Appendix 2: Knowledge Management Systems, Enterprise Content 

Management, Document Management Systems 

Enterprise Content Management is the process by which one creates, approves, posts, monitors, 

updates, removes and archives information on the web.  Proper content management ensures that 

legitimate, authoritative, and correct information is present on the web for users.   

By contrast, an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) provides two basic office 

functions.  First, it works as desktop electronic library.  In theory, all documents, regardless of format 

(including email), stored in an electronic repository, indexed for ease of search, assigned a retention 

period and then are made available for use.  Secondly, an EDMS should enable workers to create, edit, 

route and approve documents without using paper. Maintaining a useful EDMS requires many 

knowledge workers, that is, people who index the documents (create metadata) and work toward 

making information easier to find.  See 

http://www2.ucsc.edu/iam/EDMS/EDMS%20Tips.htm

 for more 

information. 

Knowledge Management Systems (KM) have become significant business processes with a host of 

support tools. In the business world KM was initially used by help desks and other service oriented 

staff to expedite customer service.  Over time, KM was used by business decision makers and tools, 

like portals, were created to facilitate one s access to diverse electronic knowledge stores.  

KM does blend with content management and document management in many ways.  The most 

significant way is that portals must pull in quality information for knowledge seekers.  Quality 

information must be managed with a content manager and the content may be created via an EDMS.  

While information systems put the onus of asking the right questions on the user of the system, KM 

systems, correctly implemented, shift that burden to the system itself. An excellent place to learn 

more about KM is KMWorld: http://www.kmworld.com. 

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Web Services Committee 

Page 20 

May 28, 2002