OnBase vs. Square 9 Softworks

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
OnBase
Score 7.8 out of 10
N/A
OnBase by Hyland is an enterprise content management platform with business process and case management capabilities. It is modular by design and allows users to tailor the solution to their specific requirements.N/A
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.1 out of 10
N/A
For document-intensive companies looking to improve business efficiency, Square 9 Softworks develops solutions for process automation that aim to drive increased productivity across all business applications.
$50
per month per user (5 User Minimum)
Pricing
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Square 9 Process Automation Essentials
$50
per month per user (5 User Minimum)
Square 9 Digital Transformation Essentials
$68
per month per user (5 User Minimum)
Square 9 Enterprise Essentials
$75
per month per user (10 User Minimum)
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsOffered via a three-tier pricing model that allows customers to scale their solution up or down based on the changing needs of their organization. Pricing excludes professional services and implementation fees
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Considered Both Products
OnBase
Chose OnBase
I have worked with SharePoint in the past. Workview is comparable, but having the Workflow engine blows it out of the water! We have actually migrated serval SharePoint applications to OnBase because SharePoint lacked the functionality. We have a subsidiary that completely …
Chose OnBase
A core solution like Jack Henry works really well with other Jack Henry products or solutions but is not as versatile as a solution like OnBase in that it can support much different software or document solution needs.
Chose OnBase
IntelliChief (Quadrant product) was used as the first AP invoice workflow and content repository in 2006. Very hard to compare since I haven't used a current version.
RVI - Real Vision Inc. was used for Credit/Collections documents and workflow. No way to compare
Haven't had …
Chose OnBase
OnBase provided a very robust workflow process compared to others.
Chose OnBase
The version of SharePoint we were utilizing was not very practical. We oftentimes had issues with archived documents, where they could be found or opening them all together. It seemed the older the document the harder it was to access when logged into SharePoint. This is …
Chose OnBase
From what I understand after I stopped using ImageNow Hyland bought the property so I do not know that there is a difference at this point. I have not used Microsoft's Azure Data Storage but they may be poised to have a viable competitor due to the powerful tools they can …
Chose OnBase
A strength with OnBase over many other applications is the ease of the point and click configuration.
Chose OnBase
What helped in making the decision to switch to OnBase were three elements that were very important in reaching our company goals. Hyland's consistent track record of being committed to customer success, OnBase's lower total cost of ownership compared to the product used …
Chose OnBase
Perceptive Content (Used)
We switched off of Perceptive Content because their support was absolutely horrendous and the company just completely stopped innovating. Their platform didn't provide the ability to integrate like OnBase does today. There are no limits to what we can …
Chose OnBase
I did not participate in the search for this solution, so I do not know how Onbase by Hyland compares to the other products that are available. I am not familiar with other such products that can do what OnBase by Hyland is doing for us. Knowing our IT department who made the …
Chose OnBase
The city had made the decision to go with OnBase by Hyland before I got here. It seems to work well for city needs and processes.
Chose OnBase
I would say I like this system better for the housing of secure type documents as it is super safe and has security measures attached on saving and printing, and some documents are super confidential and this software allows that use better than other software I've used. I …
Chose OnBase
OnBase combines all of its features into one user-friendly platform.
Chose OnBase
I suppose that Google Drive is the closest comparable software that I have personally used. I can't say that I know enough about Google Drive from a professional use perspective to be able to compare though.
Chose OnBase
It's much easier to administrate and is very user-friendly compared to my experience with Kofax.
Chose OnBase
OnBase is a very extensible platform that can do anything as long as you're willing to pay for the add-on for it. Many of the other competitors out there do content management well but don't easily integrate, or integrate at all, with third party systems. I highly recommend …
Chose OnBase
We went with OnBase because other organizations we work with use it, so we wanted to use something similar. Also, other solutions are way more expensive.
Chose OnBase
Oracle and Seismic are two competitors that I know of. OnBase is less expensive than either. However, it is less polished than Seismic. Overall, they serve slightly different functions. OnBase is better used for overall document storage and centralization, while both Oracle and …
Chose OnBase
We selected OnBase because Hyland had purchased the company who we were using previously. We migrated all of our documents and processing workloads to OnBase about 4 years ago and have been using the product since then. We're impressed by the capabilities of the program but are …
Chose OnBase
I have never used any other products, so I can't make that decision.
