DocRead vs PowerDMS: Policy & Training Tools Comparison

DocRead vs PowerDMS

Many organizations already pay for Microsoft 365 and use SharePoint for document management. DocRead (plus DocSurvey) builds on SharePoint to deliver policies, track acknowledgements, and add quizzes—without adding a new platform.

PowerDMS is a standalone suite that requires separate licenses, employee training, and ongoing admin support.

Total cost for PowerDMS can run into six figures, while DocRead/DocSurvey typically costs under $10K for most organizations.

Feature

PowerDMS (standalone)

Office 365/SharePoint (with DocRead/DocSurvey)

Document repository & versioning

Centralized cloud library: Policies, procedures and records are stored in one secure site with version control and granular access rights.

Uses existing SharePoint/OneDrive libraries with built-in permissions and version control. DocRead works with existing document libraries without altering files. No file migration needed.

Policy distribution & assignment

Upload and assign policies by role/team. Mobile apps & email notifications deliver updates.

Target policies to groups directly in SharePoint. Deadlines & reminders show up in users’ dashboards (“Compliance Cockpit”).

Acknowledgement tracking

Built-in attestation: managers require employees to e-sign or check a box on policy updates. E-signature or checkbox tracking with audit trail.

Tracks read-status in real time. Data can flow into Power BI for dashboards and compliance reports.

Training & Quizzes

Built-in training module with videos, tests, and automated recertification.

DocSurvey attaches quizzes to documents/videos. Supports pass/fail scoring. Can combine with Teams, Forms, or Stream for full e-learning. Real-time reports show answers and scores.

Certification tracking

Dedicated module for tracking licenses/certifications, with auto-renewal reminders.

Use SharePoint lists or Planner/Power Automate workflows to record certification dates and send renewal alerts.

Reporting & analytics

Pre-built dashboards for compliance rates, training completion, and audit logs.

Power BI templates and custom reports show acknowledgements and quiz results. Flexible, fully integrated analytics.

Integration & platform

Separate web platform, integrates with Office apps but requires training for staff.

Native to Office 365: runs entirely within SharePoint/Teams. No extra integration needed. DocRead “preserves your documents” and metadata within SharePoint.

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Key Takeaways:

  • Lower Cost: DocRead/DocSurvey is under $10K for most orgs vs. six figures for PowerDMS.

  • No New System: Runs inside SharePoint/Teams—no new platform, training, or user logins required.

  • Flexible & Extensible: Combine with Power Automate, Power BI, and Teams for workflows, reporting, and e-learning.

  • Same Core Features: Delivers policy distribution, acknowledgements, quizzes, and reporting—covering the bulk of what PowerDMS provides.

Are your policies read on time and by the right people?

DocRead makes compliance simple

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By using SharePoint plus DocRead/DocSurvey, an organization leverages tools it already owns instead of buying a separate platform. For example, DocRead “seamlessly integrates” with existing SharePoint libraries and tracks who reads each policy, while PowerDMS offers similar signature-tracking and living-policy features in its ecosystem. 
In short, if you have Office 365, you can often mimic PowerDMS features (distributed policies, quizzes, reminders, reporting) with DocRead/DocSurvey and other Microsoft services – avoiding the cost of a new, standalone system.

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