by Tom Beasley

This issue of The AccuView focuses on enterprise content management solutions. There are many things to consider when evaluating and implementing ECM solutions. Some of these considerations, criteria and questions to ask are outlined in the articles we've included in this issue. They primarily focus on the technological considerations, which can help you ensure that you implement technology that meets the unique requirements of your business.

But we understand that it takes more than just the right technology to ensure ECM success. It also takes a solid plan, training and support to generate a seamless transition, user acceptance and ongoing efficiency. We don't just sell one product from one vendor. We build document imaging, content management, business process management and other information management solutions using a variety of industry-leading products from various vendors. We do this to ensure that our customers get precisely the technology they need - and nothing they don't need. We also offer a full line of services, including software development, training and support.

It all starts with a needs assessment, where we analyze the documents you use every day and the processes you use to deal with those documents. Call us at 615.242.7226 to get started today.

Best regards,

Tom Beasley
tom.beasley@accuimagellc.com

Today, companies from the Fortune 500 to small and medium-sized businesses need content management tools to share and protect their business knowledge banks in secure digital repositories. Many department managers and company leaders have found that, with content management solutions, they can improve their bottom lines while enabling their teams to collaborate more easily and work more efficiently. Here are some examples of how strategic content management is transforming businesses in various industries:

• Health Care. With an enterprise content management (ECM) system in place, hospital administrative, nursing and doctor teams can instantly access the most up-to-date patient, policy and procedural information, ensuring compliance with guidelines and significant reductions in the time required for staff members to find what they need. Leveraging more specialized content applications, pharmaceutical companies can easily meet their 21 CFR Part 11 compliance requirements by capturing and managing versions of clinical trial documentation.

• Education. Universities and school districts must manage a wide variety of information from administrators, faculty, parents, outside professors and students that originates in both paper and digital formats. When school districts and universities transfer their paper-based documents into an electronic content and knowledge management system, they improve accuracy and standardize processes in addition to saving the time and money associated with paper-based processes.

• Government. State and local government entities have developed best practices in managing huge volumes of documents and procedures electronically. Providing online self-service has enabled community members to access information and forms so they can file for permits, licenses and certificates from any web browser. This has saved the constituents and government workers substantial amounts of time and money and also ensures consistency and accuracy of the documents.

• Retail. Corporate offices can efficiently share policies and plans, including new merchandise lines, new store floor plans, and hiring and training processes so that everything is consistent throughout each store location. The corporate offices can share customer feedback so that each store manager has specific objectives and guidelines about how to ensure a positive shopping experience. Providing secure access for store managers to incorporate best practices helps maintain quality and customer loyalty.

• Manufacturing. Many thousands of technical product documents, specifications, procedures and parts listings can easily be managed and updated, then shared with many distributed workers around the globe. Important new product information can be immediately accessed and shared by the sales teams in any location.

• Entertainment. Film, television and other entertainment companies can easily build best practices into their content development processes so that story lines, scripts and screenplays are submitted, routed, reviewed and stored accurately and consistently. Using content management tools that have drag-and-drop features for e-mails and attachments has transformed the way a studio can use and manage its intellectual assets so that processes are streamlined.

In addition to business improvements and efficiencies, content management systems offer another benefit - companies reduce their carbon footprints by decreasing paper and energy consumption. One state government organization saved literally tons of paper and reduced its automobile emissions by transferring paper-based documents and processes into a digital content management system so that paper-based documents were no longer handled and mailed as part of the day-to-day processes. With content management solutions, companies can reduce the environmental impact of doing business. This is particularly important for the growing number of government agencies, educational institutions and businesses that have green and sustainability initiatives built into their company goals.

The 21st century has presented us with a complex network of information - from e-mails, blogs and attachments of all types to large databases and huge volumes of varying documents and files. Companies of all sizes, in all industries, must strategically archive, use and update this information to support best practices in order to compete and thrive. There are some very affordable, flexible, yet robust solutions that enable companies to derive strategic value from their content, as well as standardize and automate business processes. Even small company leaders are realizing the need for strategic content management to support efficient growth and adaptability, and they have accepted it as a business requirement for long-term success.

[Source: Integrated Solutions]

Not too long ago, many people felt paper was a thing of the past and that everything was moving electronic. Fast forward to today and the realization is that paper cannot be fully eliminated. Electronic forms are increasingly prevalent, but paper remains important. As a result, document capture must play a critical part in any enterprise content management (ECM) strategy that organizations rely upon to run their business.

If we look at how document capture technology has evolved over the years, the technology has matured in many ways, including the ability to read machine-printed and hand-printed data from forms and documents at a very high degree of accuracy, validate information against all types of business applications, and deliver data and images to a variety of back-end content repositories and business systems. These proven capabilities sometimes blur the differences between the different capture products available today. When considering an enterprise capture solution, it is helpful to take a step back and look at all of your business and operational requirements before determining which capture solution is right for your business.

