Unisys Taps Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server to Enhance Business Processes and Enable Centralized Document Management

Business Wire, March 29, 2001

Business Editors

BLUE BELL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 29, 2001

Unisys Corporation today announced its plan to deploy Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server to enhance its business processes and those of its customers.

As a Microsoft alliance partner, Unisys plans to incorporate SharePoint Portal Server into its portfolio of e-Government solutions for customers in the public sector. In addition, Unisys plans to integrate SharePoint Portal Server into Unisys e-@ction Workflow Solutions, which include document imaging, to supplement existing capabilities and open new markets.

Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server is a flexible portal solution that enables companies to use a Web browser to easily find, share and publish information. The new server provides seamless portal integration with the Microsoft Office and Windows operating system productivity desktop environment, allowing enterprise customers to integrate robust document management, search, subscriptions and inline discussions into their document collaboration processes.

"Unisys provides robust document management portal solutions to several global customers. We are looking to combine these capabilities with the collaborative applications of Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server to deliver solutions that drive business process improvements for customers," said Cheryl Jones, director, Microsoft Alliance for Unisys Corporation. "This latest project accelerates our initiatives with Microsoft to maximize productivity for enterprise customers."

As a part of the e-Government solutions strategy for its U.S. Federal Government Group and Global Public Sector, Unisys is working to incorporate Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server into its framework for enterprise information management that enables governments to unify "islands of automation" and simplify business processes. Using SharePoint Portal Server facilitates rapid deployment of an enterprise information management solution that is highly flexible and adaptable to key government programs and business objectives. In addition, the Web browser interface enables government agencies to incorporate commercial best practices to help deliver better services to citizens and partners.

Unisys was involved in the early testing of the SharePoint Portal Server software and recognized it as an ideal platform for its public sector customers, which include nearly every federal government agency, all 50 state governments and more than 900 local governments in the United States.

SharePoint Portal Server allows governments to achieve business process improvements through use of team portals, document management and workflow. Typically, these customers must invest in and integrate multiple vendor products to provide these functions, while with SharePoint Portal Server, governments can turn to one technology solution to quickly and cost-effectively improve their internal processes.

"Unisys is using technology, such as SharePoint Portal Server, in forward-looking ways, both for Unisys internal processes and with customers," said Jeff Teper, general manager of the SharePoint Portal Server Business Unit at Microsoft. "With its sophisticated portal and content management capabilities, SharePoint Portal Server will help Unisys share information internally in a more efficient way, while extending the company's track record of delivering next-generation e-Government solutions to its public sector customers."

Unisys also evaluated SharePoint Portal Server as a solution to provide centralized document management for its Computer Services group at four locations throughout the United States. Computer Services, part of the Development Services Organization within Unisys, is responsible for providing, managing and supporting the computer and network resources at the development labs.

Computer Services is utilizing SharePoint Portal Server's document management capabilities such as version control, approval process and publishing. Prior to implementing SharePoint Portal Server, Computer Services had to store documents in multiple locations and did not have a method of reliably controlling document versions. With SharePoint Portal Server, Computer Services can manage its documents from a single location, while providing an approval process that notifies the appropriate personnel when updates occur.

About Unisys

Unisys is an electronic business solutions company whose 37,000 employees help customers in 100 countries apply information technology to seize opportunities and overcome challenges of the Internet economy. Unisys people integrate and deliver the solutions, services, platforms and network infrastructure required by business and government to transform their organizations for success in this new era.

The company offers a rich portfolio of Unisys e-@ction Solutions for electronic business based on its expertise in vertical industry solutions, network services, outsourcing, systems integration and multivendor support, coupled with enterprise-class server and related technologies. The primary vertical markets Unisys serves worldwide include financial services, transportation, communications, publishing and commercial sectors, as well as the public sector, including federal government customers.