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What is Document Creation Software?
Document creation software enables you to create, edit, customize, and share text-based files. These apps can function as document generators, word processors, and PDF creators and editors that import data from third-party sources into templates. With this solution, you can create a range of documents such as contracts, notes, legal documentation, proposals, forms, and reports, among others.Show more Document creation software can also be used to store and share documents, either locally or on a common drive. These solutions are often part of a bigger suite of systems, or integrated with more robust business software. They can also be independent and focused applications. Start by checking our leader Templafy, and other recommended solutions in this category.Show less
How was this ranking made?
To create this ranking of best Document Creation Software we have examined 149 leading apps currently available on the market, contrasting their features, ease-of-use, client service, available integrations with other systems as well as mobile support using our unique SmartScoreTM rating system. This ranking has been prepared by Jenny Chang, our SaaS authority responsible for the Document Creation Software category.
List of Top 12 Document Creation Software
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1. PDFelement Pro
Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 98%A professional, reliable, and powerful PDF editing and conversion application with cost-effective pricing and an intuitive interface. Through OCR technology, the software gives users full control of PDF files. Users can easily add comments and annotations to documents to make collaboration more convenient.
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2. Templafy
Our score: 8.9 User satisfaction: 100%An intuitive document creation software mainly used for creating and updating business documents distributed within an organization. Templafy is equipped with smart tools such as a powerful search function and advanced filters to find specific company content. It also automates the creation of business documents based on sophisticated templates.
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3. Windward Studios
Our score: 8.6 User satisfaction: 95%Windward is the winner of our Expert's Choice Award. It is a creative, robust document generation solution that utilizes modern computing to produce visually appealing, data-driven and smart documents. The platform has an intuitive, user-friendly interface that lets you design documents with elements of charts, graphs, tables, and other graphics.
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4. Zoho Docs
Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 99%A cloud-based software for online collaboration and file management. Zoho Docs offers a free document management and collaboration platform with desktop file sync, file versioning, task and reminders, custom branding features, and more. Zoho Docs seamlessly integrates with Zoho apps, DropBox, and Google Drive.
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5. Quip
Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 97%Quip is a modern word processor that enables you to create beautiful documents on any device. With this platform, users can create task lists and spreadsheets as well, ensuring fast, efficient collaboration. Instant messaging capabilities also help team members collaborate on the documents they create.
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6. Foxit PhantomPDF
Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 99%Foxit PhantomPDF is a cost-effective solution for business professionals to work securely with PDF documents and forms. With the software, users can easily create, edit, and scan PDF files and forms, reducing the need for third-party apps. Users will also be able to sign PDF-based documents and collaborate on these files.
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7. Zoho Show
Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 98%Zoho Show is a browser-based online presentation tool with real-time collaboration features. The platform lets users easily create presentations from its selection of pre-made themes. Users can customize text formatting, add transitions and animation, and even embed a wide variety of media.
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8. Adobe Acrobat
Our score: 8.3 User satisfaction:Adobe Document Cloud has everything you need to create digital document workflows — quickly, securely, in the systems you use every day. Through this application, you can create, sign, and manage PDF documents on a variety of devices. Users can also directly edit PDF files and convert these files into Microsoft Office formats.
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9. Conga Composer
Our score: 8.3 User satisfaction: 100%Conga Composer uses a variety of document creation and merging mechanisms to facilitate workflow management. A merge button makes it easy to combine data from multiple documents of different types, so data extraction is faster and more efficient. Integrations with third-party applications for digital signatures also ensure security for your documents.
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10. FormSwift
Our score: 8.2 User satisfaction: 100%FormSwift is a tool to help you quickly and easily create, edit, sign, and collaborate on documents and forms. The software comes with a library with more than 500 customizable templates for forms and documents. Users can also add images, checkmarks, and other elements to PDFs through the software’s built-in PDF editor.
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11. KDETools OST to PST Converter
Our score: 8.0 User satisfaction:KDETools OST To PST Converter is a popular OST to PST conversion tool capable of recovering and retrieving corrupted and damaged OST files and transform them into various formats.
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12. Documoto
Our score: 7.7 User satisfaction:Documoto is a structured parts information and parts books creator and manager offered by Digabit.
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Table of contents
- 1. Get to Know Each Product with Free Trial
- 2. Targeted Businesses
- 3. Examples of Document Creation Software
- 4. Types of Document Creation Software
- 5. Key Features of Document Creation Software
- 6. Benefits of Document Creation Software
- 7. Latest Trends
- 8. Potential Issues
- 9. Common Uses of Document Creation Software
- 10. Useful Statistics on Document Creation and Management
Document creation software programs can be used to create a range of useful documents such as reports, proposals, contracts, forms and more. Both freelancers and enterprises can use this type of solution for their business purposes. But how do you do educated comparisons to select the best document management software app among the many good ones available in the market? To help you, we have created this buyer’s guide which tells you the key features and factors that mark a high-quality application.