When looking for a capture solution, you will find that there are many products to choose from. Some solutions provide a simple-to-use approach for those looking for basic scanning and indexing of documents, while other solutions provide flexibility optimized for enterprise capture environments that have unique and complex requirements. If we look at the core capabilities of a capture product, you will find that most solutions have the basic features covered - scanning, image enhancement, recognition, validation and export. And while in some cases, these basic capabilities are all that is needed, basic functions do not meet the requirements for all customers.

Following are a few key points to consider when evaluating a capture solution. If you are looking for a capture solution, it may be helpful to further consider the points below.

Does the capture platform support both high-volume batch capture and branch office ad hoc capture environments?

Many organizations today have capture requirements that involve a combination of both centralized high-volume capture and distributed branch office scanning. Whether an organization is planning on doing one or both, making sure the capture platform will solve all aspects of your capture requirements today and allow an organization to expand in the future will ensure the right solution is purchased.

In the case of distributed processing, a single approach does not necessarily address all the needs. For example, distributed scanning and indexing could either be low-volume ad hoc scanning or high-volume batch capture. In the case of a high-volume scanning operation that is remote, a distributed capture server may need to be running with images and data being moved between servers at set times during the day. In the case of a low-volume ad hoc scanning environment where an organization has possibly several hundred sites that require basic scanning capabilities, requirements could include an easy-to-deploy web-based client or the need to leverage existing multiple function peripheral (MFP) devices to enable capture at a set of branch offices.

Does the capture solution address the high cost of document preparation?

One of the most complex steps in processing a paper document is identifying what type of document it is. If you are an organization that will be processing large volumes of documents that are highly variable in terms of the layout, then being able to automatically identify the documents is a must have. Intelligent Document Recognition (IDR) automates the identification and classification of all document types reducing the amount of human intervention. This means organizations can further take advantage of reducing cost associated with prepping and sorting documents, as well as delivering the captured content to the right people and systems faster.

Will we be able to optimize the automated data capture so that the amount of manual data entry required is minimized?

As noted earlier, recognizing data from a form or document has come along way, often to the point where a document can pass straight through without any or very little human intervention. However, if you are dealing with a set of unstructured documents where data is not always in the same location, then a capability like freeform extraction is important to have. The ability to automatically capture all key data from a document will further reduce any manual keying of data that would otherwise have to occur. To ensure the accuracy of the information, a capture solution must include ways to enforce business rules either through custom business rules or by connecting to other business applications and databases.

Will the solution allow us to easily connect into our applications and processes?

This may seem obvious, but knowing if - and how - the solution works with your content management system and other required business systems is important to fully understand. To take it a step further, if there is customization that needs to be done, it is essential to make sure that the solution offers a development environment that will enable the capture application to integrate with various third-party systems. Furthermore, the ability to customize existing integration modules that have been developed by the vendor will further enable an organization to take an existing module and modify it for their needs. These key points will ensure that organizations are not boxed in when it comes to integrating with their applications.

Will the application support the volume of paper that we expect to capture?

The volume of documents your organization plans to capture is an important requirement to understand. Page volumes can be extremely high for some organizations, surpassing a few million pages per day. Considering some capture solutions are better suited for lower volumes and departmental applications, knowing what your volumes will be and asking the right questions will ensure you don't purchase a solution that cannot meet your volume requirements today or in the future. If the vendor you are considering does not have customers that match your volume requirements, then their solution may not be reliable to handle those volumes.

How will I monitor my capture environment including the other applications it interacts with?

How does IT know when a problem or bottleneck arises? In the majority of capture products today, you will get some basic batch monitoring and reporting capabilities, but in many cases, organizations will require something much more sophisticated in order to handle problems that could arise where services have stopped, a connection has been dropped between the capture application and a database, or a bottleneck has caused a backlog of batches that need to be processed. These types of problems directly affect productivity, reducing the value of capture and impacting the bottom line. Monitoring ensures that you get the full value from your investment. The application monitoring tool needs to be able to monitor all capture activities and enable IT managers to proactively act before a problem impacts the business.

Will we be able to leverage this capture solution across many different processes?

Some capture solutions are focused around a single business process, such as addressing invoices or claims. A solution that is able to address the processing of all types of documents will enable an organization to leverage the solution across many parts of the business. A good example would be a health care organization considering capture for Explanation of Benefit (EOB) documents. Finding a capture solution that can handle EOBs as well as other health care related documents will enable this type of organization to get the greatest return on their investment.

