Document Control and Document Management: What's the Difference?

Contrary to popular belief, document control and document management aren’t the same thing. Document management is about storing and sharing files, whereas document control adds rules, workflows, and accountability. In this blog, I explain how each works, break down the risks of mixing them up, and share examples from real systems. I’ll also show you how Proarc Engineering Document Management software supports both document control and document management, giving teams the tools they need to manage complex workflows, comply with industry standards, and keep large-scale capital projects on schedule.

Contents

• What Is Document Control?
  
• What Is Document Management? 
  
• Document Control and Document Management: Key Differences
  
• Why Are They Often Confused? 
  
• What Are the Risks of Using One Without the Other?
  
• How Proarc Supports Document Control and Document Management
  
• Summary
• Document Control and Management FAQs

What is Document Control?

Document control is the structured process of managing how documents are created, reviewed, approved, distributed, and tracked, especially in industries where the accuracy, compliance, and timing of document deliverables are critical. This makes sure the right version of the right document reaches the right person at the right time, with full traceability.

In capital projects, poor document control can lead to costly errors, delays, and compliance failures. For example, a lack of version control often results in teams working from outdated drawings or specifications. This can cause construction errors that then require expensive rework or material ordering mistakes that lead to waste and delays, and even compliance violations resulting in penalties. These issues can cascade, causing serious project delays and client dissatisfaction, which can sometimes escalate to legal disputes.

Key Characteristics of Document Control

• Compliance support: Built-in templates and metadata rules ensure consistent classification and numbering.
• Bulk processing: Incoming data from suppliers is verified with automated processing and expertise from trained document controllers, who also conduct mass data updates as required. 
• Transmittal management: Outgoing documents are validated, tracked, and distributed to information standards. 
• Milestone tracking: Planned documents are pre-allocated, linked to packages, and tracked for progress against milestone dates. 
• Workflow automation: Rule-based workflows for reviewing, approving, and distributing documents and packages of documents, reducing manual steps and delays. 
• Collaboration tools: External review and commenting in real time in a secure, controlled collaboration area, synchronised with the official managed repository. 
• Alerts and reporting: Automated notifications and drill-down reports help teams stay on top of deadlines, issues, and responsibilities. 

What is Document Management?

Document management is the foundation for storing, organising, and accessing project files. It ensures teams have a central repository where documents are easy to find and kept up to date.

Modern document management systems (DMS) provide functions like advanced search, metadata tagging, version control, and integration with key business applications. In engineering, construction and capital projects, the volume and complexity of documentation can be overwhelming. These features help teams handle large volumes of documents efficiently, maintain consistency, and support collaboration across departments and external partners. 

Key Characteristics of Document Management Systems

• Central access to documents: Provides a single repository for project and operational files, making it easier to find and manage documentation. 
• Revision control: Advanced change management tracks historical versions and ensures teams are working from the latest approved files. 
• Search and retrieval: Full-text and metadata search tools help users quickly locate the right document. 
• Audit trails: Every action–status change, workflow assignment, downloads–is logged for traceability. 
• Microsoft Office integration: Teams can author and edit documents directly within Office 365, with support for templates and automatic updates. 

Document Control and Document Management: Key Differences

“But document control is just advanced document management!” 

Not true. Think of document management as the storage and organisation of documents, and document control as the rules and processes that ensure the governance and compliance of documents, as well as providing strategic oversight. Here are the key differences: 

Why Are They Often Confused? 

People often confuse document control and document management because both involve handling project documents and share similar terminology. At first glance, document management (storing, organising, and sharing files) feels like the core of “controlling” documents to many users. Meanwhile, document control adds governance elements that are less visible day-to-day, such as formal approval workflows, revision tracking, compliance enforcement, and distribution control.

The confusion grows because these systems often coexist within the same platform and share overlapping features like version history and access permissions. This blurs the line between simple storage and strict regulatory oversight, leading to the misconception that they are the same. In reality, their scope and purpose differ significantly: document management ensures accessibility and organisation, while document control enforces compliance and structured processes to keep projects on track.

What are the Risks of Using One Without the Other?

Using document control without document management, or vice versa, creates serious gaps in project execution. Without both working together, teams risk: 

• Non-compliance with client standards
• Rework due to incorrect revisions
• Claims & litigation due to loss of traceability
• Process delays due to stalled workflows 
• Late engineering deliverables 

How Proarc Supports Document Control and Document Management 

Figure 1. Visual diagram of how Proarc EDMS supports document control and document management, as well as their shared processes. 

Summary

Document control and document management serve different but complementary purposes, even though they often overlap. Document management is about storing, organising, and sharing documents, keeping everything accessible and up to date. Document control adds structure, governance, and accountability, ensuring that documents follow the right workflows (e.g., review, approve, squad check, etc.), meet compliance standards, and track all activities in an audit trail from creation to handover. 

Understanding the difference between document management and document control helps teams choose the right tools and avoid costly mistakes. Proarc Engineering Document Management software supports both practices, giving you the critical benefits of organising and storing the right versions of documents and ensuring those documents are compliant and follow your defined processes. Download the Proarc EDMS brochure today to explore the full feature set and see how it fits your team’s document control and management needs.