Get to Know Each Product with Free Trial
The ideal way to start your search for the best document management software product is to sign up for the free trials or demo offered by leading document creation software providers. This will allow you to check out the various key features of each of these platforms and gauge whether it can suit your business needs. You can visit the websites of these popular tools to find out whether there is a free trial you can sign up for: Google Docs, Adobe Acrobat DC, Microsoft Word, Foxit, and PhantomPDF. These document creation tools have received high rankings in our document creation software reviews and you can read them to get a comparison of their key features.
Targeted Businesses
- Freelancers and solo entrepreneurs can use document creation tools to create the necessary documents for their business purposes.
- Small, medium-sized, and large enterprises can also use document creation services to go paperless, reduce manual work, and make their business processes more efficient.
Examples of Document Creation Software
- Google Docs: Create and edit web-based presentations, spreadsheets, and documents. The main advantage is you can store documents online and access them from any computer.
- Adobe Acrobat: A free global product for viewing, printing, and commenting on PDF documents. You can use it to accelerate business processes and let your employees work anywhere.
- Microsoft Word: Allows you to create, edit, view and share your files with others easily and quickly. It also enables you to view and edit Office docs attached to email.
- Foxit PhantomPDF: A multi-feature PDF editor that is ideal for teams of all sizes. You can use this solution to create, edit, organize, secure, collaborate and share, export, scan, and sign PDF forms and documents.
Types of Document Creation Software
Document creation software apps can function as document generators, word processors, and PDF creators and editors that source in data from third-party solutions and use them as templates.
Word processor – Word processors provide a convenient way of creating text-based documents. These applications typically offer various resources to make the writing process easier, including templates for common business documents such as reports, contracts, and letters. Word processors also help users track goals through features such as word count and page count.
PDF creator/editor – These applications assist users in creating PDFs and converting files into this format and vice versa. Many of these document creation software also allow users to edit PDF files. The PDF file format comes in handy for redacting text and for restricting editing. These files are also more easily searchable.
Key Features of Document Creation Software
- Easy installation: You can use an installation script to automatically install the software. Typically, you can install the document creator on your own but if you run into issues you can seek the help of the vendor.
- Multiple document templates: The app creates documents for various clients based on predefined templates. You can use this solution to create an unlimited number of web-based document templates.
- Manage customer profiles: You can set up as many customer profiles as you wish. Plus, you can use predefined customer details (first name, last name, phone number, email) and add others if needed. Typically, there is a document counter and a link to all documents related to a given customer.
- Simple document management: After creating your document templates and a client database, you can easily produce documents from different templates, for different clients. Plus, you can create multiple documents for each customer from the same template. Another advantage is documents can be ordered by date and title and edited at a later stage.
- System options: The software allows administrators to easily configure the settings. They can define date and time format, grant access to other employees, translate the system messages etc. Top vendors protect your information from potential loss or misuse.
- Grammar and spell check: Most document creation software today come with built-in tools for checking grammar and spelling. Errors in grammar and spelling are usually highlighted so users can easily spot and correct these as needed. In many cases, these tools will also make recommendations on how to fix these errors. These tools ensure that you create professional documents that are perfect in terms of grammar and spelling.
- Image embedding: These document creation software also allow users to insert images in the document without messing up the document’s format. Users can choose images from local storage or the cloud. Through integrations, many document creation solutions can also pull graphs and charts from other documents such as spreadsheets.
- Collaborative editing: This feature can be commonly found in cloud-based document creation software. Through this feature, multiple users can simultaneously edit a document. Changes can be viewed in real time, with the software indicating who made these changes. In some cases, the software also indicates who’s viewing the document at any given time.
- Digital signatures: Many document creation software offer built-in features for digital signature management. The software allows users to insert legally enforceable e-signatures into documents, handy for contracts and for verifying the authenticity of these files.
Benefits of Document Creation Software
Document/file repository
Cloud-based document generation tools act as a central storehouse for all your vital documents that can be accessed, viewed, changed and shared with your team members. You don’t have to waste time waddling through stacks of folders to find the paper document you want.
Content security
Document creation software solutions protect your sensitive business information through rigorous security procedures and role-based access control that allows only authorized users to view important documents and files. You can depend on cloud-based systems to keep your critical business data safe in case of natural disasters or emergencies.
