, so we are saving money and time with this program. The site can be accessed off-site which alleviates the need for mailing off the files and helps the agency get more volunteers when doing a mock assessment.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We're using PowerDMS to manage policy - to organize it and make it widely accessible. We plan to put more and more paperwork into it as we move ahead. Just used in the police department. We've found that it addresses accessibility, and gives users a better searchable option.
  • Searching uploaded files and documents.
  • It's an easy, immediate search with a great presentation.
  • Adding documentation works very well and users controls are easy to manage.
  • We're finding that logging on isn't fun. It's likely a user issue but right now it's yet another system that they need to remember information for, and to remember to log into.
It's great for what it does in law enforcement. I can see it used in other larger businesses too. Maybe organizations with remote offices and employees.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use PowerDMS for many different purposes. We upload all of our policies to PowerDMS and assign them to staff to review and sign electronically. We are able to update policies directly on the site and if a staff member has already signed a policy, they are able to easily compare the old version with the new version by using the side-by-side feature. It highlights what has been added, what's been changed and what has been deleted. We also upload training videos, our annual tests, newsletters, meeting minutes, and store CPR and other life support certifications on PowerDMS. We also use their AAAHC Standards feature. The AAAHC Standards are included in our software and all we have to do is go in to each standard and highlight different sections of our policies that show that we are meeting each criteria. When surveyors come, they are given a special sign-on and can easily click through the standards and see our attached policies and processes for each criteria. It's so much faster and easier than to flip through hundreds of policies in binders. It's all laid out for them.
  • PowerDMS pairs you up with a consultant that will guide you through how to get started. They set up one-on-one webinars with you and walk you through step by step.
  • The consultants are always available by email and have a quick response time if you are having trouble with anything. There is also a web-chat option where you can chat with a representative if you run into any questions.
  • They have a lot of resource material. There are how-to articles with step-by-step instructions, there are training videos, there are live webinars that you can sign up to be a part of and ask questions, if you can't make it to the webinars - they have recorded webinars that you can watch. There are customer forums that you can get ideas and feedback from other users.
  • One area of functionality that could be improved is the Home icon. If you hover over the icon, a drop-down menu appears, but if you click on the Home Icon, it takes you to your home screen. It would be nice if they were separate icons.
  • Sometimes the format of your document changes slightly from what you see in Word.
  • If you update any of your policies and they are apart of your standards, you have to go back into the standard and move the highlight. It would be nice if there was a way that the highlight would follow the text.
  • When approving workflows of policies, if someone denies a policy it stops the workflow. You're supposed to approve the policy with a comment so that it goes to the next person in the workflow for review, or send it to another person to fix something. It would be nice if there was a third option like: Approved - changes needed (see notes). Then it wouldn't completely halt the workflow.
PowerDMS is well-suited for any company that needs to have policies and procedures easily accessible for surveyors and staff. It works well for businesses that have staff that travel a lot. Our medical director was traveling out of the country and he was able to sign on to PowerDMS from his laptop and collaborate and approve policies while he was traveling. Our process was not halted in his absence. I think it is less appropriate for companies that have a lot of employees and their training and policies do not need to be monitored often. You do need to pay per user license. If your employees only review a handful of policies once a year, or once when they are hired, you may want to look for a more cost-effective software.
Cheryl Holtz | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is used by the Orlando Police Department to implement and track training; for policy review; and for accreditation purposes. In regards to training, personnel enroll in training sessions via PowerDMS, and instructors print out attendance sheets for personnel to sign. These attendance sheets and all other hard copy training documentation are uploaded into PowerDMS personnel files, making it very easy to find documents and proof of training for litigation purposes. Training courses and tests are created in PowerDMS, and then taken by employees via PowerDMS. PowerDMS automatically awards training, making grading easy and accurate. The policy review process, ensures that personnel have read and signed off on all PowerDMS. The recording of this action is used for litigation, internal affairs and supervisory purposes. Through the ability to create reports, I am able to see what training has completed, and our accreditation specialist is able to ensure we are in compliance. The home page makes it very easy for personnel to see what mandatory training they need to complete, ensuring personnel are meeting all training requirements.
  • PowerDMS allows law enforcement agencies the ability to create a course with specific dates/times for personnel to enroll in. The enrollment list is easily printed out for instructors to provide for personnel to sign.
  • PowerDMS makes it easy to create courses (Material, PowerPoint, Test, etc.) for personnel to complete at their convenience, thus freeing up more time for hands-on training.
  • Tests are easily created in PowerDMS. The tracking of tests is easy and lets the agency see where personnel stand in relation to understanding the material, and completing the testing.
  • Certificates are easily awarded in PowerDMS for training, and the training history compiled is assembled in an organized manner.
  • Certificate (training) history is only able to be printed, using the "printer icon" by someone's supervisor or an administrator; up uploaded to Excel, Word or PDF. The "printer" option looks much nicer. This feature should be available to all PowerDMS users.
  • Currently old training histories from a previous system are uploaded as a PDF under each individual's file tab. Unfortunately, only administrators can view file tabs and their contents. It would be a nice enhancement, if we could give rights to the file tabs to all employees.
  • Currently, sergeants are unable to enroll their employees in training, which they were able to do in our previous system. This is the sergeant's biggest gripe. We tried using workflows, but found that sergeants were not approving their officer's training requests in a timely manner. This is an issue when you have 770 officers, and instructors have to approve them before they can award the training. Currently officers are enrolling themselves with no approval.
  • Our department conducts the same training every year for Firearms, Defensive Tactics, Driver's Training, etc. It would be a nice enhancement, if the system allowed the administrator the capability of cloning courses and certificates; instead of having to recreate them every year.
PowerDMS is well suited for creating training blocks for personnel to enroll in. It is well suited for instructors to have the ability to print out attendance sheets. The ability to upload all your course material (lesson plans, completed attendance sheets, score sheets, etc.) under each course is a great feature and makes it easy to locate a document for supervisory or litigation purposes. It is less appropriate for personnel or supervisors to have access to their employee documents.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
For Policy and Procedures. Signing of any new Policies and Procedures. Subpoenas. Accreditation.

