keys to choosing document management software, The

Office World News, May 2001 by Wood, Roxanne

E-COMMERCE

The process of sharing information and how it is managed is vital to an organization. Effective document management is a primary communication tool and should be viewed as key priority when maintaining the balance of daily operations. With technology connected to just about every desktop in America, the need for document management is indisputable. Implementing document management software offers readily available solutions with a variety of options.

THE GENERIC MODEL

Users of document management software can expect generic features including basic security for viewing and editing documents and an avenue for multiple authors to coordinate activities across one or more documents. Documents that are labeled and stored in the program would generally be available for manipulation. The author of the document may also be associated with said document. The software could give a single point of access to a document repository, where a query would allow for retrieving documents and specifics scattered throughout a network. Because document management is a broad practice, companies can customize a solution to address many business-centric functions.

GROW GRADUALLY

An important consideration when implementing document management software is balance. This would include a company's total cost of ownership (TCO), with regard to software, internal staff costs, hardware, and professional services needed to maintain the program. Gauging how much time it will take to realize a solution, its actual delivery, and how much time it will be until substantial advantages of the program are obtained, must be factored in the equation. Technically speaking this is coined Time to Implement (TTI). To ensure the stability of daily operations a company may consider incremental execution of a program, while considering appropriate levels of priority.

USE THE WISDOM OF OTHERS

New technologies are being developed everyday however, choosing the right blend of these technologies for a particular business is the only way to persevere in today's business environment. If possible, it is always better to build upon an existing technology rather than replacing it all together. Avoiding a customized installation by using a vendor that has achieved similar implementations can save a company a lot of money.

BRINGING IT DOWN THE WIRE

Used as a primary communication tool, document management via the Internet involves the sharing of information. This type of business software is evolving to meet the connectivity needs that expand from one desktop to another. The difference, though, is that computers are replacing traditional desktops of the past. Sending information to multiple destinations from a single user interface is now available by way of the Internet. As this technology continues to expand so will the capabilities of document management software.

SPRINGBOARD TO E-COMMERCE

Document management puts you in control of the knowledge that is standardized within your organization. Studies indicate that 80 percent of a company's "knowledge" is stored as non-structured data, such as documents. By implementing a document management system, a company is conveying structure and organization while allowing logical accessibility to its knowledge repository. Connecting document management with the power of the Internet allows users to classify, communicate, and coordinate information from just about anywhere.

Any technology can present practical limitations when a company plans a document management strategy. Issues that generally need to be addressed include global distribution, document redundancy, and security. Fortunately, a current standard, Open Document Management API (ODMA) makes it simpler for vendors to incorporate document management software with applications that are utilized to make electronic documents. This enables users to store, retrieve, and share documents with security and version control. Documents are being created on-the-- fly today and their effective management and connectivity are necessary for increasing good business practice, With the use of document management software a company can control the increasing amount of information that is core to its organization.

EDITOR'S NOTES: Roxanne Wood is the technical editor of Office World News. She can be reached at 732/785-- 5821 or rwownews@att.net