Happy M-Files Review
Updated July 12, 2019
Happy M-Files Review
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with M‑Files
M-Files is being using by the whole organization to store, retrieve, revise and approve documentation. The system uses metadata properties allowing users to search and view documents quickly and easily, eliminating chaotic network folders; users are no longer required to remember where a file or folder is stored. Workflow capabilities allow users to route documents for review and sign-off, keeping content in one system vs. multiple databases. Creating assignments in M-Files provides traceability for routing and reviewing of documents, eliminating email attachments and uncontrolled paper files. Permission settings within the system allows only authorized persons to access certain files. The Check In/Check Out system creates automated version control and leaves a history trail, leaving a structured audit trail.
- Metadata drive - searches through metadata and throughout the document itself to retrieve what the user is looking for. Finds documents fast and easily using the search bar. Additional filters can be added if needed to filter further.
- Advanced automated workflows. Assignments are automatically generated once a workflow state is reached and emails notifications are sent to assignees. Automation ensures smooth transitions and eliminates manual triggers.
- Traceability and version control. M-Files tracks each change to the document itself and to the metadata. This is important for audits and having the version history at your fingertips.
- Extremely customizable. Users can create their own views for themselves or common views for the whole company to view a group of documents. These options can be customized based on the metadata properties. Administrators can create the properties and structure in the Admin tool.
- Notifications could be improved. Once an assignment has met the deadline date, it will no longer notify the assignee of an overdue assignment every day after the deadline. The assignee will only see the overdue assignment by opening up M-Files and seeing it on their home screen or referring to the email last received.
- Once an action has been taken within the system, the page needs to be refreshed frequently. Improvements could be made to reduce the refreshing required to see the changes that were made.
- M-Files acts like a library - in order to edit a document it must be checked out by a user. Once changes are made the document should automatically check itself in by default. When exiting out of a document, sometimes it does not automatically check in and requires manual check in. Consistency of automatic actions could be improved.
- The M-Files Admin customization and workflows could be explained or assisted more at initial setup. Since the system is out of the box, trying to setup the system to cater to the company's needs can be time consuming and a confusing process. It took a lot of trial and error to get the metadata properties and values setup properly. It something that we still struggle with at times since M-Files support doesn't know how our company operates and how we want to use the system.
- Compliance and history storage for audits.
- Quick retrieval of documents - time reduction.
- Structure - elimination of duplicates, paper copies, and multiple databases.
- Traceability - workflows and assignments help locate status of documentation.
- Microsoft applications. Saving documents directly to M-Files is quick and easy. Syncing M-Files metadata properties with Microsoft Word documents eliminates rework. Outlook allows users to email link directly to M-Files document, eliminating email attachments and duplicate copies.
- Adobe Acrobat. Signing and routing documents through workflows increases productivity and saves time.
Integration has been smooth so far. We have not integrated M-Files with an ERP system but hope to do so in the future. The system seems to integrate well with others and has an open API.
I found M-Files to be intuitive and powerful compared to other products. The system can be setup and customized to the business as needed - not an out-of-the-box program. This setup process takes some evaluation and time for the administrators to create the appropriate structure. However, once the initial setup is created, the user adaptability is smoother and accessing content is easy to find. The metadata driven approach is different than other systems and really takes the guessing work out of the equation for users. Nobody has to remember where something is stored, they only need to know what it is.
M‑Files Feature Ratings
Using M‑Files
65 - Our organization is in manufacturing and our main users include production, quality and engineering departments. The quality team creates, routes, and signs off on documentation relating to the quality management system. Engineering uses the system for accessing drawings and change orders. Production finds their assembly drawings and additional documentation needed to perform their jobs.
3 - We are a small manufacturing company that has one person on-site to support M-Files. The documentation specialist is the administrator for M-Files and the support lead in helping train employees and maintain the structure of the system. There are two other administrators/managers on-site to assist with any help users may have.
- Audit trails and traceabililty for the quality management system documentation.
- Quick access to files for production users.
- Permission settings and version control.
- Workflows and routing of assignments.
- Assignments have been used to initiate training to employees after documents are signed off.
- Exporting of views list to see what items are overdue and who is assigned to a particular assignment.
- Store marketing material such as videos, pictures, etc.
- Create seperate vaults for each department as the organization grows.
- Create more advanced workflows and automation to eliminate traceability and human error.
Evaluating M‑Files and Competitors
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Vendor Reputation
Product usability and ease of use was the most important factor when making a decision to purchase M-Files. We wanted to ensure the employees would be able to adapt to the new system and find the content they need quickly in order to effectively do their job. With M-Files, searching is fast and eliminates the need for employees guessing where documents are located. They can just enter the product name and the related documentation is displayed.
I would ask more questions and really dig deep into what the systems are capable of. When looking at a new system, it's easy to become overwhelmed with options and only see the surface level of what a product can offer. Sometimes users don't know about the disadvantages of a product or system until after they've purchased. I would look at reviews like these on TrustRadius now to help alleviate a lot of those issues like that and gain more insight before making a purchase.
Using M‑Files
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using | Requires technical support Lots to learn |
- Searching - acts just like Google. Type in a word/title/number or a portion of it and get results instantly.
- Viewing content - multiple ways to view content. i.e. create views to browse documents, pin a document to the Pinned area, star a document to place it in a Favorites area, home screen has various content display areas.
- Creating new documents or adding existing documents to M-Files - various ways to save existing content into the system or create new content by selecting the Create button (M-Files then prompts users to fill in appropriate properties for each document which keeps everything consistent and easy to find.)
- Re-submitting assignments once they've not been completed by the deadline date.
- Creating a view - these are created using metadata properties and the user must know the property needed when setting up a filter for the view.
- Users have trouble realizing assignments are seperate objects from documents - the attached document is underneath the assignment and has seperate metadata properties. This creates issues when the users need to complete an assignment and cannot locate the document.
Yes, but I don't use it