Evaluating DBM Needs

When deciding on a DMA system, there are a number of questions to consider.

How many documents must the system store, considering both the number of existing documents and the number of documents added annually?

This information determines how much storage space is needed, the hardware configuration and the cost of the system.
Make sure you are going to be able to provide or able to specify with your service provider amble space for growth and for backups.
If you are a multi-department organization and only a couple of departments are planning to use the DMA system, you may want to think of what other departments may use. Usually when a DMA system comes on line, everyone wants to start jumping on the band-wagon.

This determines preliminary software costs and server size.
This will also help determine the number of user licenses you will have to purchase, if the DMA system requires seperate user licenses.

Do you need to be able to audit user activity, and what type of reporting do you need to provide from the audit.

Most DMA systems provide some form of auditing.
Some DMA systems provide great reporting options, where some DMA systems simply log the activity and require you to use another application for auditing.
Do you need to be able to charge for different types of user activity. Some DMA systems allow you to intergrate with a billing interface to allow payment for viewing\printing of documents before users have access to the documents. Or are you going to bill them in a different fashion.

This determines what specific features and levels of security will be needed.
This may also help determine if you need to purchase Public Access licenses (some DMA systems provide this for cost)

What serious problems must absolutely be solved, and what issues should be addressed to make life easier or reduce costs or improve productivity?

This determines which functions will be system requirements and which might be optional.
It also helps determine whether plug-ins or customizations will be needed.

This determines the amount of consulting, installation, training, configuration and support that is needed.
Turnkey solutions are usually implimented fairly quickly, where as customized solutions usually take a long time to develop and\or impliment.

What type of network is currently used — NT, NLM, LAN, or other — and will it stay the same?

This determines network constraints, system configuration and workstation upgrades.