The whole department uses this system. It is used to track signatures. It is used for testing. It is used for approval of additions or new policies and procedures. It is very handy for the officers to be able to look up any policy and procedure in the rules and regs instead of issuing our paper copies or CDs.
  • Acquiring signatures for policies and procedures. Makes them accountable.
  • Subpoenas. This is easier than trying to track each officer down for court.
  • Testing. Making sure the officers are aware and understand certain aspects of their jobs.
  • Being able to hunt for documents in PowerDMS for accreditations with a function key.
  • Being able to enable documents without hiding them.
Rules and Regs issuance and always having it up to date for the officers. Before they were issued a CD. Then things would change throughout the year and they had a CD without the changes. This gives them all the current changes instead of having to be given a new CD each year.
Greg Jones | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use PowerDMS to manage our accreditation and compliance in all aspects. It is used to manage our policy and procedures, employee training is done through PowerDMS and actual accreditation proofs are contained in PowerDMS.
  • Policy approval, management and distribution
  • Accreditation management
  • Employee training
  • Employee training record file management
PowerDMS is great at policy management and accreditation management.
May 19, 2017

PowerDMS Review

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Our entire organization has access to policies and procedures in PowerDMS. There is a smaller group of people who have access to standards and editing functions.
  • Being internet based it can be viewed anywhere.
  • Electronic signatures are very easy to track.
  • When setting up users sometimes the security settings are difficult to figure out.
  • Any other issues I had in the past have all been updated and fixed.
Any business that needs employees to be able to view documents would benefit from PowerDMS. It is easy to edit documents. When you need several people to approve a document before it is published it is easy to set up a workflow so others can view the changes.
Tanya Yvette Young Perry | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
  • PowerDMS tracks and logs how much time employees take to review and read policies and procedures as well as keep a log showing employees have signed for policies and procedures they are responsible for. With this electronic system, it deletes the need to print out policies and procedures for each employee, thus saving money and time copying and distributing them.
  • PowerDMS has searchable features and assists employees in searching for needed information based on title, subject matter, or type of document. This feature enables users to find the information they are looking for very quickly and in a timely manner.
  • PowerDMS also enables employers to create tests and surveys within the system that can be assigned to a select group or to all employees to complete.
  • PowerDMS has excellent customer service. They are polite, professional, and knowledgeable. They are always eager to assist and solve problems for their customers.
  • PowerDMS has developed mobile apps for iPhone and Android systems. The apps are great for signing for documents however they currently aren't set up to search within documents or to allow administrators to load new documents to the system from a cell phone. I am confident that the developers will work this out.
PowerDMS is well suited for tracking signatures on documents.
Buck Buchanan | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We currently use PowerDMS for our CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) accreditation. Every member of our department has access to PowerDMS to read and sign-off new and revised policies. We also use PowerDMS for training which will allow officers to do [it] while working which helps with keeping them on the street instead of having to adjust their schedule.
  • PowerDMS helps the off-site CALEA process run smooth.
  • We use PowerDMS to conduct training which makes it easy to track test scores as well as print certificates.
  • PowerDMS is great for conducting surveys. What is really great with the surveys is that you can do them anonymously.
  • When uploading a revised policy it would be nice to be able to stay in the manage document file after the upload so that I can add a sign off date.
  • I would recommend to have PowerDMS as an app for Android phones but that is now done.
  • I can't think of anything else. PowerDMS is a great tool.
As I have stated in previous areas we have used PowerDMS for training which has made it much more efficient for our department. Before our officers go to the range it is required that each officer review the Use of Force policy then take a test. With PowerDMS the officer can do it before going to the range which will give them more range time instead of classroom time.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
PowerDMS is used across our agency for policy management, training and managing our accreditation process.
  • The greatest thing about PowerDMS is their customer support! They are always available to answer questions or do remote help sessions if needed. Their tech support members are friendly, never make you feel rushed when providing assistance, and go above and beyond to make sure you resolve your issues.