Anytime, anywhere access
Cloud-based apps allow anytime, anywhere access to documents from any internet-ready device. Thus, they are especially useful if your project work involves collaboration with team members who are based in diverse locations or work on the go.
Integration with third-party solutions
You can seamlessly integrate the document creation software with the other business systems you use to allow information to flow smoothly between the different platforms. This saves you effort and time, and also maintains data accuracy and integrity. Top applications also support email integration, allowing you to send documents and files to vendor partners, colleagues, and customers.
Avoid human error
Document creation software automates repetitive tasks such as formatting document elements and inserting headers and page numbers. The software has various tools that will do all these tasks for users so they can focus on creating or editing a document’s text. These automated tools help reduce the risk of human error when users manually create large batches of documents.
Consistency across documents
These applications make it easier for users to create documents that are uniform in terms of formatting and your business’ branding. Through the software, users can create and save templates with your business’ formatting specifications. This way, you can use these templates for your documents and ensure consistency.
Latest Trends
Cloud is here to stay
Cloud-based software solutions are becoming widely used for their many advantages. This is true in the case of document creation software too as cloud ensures you can access documents from anywhere, anytime. You don’t need to work on a particular computer or inside a closed network to access your files. You simply need an internet-ready device. Another advantage is web-based document creation apps are easily scalable, making them an ideal solution for fast-growing businesses. To sum up, cloud-based systems offer the main advantages of ease of access and reduced expenses.
Social integration is important
Facebook and Twitter are used by millions of users every day to share information with their contacts and followers and catch up on trends. Not surprisingly, document creation software products have kept pace and have integrated social technology into document creation and file sharing, allowing users to seamlessly organize, store, and revise files.
Interactive elements
Today’s digital documents are often more interactive, with elements such as embedded videos and charts. Advanced document creation software are starting to allow users to add more dynamic features to their documents. These include the ability to create charts and graphs with details that users can modify to produce customized results. These capabilities allow for the creation of more engaging documents, which come in handy for marketing purposes.
Blockchain-powered security
Most document creation software offer various security measures, including password protection documents. In the future, these software may start offering security features supported by blockchain technology. Blockchain allows for more sophisticated encryption for documents, providing security features that are resistant to tampering. The technology also enables the decentralization of storage, further boosting protection.
Potential Issues
User error
User error commonly occurs if you use an old-fashioned document creation system. To tackle this issue, do your homework and select an updated and modern application. Its interface should be easy to understand and use, and allow you to intuitively create and manage files. The app should also allow you to keep your files and documents organized and accurate all the time.
Inadequate training
It is essential to train your employees to effectively use the document creation software solution. Large organizations can use regimented training programs while smaller firms can conduct informal sessions. Plus, you can prepare and distribute training materials as such as FAQs and quick reference guides to assist your team members. Get feedback from users and update the guide materials regularly to make the training more up to date and useful.
Costs
In some cases, you’ll find that document creation solutions often come with a hefty price tag. This is especially true for document creation applications that come with advanced features. Cloud-based document creation software will also charge more for additional storage space. These costs can be prohibitive, particularly for smaller businesses, so it’s best to carefully consider your options before you invest in these software.
Common Uses of Document Creation Software
Document creation software can prove to be useful for a wide variety of industries and businesses. Most businesses, for instance, use the software to produce reports. Here are some of the most common applications of these software.
Logistics – Employees in the logistics industry regularly create documents such as shipping documents, proof of delivery, and proof of receipt. Documents for customs and supply chain requirements are also common in these industries. Through document creation software, users can create templates for these documents so they can save time and effort.
Financial services – Professionals in this industry often produce documents that support and serve as records for their services. For instance, loan officers typically use document creation software to produce loan contracts. The software’s ability to support legally binding digital signatures come in handy for ensuring the security and integrity of these documents. Similarly, bank employees use the software for creating communications to customers.
Education – Educational institutions do more than provide instruction and learning for students. These institutions also keep extensive records of students and employees. Document creation software can help in maintaining the security of these records and ensuring compliance with education standards. The software can also help in the production of documents such as transcripts.
Useful Statistics on Document Creation and Management
As long as businesses produce and handle data, professionals will need document creation software and similar applications. Here are some statistics on document management software you may find useful.
- The global document management software market is projected to reach $11.06 billion by 2028.
- Document issues cost businesses $20,000 on average and a daily productivity loss of more than 21%.
- Employees spend 50% of their time creating and preparing documents.
- 82% of employees want an automated solution to naming and organizing office documents.
- E-signatures make employees 83% more productive in obtaining approvals and provide savings of up to 86% in documentation expenses.