[Source: ECM Connection]

By now, you are well aware of the benefits of transitioning from paper processes to electronic. Whether you need to do more with less - and who doesn't in this economy? - comply with regulations, manage your records, or streamline operations, an enterprise content management (ECM) system can provide you with the tools that you need to achieve your business goals.

The trouble is that there is a glut of ECM systems on the market and they are hard to differentiate from one another. Each vendor claims that their system can do it all. They claim that their systems are so wide-reaching that you are destined for success no matter what your industry or specific needs. How, then, do you know which system is right for your business? An awareness of the following four factors can prevent you from getting stuck with the wrong ECM solution.

1. Return on Investment vs. Total Cost of Ownership

A lot of vendors will claim that their software will pay for itself with three to five years. Sounds good, right? A three- to five-year return is admirable, but unfortunately, in today's economy, it's just not good enough. You need a system that is going to provide you with returns immediately.

To get the most from your implementation, it pays to prioritize your reasons for implementing new software in the first place. Ask yourself how your ECM system is going to have an immediate impact on your services to your customers, buyers and suppliers. Maybe you are investing in technology now to avoid future investment - particularly if you are attempting to mitigate risk from compliance or e-discovery. If this is the case, it is worthwhile to expand your vision and take into consideration the additional benefits that ECM can offer your operation.

Talk with an experienced vendor to see how you can get more from your software installation. Find out how automated distribution can make your entire enterprise more efficient and at the same time provide you with the transparency and auditing tools that are required for compliance. In today's market, you need to look at a model and system that offers a return now ... not three to five years from now. If a prospective vendor is telling you that you will have to wait years to see payback from an ECM system, you would be wise to consider a different product.

2. Integration

Most organizations have a heterogeneous IT environment; they have a bunch of different software systems that serve specific business processes - legacy systems, line-of-business applications, etc. Usually, these systems are lacking in interoperability. This means that information is not easily accessible. Often, information is duplicated across multiple systems.

There are a number of vendors on the market offering ECM solutions. But if they don't offer the capability to integrate your diverse systems into one cohesive solution, you are merely perpetuating the inefficiencies that are associated with paper. Steer clear of proprietary ECM systems that lock you into using specific software and limit your flexibility. Instead, look for a vendor whose solution is unwritten with web services - they should be published to the client base to leverage the application programming interface (API). This will offer your users ECM functionality from within their own familiar software applications - no matter what they might be. At the same time, it will offer access to systems that had previously been standalone. There are no new complicated software programs to learn. Users gain increased functionality from within their familiar interfaces and access to information housed within existing systems.

ECM was never meant to be a standalone solution. As such, integration is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The product must have the capability to integrate with anything - not just line-of-business applications. It should integrate with your web site, portal, proprietary applications, office environment, and more. Integration should be an inherent part of any solution.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS) vs. Onsite Installation

Consider whether your business processes would be better addressed by an onsite or offsite system. Offsite ECM implementations work in the same way that your utility provider works. You pay a periodic fee for services, and your SaaS provider takes responsibility for housing and maintaining your system. SaaS minimizes initial upfront costs of an ECM system. There are benefits and risks to both in-house and offsite solutions. A vendor should offer both options and even offer the flexibility to house your own solution initially, but move it offsite at any time.

Risk management should drive your decision as to where to house your ECM system. In addition to offering an offsite system, a full-service vendor will offer you the option of outsourcing the indexing and scanning of your backlogged paper files. Some vendors even go the extra mile and provide a service that will process your incoming files - paper and electronic.

SaaS is not necessarily a less expensive option than housing and maintaining your system onsite, but it is a good alternative for organizations that don't have a dedicated IT staff. It also provides the option of reallocating your processing staff and your physical resources. If your organization is looking for the benefits associated with ECM but doesn't have the upfront resources to install the system in-house, you would be wise to consider a vendor that offers SaaS.

4. Ease of Use

As you evaluate different systems for functionality and price point, don't lose sight of what is probably the most important criterion for ECM success: simplicity. A high-performance system should offer an interface that is obvious and intuitive. If an activity involves more than drag-and-drop or point-and-click functionality, you're not gaining efficiency; you're losing it. You want your ECM system to be implemented and adopted by your users. To generate excitement about your transition, you need to demonstrate a system that will simplify your users' processing tasks. A complicated system - no matter what its functionality - risks rejection from your staff.

The Bottom Line

Implementing ECM shouldn't be painful. Once you are able to articulate your needs, talk with prospective vendors about how their systems can increase efficiency, customer service and profits. A high-performance system pairs the ease-of-use that your staff craves with the robust tools that you need to compete. And a vendor with many years of experience in the industry can work with you to design a solution that is specific to your unique needs.

[Source: ECM Connection]