Square 9 Softworks
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Laserfiche could not even complete their installation. Square 9 Softworks was able to come in and rescue the failed project. We have hardly scratched the surface of what we believe we can do in terms of more implementations of the Square 9 Softworks program in other business …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Unfortunately, I have no experience with any other software used at Harrison REMC besides Square 9.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
This is the only product that I can think of that we use so far. But we are willing to explore other options, such as automating the invoices being directly uploaded into our accounting software. It would definitely cut down on the time our accounts payable has to input all the …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We've been with Square 9 for many years so have not been in the market for some time so not familiar with the competition out there
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks is very different from other software that I have used. It acts more of a file box than anything else.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
I have used Agris in the past, and the filing cabinet ability that was implemented was at the end of my time using it, so I never learned it as well as I have been able to with Square 9 Softworks. As, for the last 3 years, I have used it on a daily basis. I personally didn't …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
I like the Square 9 Softworks platform because it is simple to use and visually simple.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks is very easy to setup, use, and maintain, when compared with SharePoint from Microsoft. Also, support is extremely easy to work with, more so than Microsoft. They are easy to reach, and easy to work with. Square 9 Softworks is a niche software company and a …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We reached out to Iron Mountain but did not pursue this option since we had an established relationship with Square 9 Softworks that could be expanded and not a complete restart.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Features look similar but the price point is much more affordable for my current employer. Square 9's training material could use an update but works overall.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We chose to leave ImageSilo and go with Square 9 Softworks because 1) ImageSilo was inconsistent and buggy and 2) Square 9 Softworks was streamlined and had a lot of helpful features. It seemed easier to maintain.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks met the needs of what was needed.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 was a better fit for our organization due to the costs and features that it offers. With Square 9, we were able to get 3 years of licensing for about 1 year of the competitors licensing costs.

Square 9 is also much easier to manage and use on a day-to-day basis than …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
I have not used any other document storage besides Square 9.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We did not research other product offerings so I have nothing to compare the program to. I can only share why we selected Square 9 Softworks to use as our document management system. Square 9 Softworks was amazing to work with from day 1 - we worked with Xerox initially for …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
The main thing we liked was the ease of use of GlobalSearch. Also, the people doing the demo were able to answer somewhat technical questions without having to get back to us a day later from one of their more technical people.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
I have not used other document management software. Prior to Global Search we manually entered metadata through Adobe Acrobat. This was extremely time consuming and not exactly user friendly. Global Search cut the indexing time to less than 1/4 the time we were spending on each …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Never used another similar product
Chose Square 9 Softworks
Our company has been using this product for 20+ years. Since it was Fortis, then SmartSearch, to GlobalSearch, and for every transition the Square 9 team has been a great asset to making the change go smoothly
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We only looked at and ultimately chose Square 9 Softworks as our solution.