  • I love the ability to manage our policy and be paperless. Creating, collaborating and revising documents via electronic workflows eliminates the confusion we used to experience when multiple versions of the same document went through several departments for input on revisions. Now everything is managed within one workflow and all changes are made to one version of the policy. All previous versions of the policy are stored and archived versions can be accessed if needed. When new policies or revisions to policies are approved, then the policy is "published" and is automatically sent out to the staff for their review and signature. Signatures are captured electronically and stored within the system. Gone are the days of our paper sign-off sheets!
  • We now use PowerDMS for all our monthly Roll Call training. We create courses attached to policies and staff read the polices and then take the corresponding tests. This is done individually, taking the place of the days when supervisors had to go over policies with their staff. It puts the onus on the individual to ensure that they read and understand all the aspects of the policy. Tests are automatically graded by the system and results are compiled in easy to access and run reports. Supervisors are able to see which of their staff have completed tests and which ones are still outstanding right from the home screen dashboard.
  • Our CALEA Accreditation is managed from directly within PowerDMS. All our policies and proofs of compliance are attached directly to the applicable standard. Having to store file cabinets worth of documents is a thing of the past! But one of the best features of PowerDMS are the automatic alerts I receive whenever a policy that has been attached to one of our standards has been revised. PowerDMS allows me to easily choose to either upload and attach the revised version or to keep my original version.
  • They just launched a mobile app that we are very excited about. We are in the process of uploading floor plans for schools, universities, hospitals and offices into our site so that officers can access them in the event of a critical incident.
  • PowerDMS not only listens to customer feedback, but they solicit it. We are able to suggest modifications to the end user experience and have seen some of our suggestions be implemented in upgrades. It's a great feeling to know that they hear you and value your experience as a customer.
  • PowerDMS allows users managing accreditation processes to run reports showing the status of their assessment. While a step in the right direction, there needs to be an easier way to distinguish and log when specific cycle years are complete.
PowerDMS is perfect for any organization looking for a way to manage their policies and procedures and accreditation processes. We have just begun to scratch the surface of what PowerDMS can do for our agency from a training perspective and we are excited to expand this feature of the software.
May 05, 2017

Ease of Use

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
The entire agency is utilizing PowerDMS as the main portal for accessing policies, procedures, and forms. Eventually we hope to integrate testing and surveys as well.
  • Upload of documents is extremely easy.
  • Administrative functions are intuitive and user-friendly.
  • Document download is a simple process and allows for multiple formats.
  • Subfolders. It would be nice to be able to create more subfolders in a hierarchical format.
  • It would be nice to have a way to organize the results from a search function.
  • Be allowed to develop your own reports with a crystal reports like creator.
PowerDMS works very well for policies and procedures. They are easy to upload and easy to access. The mobile function makes reviewing them very easy. The system is a bit complicated to set up classes and training and an easier interface for creating classes would be helpful.
Laura Whitney | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use PowerDMS for our accreditation process and also to house all of our policies, procedures, and protocols. We recently started using it to track onboarding training and will use it more for training in the future. We had trouble when going through the accreditation process making sure that papers floating around were the latest version and PDMS has solved that issue because documents can be updated and printed directly from the site - the most up to date version is the published one. Our entire organization uses it, but most staff do not log on every day (I personally do). We are trying to get more staff input and have them use it more. It has made the accreditation process a lot easier; instead of pulling out binders and binders of P&Ps, the surveyor just logs into our DMS site.
  • Having the accreditation standards handbook on the site is definitely the biggest pro of PowerDMS
  • Ease of use
  • Author (the editing function of PowerDMS) is not compatible with our environment so only a few people are able to edit documents - this defeats the purpose of having the functionality all online since we have to share documents using additional software.
  • Adding Adobe Presenter (or the ability to add SWF interactions) on trainings; right now trainings are particularly boring when done through PowerDMS since they are only PowerPoints.
Unless you aren't an accredited body or seeking accreditation, I can't think of a reason NOT to get PowerDMS. I think it's a great tool that can help any organization. We are specifically in healthcare within higher ed, but I have connected with law enforcement organizations that find it just as useful.
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