As an ECM expert, I frequently encounter the question of whether to use Microsoft SharePoint as a document management solution versus dedicated core EDMS/ECM/BPM platforms like Laserfiche. Comparing Laserfiche to SharePoint is somewhat like comparing apples to oranges—they are both fruits but serve different purposes and offer distinct capabilities.

SharePoint Strengths and Limitations
SharePoint excels as a versatile platform for managing multiple websites with templated site designs and serves well as an intranet system out-of-the-box. It supports metadata-based search and retrieval and provides audit trails. However, SharePoint lacks native scanning and PDF annotation capabilities, and many of its advanced document management features depend on third-party add-ons, which increase both purchase and configuration costs. Implementations often cost two to three times the base software price due to these add-ons and customization efforts.

SharePoint’s document management functionality is relatively basic and more collaboration-oriented, focusing on project management and team communication rather than comprehensive document lifecycle governance. Its access control and versioning features are limited compared to specialized ECM systems, and it lacks built-in automation and task notification capabilities critical for regulatory compliance and efficient document workflows.

Laserfiche Strengths and Differentiators
Laserfiche, on the other hand, is designed as a comprehensive ECM platform with many essential features available out-of-the-box, including scanning, workflow automation, document capture, annotation, and robust records management. This reduces configuration time and overall costs. Laserfiche also supports advanced metadata classification, automated document indexing via OCR, and lifecycle management with retention scheduling, which helps organizations maintain compliance and improve operational efficiency.

Laserfiche’s centralized repository facilitates easy access, version control, and secure collaboration, while its scalability and customization options allow it to adapt to growing business needs. Its integration capabilities extend to Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and other third-party applications, enhancing user productivity.

Integration Between SharePoint and Laserfiche
Recognizing the complementary strengths of both platforms, Laserfiche offers a free SharePoint Online Integration that allows users to browse Laserfiche repositories, save documents from SharePoint to Laserfiche with configurable metadata mappings, and automate workflows triggered by these actions—all within the SharePoint interface. This integration enables organizations to use SharePoint as a collaborative portal while leveraging Laserfiche’s robust document management and records management capabilities as a backend system.

Typical use cases include using SharePoint for document collaboration and then moving finalized documents to Laserfiche for records management. Features such as “Send to Laserfiche” allow manual document transfer, and federated search lets SharePoint crawl Laserfiche repositories to present unified search results. This integration also addresses SharePoint’s lack of native scanned paper handling by enabling direct scanning from SharePoint into Laserfiche’s document capture system.

Where SharePoint requires extensive custom development and costly add-ons for compliance tracking, it has less robust and harder-to-scale metadata management and offers limited security controls. In contrast, Laserfiche features built-in records management and advanced versioning to automate governance and compliance without extra modules. It possesses more advanced document indexing and storage, making it easy to find what you need when you need it. Additionally, it includes more detailed auditing, retention, and security controls.

Summary
- SharePoint is well-suited for organizations needing a collaborative intranet and website management tool with basic document management features but relies heavily on third-party add-ons for advanced ECM functions.
- Laserfiche provides a more complete ECM solution out-of-the-box, including scanning, workflow automation, records management, and compliance features, often with lower total implementation costs.
- The Laserfiche-SharePoint integration combines the strengths of both platforms, enabling organizations to use SharePoint for collaboration and Laserfiche for comprehensive document management and workflow automation.

For organizations already invested in SharePoint, leveraging this integration can maximize existing infrastructure while gaining the advanced ECM capabilities Laserfiche offers.

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Julius Macaulay, Fellow of the Institute of Information Management, an EDMS, ECM, and BPM consultant with over 19 years of experience specializing in records and archive management as well as enterprise architecture.