Chose Square 9 Softworks
We actually had installed IBM FileNet and ended up switching to Square 9 Softworks due to an issue with the IBM reseller. In the end, we're happy it worked out this way because Square 9 Softworks was more suited for our small business. It was not only easier to use but required …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
From an HR standpoint, it seems like other solutions stack up better than Square 9, but it may just be because we don't have it set up right. For example, with filing a document for an employee...I have to manually type (and get correct) ALL of the information related to that …
Chose Square 9 Softworks
At my last job we used Square 9 for document storage but chose AvidXChange for Accounts Payable processing because of price and because also paid the invoices. At my current job, we chose Smart Search because it was more customizable, our invoice approvals were less …
Features
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Enterprise Content Management
Comparison of Enterprise Content Management features of Product A and Product B
OnBase
8.2
Ratings
3% above category average
Square 9 Softworks
-
Ratings
Content capture & imaging9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
File sync, storage & archiving9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Document management10.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Records management8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Content search & retrieval8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Enterprise content collaboration8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Content publishing & creation8.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Security, risk management & information governance9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Contract lifecycle management8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Automated workflows9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Artificial intelligence5.80 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile support7.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.1 out of 10
PowerDMS by NEOGOV
PowerDMS by NEOGOV
Score 7.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MediaValet
MediaValet
Score 9.1 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
MediaValet
MediaValet
Score 9.1 out of 10
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 8.0 out of 10
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User Ratings
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Likelihood to Recommend
9.9
(0 ratings)
9.2
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.8
(0 ratings)
4.9
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(0 ratings)
6.5
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
5.8
(0 ratings)
7.9
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
9.1
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Online Training
8.2
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.7
(0 ratings)
6.4
(0 ratings)
Configurability
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
4.5
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.1
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
7.3
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
OnBaseSquare 9 Softworks
Likelihood to Recommend
OnBase is a content services solution for organizations that need high visibility to documents or information across multiple teams or departments. It supports users' access control, workflow functionality with transaction history, electronic document retention, and destruction documentation. Hyland can support the organization for implementations or solutions, or the organization can utilize the education services and build out the solution themselves.
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Square 9 Softworks is well suited for unique needs within companies. We have built, renovated, and optimized custom workflows within our archives, designed highly specific interfaces with our ERP platform, and Square 9 Softworks has answered the bell through it all.
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Pros
  • Houses documents for easy retrival.
  • Allows for simple document scanning and storage.
  • Has the ability to allow paperless document import so document do not have to scanned.
  • Makes the review and document sharing process easy.
  • Has security features that allow you to keep only the staff you want to view documents able to access them.
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  • The software is very flexible, and the technicians were great at implementing our customizations for the PO project.
  • While indexing fields in Global Search, the Key Free tool works great.
  • Global Search is well-organized. It's easy to navigate and find your documents.
  • The process for completing your project was well done. Communicating with individuals at Square 9 who were responsible for different aspects of the project was easy.
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Cons
  • The Administrator interface, while powerful, is antiquated and has so many options to chose from it can be overwhelming at times trying to find what you need in order to accomplish a task.
  • The Unity application is a work in progress and is missing out of some features that are much better in the thick client, such as scanning documents in at high volume. This has improved over time, though.
  • Hyland Onbase is a content management platform and, while it does handle ingestion and scanning processes, does require a 3rd party application to really complete the whole package. Hyland's Perceptive platform or Kofax Capture complement it greatly.
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  • Overall, it is not as stable as other software. Some errors could not be fixed, such as a form going forward without approval because a user pressed "enter" twice in a row.
  • I probably only use 20% of the functionality. Beyond that, I'd have to pay for development. We did that once, and the project that we paid for never was implemented. They allowed us to request a design before my time that was so complicated that they never got it to work. Once I came on board, I implemented a much simpler solution.
  • Our upgrade took much, much longer than expected, and was disrupted by so many software issues.
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Likelihood to Renew
OnBase has become a core part of our enterprise solutions toolkit due to its ever-growing integration capabilities. Any business process that produces or tracks documents or object entities can be modeled and managed within OnBase and used to supplement almost any line-of-business system that we use.
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We are definitely renewing our SmartSearch. This is the only place all of our companies contracts and regulatory filings are kept. Our company would lose track of all expiring contracts if we did not renew. We would also need to spend many hours figuring out a new organizational system for all of our files, as well as savings the documents from SmartSearch onto the computer.
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Usability
You get out of something what you put into it. You reap what you sow! If an organization will spend time setting the solution up, dedicating staff to its development and ongoing support, and always keep the end-user in mind during development, you will have one of the most well-received solutions in your organization. So many organizations that I speak with stand up a solution but don't commit someone to its upkeep and development. It is vital that you have the staff to work within the solution on a daily basis.
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The items I am searching for are easily found. They are found in at least 95% of the searches. The failure rate generally is related to another employees user error or a template error set up by our Square 9 team in house.
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Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
Square-9 can get this product out to you in almost the same hour your order it. We got ours very fast.