- Moreover, e-signatures reduce file mishandling by 66% and reduce scanning mistakes by 92%.
List of Document Creation Software Companies
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Things to consider when you invest in a SaaS
There are lots of cloud-based SaaS programs available in the market and this makes it tricky for a company to select a suitable platform for their requirements. The first element to consider is usability. Be certain about the changes required for your team’s processes and workflow when you implement the software. Procure a program that adapts to your processes and not the other way around.
The second functionality to consider is the user interface. It should be simple and easy to use so that your workers get the hang of it quickly. Get them involved in the selection and usage process, and evaluate their daily requirements to find a good fit. Make the users view the demos and try out the free trials and get their reviews.
The third important element is scalability. Select a tool that can grow with your organization. Though many SaaS vendors offer enterprise packages, these are expensive for a lot of firms. So, check if the platform allows you to export your data and migrate to another solution if required. In fact, select a provider that allows you to export your data as you can trust their honesty and they are the proper type of SaaS brands you should look to collaborate with.
Frequently asked questions about Document Creation Software
What is the best document creation software?
The best document creation software is PDFelement Pro. The platform lets you create and organize PDF files, giving you full control of the content you produce. The software provides robust editing features, so you can edit almost any element of your PDF, including fonts and styles. You’ll also be able to edit scanned files through the system’s optical character recognition features.
Aside from creating PDF files, the software also gives you the ability to convert over 300 file formats into PDF files. You can merge multiple files and reorganize pages to make a single PDF document or use the software’s batch PDF creation feature. Conversely, PDFelement Pro can help you convert your files into a wide variety of formats. You can extract information from your PDFs and save them into an external location of your choice. All these features make document creation and management easier.
PDFelement Pro also provides automated form recognition technology, which allows you to create PDF-based forms that can be easily filled out. You can use built-in templates to speed up the process of creating these forms. For more convenience, forms created on other document creation software can also be converted into an editable PDF format.
What are the benefits of document creation software?
Consistent documents. Through document creation software, users can create and save templates to apply consistent formatting specifications to documents. This way, users can easily create documents that are uniform in formatting and branding.
Reliable document storage. Cloud-based document creation tools serve as a central repository for your vital business documents. By collecting all these documents in one place, you can ensure ready file access for your teams.
File security. Document creation software provides built-in features for protecting files. Role-based access control, for instance, ensures that only authorized users can view important documents and files.
24/7 document access. Cloud-based document creation software provides ready access to documents from Internet-ready devices. This feature comes in handy for employees who work on the go.
Fewer human errors. Document creation can be a tedious task, especially for multiple documents or documents that have specific formatting specifications. By automating repetitive tasks, document creation software reduces the risk of human error.
What are the features of document creation software?
Multiple document templates. The software lets you create templates with specific formatting for your documents. Similarly, you can customize pre-defined templates to create the documents you need.
System options. These software usually come with an interface for configuring settings. Through this interface, you can set user access levels, modify storage options, and activate features as needed.
Image embedding. Document creation software lets you produce documents that have embedded images such as charts and graphs. Advanced software also lets you pull images from other documents such as spreadsheets.
Collaborative editing. Many cloud-based document creation software lets multiple users edit a document at the same time. The software also records which users have edited the file for easier tracking.
Document management. Document creation software offers built-in features for producing documents in batches. The software also provides a central location for files to ensure easy access and organization.
What is the easiest document creation software to use?
Document creation software must be easy to use to ensure that it doesn’t get in the way of users’ productivity. Here are some document creation solutions that have a user-friendly interface:
Templafy. Templafy offers an intuitive interface that lets users create and update business documents. Smart tools help users search and organize documents through advanced filters, while built-in templates ensure faster document creation.
Windward Studios. Windward Studios uses modern computing technology to make it easier for users to create visually appealing documents. Through the platform’s user-friendly interface, you can easily design documents with graphics.
Quip. Designed as a modern word processor, Quip makes it easy to create documents, spreadsheets, and task lists even from mobile devices. The platform’s interface also offers features for instant messaging for more efficient team collaboration.
What is a good free document creation software?
Document creation software can be expensive. The good news is that you still have some options if you’re looking for free document creation software.
Zoho Docs. Zoho Docs is a free platform that integrates with an office suite for creating and editing documents. The free plan includes up to 5 GB storage per user, plus admin controls and desktop sync features.
LibreOffice. LibreOffice offers a suite of office applications for producing and editing a wide variety of professional documents. The platform also comes with built-in tools for editing PDFs.
PDF Converter Excel Online. This free tool comes in handy for converting PDF documents into Excel files. Once the conversion is complete, the software sends the converted file to the email address of your choice.
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