Did you know? Strong knowledge management prevents wasting time searching for internal information by up to 20%. It helps employees make decisions faster.
According to a recent article by a top industry analyst firm, companies that implement effective knowledge base systems report major gains in efficiency and teamwork.
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Innovation & Knowledge shows that knowledge management tools increase innovation and organizational performance.
In modern workplaces where information is scattered across tools, teams, and time zones, having a centralized knowledge hub isn’t optional; it’s a necessity.
In this article, we’ll explain modern knowledge management software that turns static documentation into a dynamic source of truth.
What is Knowledge Management Software?
Knowledge management software is a tool that organizes, stores, and shares all the information your team and customers need.
Therefore, instead of having information scattered across multiple channels and platforms, the tool consolidates your information into a single resource. It ensures that everyone knows where to go for answers.
Moreover, it eliminates inefficiency by creating a centralized source of truth for all your information.
Why Knowledge Management Platforms are Important
These platforms are the central hub to centralize your information for internal and external use. They provide tangible benefits for customers and employees.
Let’s learn about them.
1. Breaking Down Data Silos
Data silos happen when information is stored in different channels, which makes it hard for teams to access what they need.
Knowledge base software solves this problem by centralizing the data in one central hub. It helps everyone, both employees and customers, find accurate and up-to-date information.
2. Improve Employee Onboarding
When you start a new job, it is usually overwhelming to learn about the company processes, tools, and products if the information is scattered across different channels.
Therefore, knowledge management software makes onboarding easy as it keeps all essential guides, policies, and training materials in one place.
However, research shows structured onboarding can increase new hire retention by up to 82%. It supports that knowledge management systems support the long-term growth and success of a business.
3. Faster Support Solutions
When support teams can access the right information instantly, it resolves customer issues faster. Knowledge management tools store all key documents, guides, and workflows in one place, making it simple for customer support to find answers.
However, McKinsey reports that strong knowledge systems reduce the search time by up to 35%.
This means quicker resolutions, happier customers, and more efficient support operations.
Types of Knowledge Management Software
1. Open-Source Knowledge Management Software
An Open-source knowledge management software is free and publicly accessible. Anyone can access and edit the codebase, providing high customization and frequent updates.
Moreover, it also allows sharing access to peers for discussion, troubleshooting, and sharing of custom plugins/modules.
2. Proprietary Knowledge Base
Proprietary knowledge base software is a closed-source platform, owned by vendors. They typically offer turnkey solutions with regular support and high-level security and compliance.
3. Internal Wikis
An internal wiki is a collaborative knowledge management platform that companies use to centralize internal processes, information, FAQs, and other company or team-specific knowledge. It is also called a corporate wiki or an internal knowledge base.
4. Document Management Systems (DMS)
A document management system is a secure platform for storing and collaborating on PDFs, spreadsheets, and other file types.
While DMSs aren’t specifically designed for organizing knowledge data, they can act as a source to handle company documents and information.
5. Process Documentation Tools
Process documentation tools are platforms for creating visual workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and interactive guides.
Therefore, in a business where certain tasks or processes must be performed consistently and efficiently, process documentation tools make knowledge-sharing easy and transparent.
6. Community Forums
A community forum is a platform where customers or employees can gather to share best practices, discuss a product/service, crowdsource solutions, and troubleshoot issues collaboratively.
However, these forums are typically associated with free, open-source software.
Custom Knowledge Management Software vs. Off-the-Shelf Solutions
When you choose the best knowledge management solution, the right selection is very important. Hence, it can make or break your team’s efficiency. That’s why we will explore the comparison between custom software to ready-made options.
- Tailored to Your Needs: A custom software solution is designed to meet your company’s processes, workflows, and unique requirements.
- Seamless Integration: The tailored solution seamlessly integrates with your existing systems and tools that eliminating compatibility issues.
- Scalable & Future-Proof: More features can be added to fulfill the growing demands of the company.
- Brand Consistency: It can be designed to match your company’s look and feel.
- Control & Flexibility: Full control over features, updates, and data management, unlike generic off-the-shelf platforms.
- Off-the-Shelf Solutions: Quick to deploy and cost-effective initially, but may lack flexibility and full customization.
Read More: Custom Software Development
Build Your Knowledge Management System with Sumato Solutions
A good knowledge management system makes it easy for your team and customers to find the right information. It helps improve onboarding, speeds up support, and keeps everyone on the same page to get the information.
With a custom-built system, you get exactly what your business needs, from organized workflows to a central hub for all your information.
Sumato Solutions helps businesses design and implement smart, user-focused digital solutions. Our expert team can develop custom AI-powered knowledge management software tailored to your company’s workflows, processes, and growth goals.
From interactive documentation to centralized knowledge hubs, we turn your ideas into efficient, intuitive, and high-performing digital experiences.