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Performance
No answers on this topic
With the PDF projected viewer, the document retrieval-to-display can drag for a second more than some systems, and the capture workflow if you overload a server array can also drag, but those are the only two issues we've ever seen with this product, and they are not serious issues at all.
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Support Rating
I have had exceptional support from Hyland; however, I am a direct customer from Hyland and receive support directly from Hyland support technicians. I have heard complaints from other customers who have partner relationships as then the support is 100% driven through the partner and you are dependent on the skills and abilities of your partner corporate support team.
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Support is always extremely helpful and responsive. Whenever we have a question, it is simple contacting them and also setting-up an appointment, if necessary. Scheduling the appointment is easy and they are willing to talk on the phone, which is not always true with software companies. Their report support tools are also really east to use.
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In-Person Training
The trainer was very knowledgeable and was a Hyland employee. The training was at their corporate headquarters, so it allowed our team to become familiar with organization and culture.
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It would have been higher, but the training is a bit muted for the lesser qualified office equipment vendors who signed up as partners to sell and support it. The more experienced ECM vendors and customer end-users will find the training very good, but a bit slow.
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Online Training
With the Premium subscription, there is a tone of training with audio and practice options.
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No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Using Hyland professional services to assist with the implementation made things much easier. They have the knowledge and experience to get the system live as users are expecting
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I think the implementation could have gone a little smoother than it did. Now that I know how to use the software, I could do it myself. I feel that as an organization, we could have been a little better prepared. If the consultant was more aware of what we were looking for, they could have assisted in setting up some workflows for us as per the contract. But because we were not prepared, the initial implementation process was a little painful. That said, adding a document management system to ANY business kinda means everyone has to re-think the way they do their work which can be difficult for some staff.
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Alternatives Considered
IntelliChief (Quadrant product) was used as the first AP invoice workflow and content repository in 2006. Very hard to compare since I haven't used a current version. RVI - Real Vision Inc. was used for Credit/Collections documents and workflow. No way to compare Haven't had to look for a replacement for any reason since purchasing OnBase.
Read full review
SharePoint and Square 9 Softworks are similar in some ways and totally different in others. They both do workflow, although Square 9 Workflow gives administrators more options. They both have a repository, although Square 9 GlobalSearch is more structured in terms of customization. Using field values allows for more exact search capabilites. Square 9 AI tools allows administrators to get the correct data off the page more precisely with less effort.
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Scalability
No answers on this topic
The scale-ability is quite good actually, but you need competent sales/support folks providing it to you, so the scale is set right for the demands of your system use. Some resellers are not good at doing this, some are fantastic. If you are scaled correctly at first implementation, you'll be very happy with this system.
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Return on Investment
  • OnBase provides a very reliable ECM platform for the company.
  • OnBase helped to remove the dependency on paper files and file folders. This saved real estate cost as well as facilitated the ability to work from anywhere.
  • OnBase made same day processing of all incoming and outgoing documents a reality.
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  • Reduction in human error through manual data entry process now being automated
  • Reduction in cost due to automation allowing the function to not require a full time employee
  • Reduction in time spent performing the previous manual tasks. Example: on our consolidated shipment days, it could take doc clerk 2-3 hours to prepare master document package. This has been reduced to 30 minutes or less (depending on size of shipment and time needed for OCR to complete)
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ScreenShots

OnBase Screenshots

Screenshot of an Approval for an Ad-Hoc Task.Screenshot of Onbase's Dark Mode.Screenshot of the Document Viewer.Screenshot of the Send to Department feature.Screenshot of the Workflow Stage.

Square 9 Softworks Screenshots

Screenshot of GlobalSearch, which allows users to organize and sort documents based on extracted dataScreenshot of automated data extraction from documents using Square 9's AI-powered extraction tool, TransformAI.Screenshot of GlobalCapture, which is used to build workflows and automatically assign tasks to users.Screenshot of a front-facing Portal for new hires and applicants. This lets them fill out important employee documents such as job application, Direct Deposit and W-4 forms.Screenshot of the hiring and onboarding portal, where new hire documentation is completed.Screenshot of GlobalForms, which has new hire government forms such as I-9 and W-4 forms.