electronic document management: an integrated approach welcome!
TRANSCRIPT
Electronic Document Management:
an integrated approach
Welcome!
Agenda
Life and death of a documentStakes of an EDM project
The EDM in a nutshell
The EDMin a nutshell
Electronic Document Management
addresses a very common
and widespread problem…
…document overflow!
…but also:
multiple distant geographical sites,
collaboration needs on documents,
productivity & competitiveness issues,…
Many good reasons to adopt EDM
Proposed definition:
Electronic Document Management
Electronic system
to acquire, classify, store,
archive and retrieve
documents
Electronic system…
‘SCANFIN’ projectBelgian Ministry of Finance
100,000,000 documents per year
‘Habitation Moderne’ projectpublic housing sector
50,000 documents per year
A dog A dog
EDM is NOT restricted to large companies!
Same with EDM!
No reference to the size:
Electronic systemto acquire, classify, store,
archive and retrieve…
Scanning Retrieving
Indexing Storing & archiving
User
The minimalist
EDM solution
But many other possible
features…
Electronic systemto acquire, classify, store,
archive and retrievedocuments
Files
FormsFaxes
Hard-copy documents Electronic documents
Faxesvia fax server
Word files
Excel files
Invoices
Life and deathof a document
Hardcopy documents Scanning Recognition
Indexation & Classification Conversion
e-Forms
e-Documents
Interactions
Recordmanagement
Workflows
Security
Navigation
Filemgt
Storage &archiving
ERPCRMDBs
Not to be scanned
Structured information→ not to be recognised
Metadata
External applications
Common format
Hardcopy documentsFormsInvoicesMailFilesFaxes…→ Which documents should be integrated?
ScanningVolume?Conversion into image files (TIFF, PDF)Automatic batch and document separationBlank page deletion90° or 180° rotationRecto or Recto/VersoColors, bitonal, greyscaleImage quality improvement (contrast, dust & scratch removal)Autocropping and alignmentIdeal quality/volume ratio?→ Which functionalities do you need?
RecognitionTurning images into textOMR: Optical Mark Recognition (tick boxes)OCR: Optical Character Recognition (printed text)Structured forms: areas are clearly definedICR: Intelligent Character Recognition (handwritten text)Free form: similar documents but undefined structure (invoices)…→ Which technologies do you need?
Storage and archivingVolume?Technologies: online, offline, nearlineMedias: tapes, harddisks,…Security: (non-)rewritable supports?…→ What are your critical needs?
Electronic documentsEmailsWordExcelImagesFaxes (via fax server)…→ Which documents should be integrated?
Electronic formsEquivalent of paper forms (structured)eGovernmentElectronic signatureeCommerceBanksInsurance companies…→ What might be the potential applications of e-forms?
Indexation & classificationFull-text indexationMetadata: date, author, document type, topic(s),…Structured (list) and/or non-structured metasManual and/or automatic (e.g. based on bar codes)Thesaurus: structured list of keywords, with synonyms…→ On what criteria do you want to retrieve documents?
ConversionMultiple formats = multiple viewersConversion software (e.g. Acrobat)Strategic aspect: what is the lifetime of the format?…→ Do you need a common format?
Interactions with other applicationsApplications: ERP (e.g. SAP), accountancy,…Electronic Data InterchangeInterface: e.g. piloting EDM application from an ERPThings can become very complex…→ Do you need interactions? With what application(s)?
ERPCRMDBs
Record ManagementEDM’s management = “rules of the game”Comes on top of the EDM systemCompliance with certification (ISO 900n)Compliance with legal constraints (Sarbannes-Oxley in USA)File plan: common indexing policy for the whole organisationManaging lifetimesTracing the history of actions taken on a document…→ How far do you need to go with Record Management?
Workflows= Series of tasks related to an information itemCreation, indexation, approval, rejection,…Useful when multiple users deal with multiple tasks/stepsDocument workflow, production workflow, ad hoc workflowAttachments: documents or files (batch of documents)Traceability: history of actions…→ Do you need simple, complex,… or no workflow?
SecurityHardwareConnectivity: reliability of interconnections, firewalls,…Access rights and confidentialityDisaster recovery…→ Security is often expensive: how critical is it for you?
NavigationSearches on metadataFull-text searches (needs OCR)Navigation through folders and sub-foldersDocument files and related documentsCompliance with access rights policy…→ Do you need complex searches? On what criteria?
File managementFile = batch of documents related to an issueExamples: medical files, insurance files,…Hierarchy of files and sub-filesStatic files: similar to hard-copy filesDynamic files: based on criteria (→ one document, several files)A document can belong to multiple files (multiple access points)Collaboration…→ Do you work with files in your current document system?
ERPCRMDBs
EDM =variable geometry
technology↓
All aspects shouldbe carefully considered
at the early stage
Stakes of anEDM project
Economic aspects
An EDM solution will…Improve the image of the organisation
(e.g. immediate access to the information)Avoid tasks with little value-added
(e.g. encoding)Shorten and/or accelerate processes
(e.g. workflows)Reduce postage costs
Retrieving a paper document costs EUR 19! Gartner Group
Human andorganisational
aspects
An EDM solution will…Require cultural changes (way people work)Improve ergonomic aspects
of information accessEnrich job descriptions
with high value-added tasksMake control easier
(e.g. how often is a document accessed?)
Legal aspects
An EDM solution offers the possibility to…Integrate an electronic signatureKeep a trace of human/electronic
alterations on documentsGuarantee long-term
archiving (e.g. PDF-A)
Ecological aspects
An EDM solution allows…Reducing the volume of produced paper
(e.g. electronic forms)Reducing the volume of circulating paper
(e.g. workflows)Reducing the volume of warehoused paper (e.g. archiving)
Scientificaspects
An EDM solution allows…Leveraging the most important asset
of any organisation: knowledgeOrganising data related to a
project in a structured wayStimulating distant or even
cross-border collaboration on a project
Conclusion
EDM is much more than what you think
Consider all aspects in an integrated logic
EDM is not restricted to large companies
Look at the ROI: don’t spend, invest!
Rely on solid partners: I.R.I.S. S&E ;-)
Thank you!