Integrating Document Management Solutions

When an ECM system is fundamental to the way an organization does business, the issue of integrating that system with other applications is critical. When speaking with clients about this, the first two questions asked are “can my applications be integrated with my ECM” and “how do I do it?”

If you’ve ever tried to answer these questions for clients who aren’t IT specialists or programmers, you know that doing so can be difficult. The specific answers involve abstract concepts and technical jargon that only specialists are familiar with. Speaking about Document Management Software with clients in a way they understand, is important.

At the same time, it’s important for all the stakeholders, not just the technical ones, to understand what is required in order to get a particular integration to work. To that end, I’ve found a particular analogy very helpful, as it renders the main considerations more concrete and understandable. I like to think of an integration of Document Management Software as a conversation.

At the most basic level, what’s needed for two individuals to successfully have a conversation? Assuming a verbal conversation (though the point holds true for any form of conversation), three things are necessary. Both parties need to be able to speak, hear, and understand each other. As it turns out, these requirements map quite nicely to integration considerations.

The essence of an integration is the ability for two applications to send data to each other, receive data from each other, and understand that data in regards to Document Imaging. This becomes the frame for the conversation as you explain to your client how the integration will work, or, in some cases, why it can’t work.

When boiled down to the essentials like this, it’s not an earth shattering revelation. However, it helps a lot when you’re trying to explain to a client that the Document Imaging Software integration is going take a certain number of days because one of the applications doesn’t have, say, a web service and that’s the only API the other one has. In other words, it can’t “hear” what the other application is “saying”. It makes for a much smoother acceptance of the proposal, and the outcome of the project, because the person writing the check appreciates the scope and nature of the project.

Laserfiche Certification Training Now Available at Texas Tech University

Laserfiche has partnered with Texas Tech, one of only 200 schools across the nation with a financial planning program that’s registered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP), to provide training and certification for students enrolled in the Professional Technology in Personal Financial Planning course.

Laserfiche is donating the use of its Document Management Software, training materials and instructional resources to Texas Tech’s Personal Financial Planning Division free of charge through its Certified Professional Program (CPP). The CPP is designed to provide comprehensive online training in a number of specific areas, including system administration, business process management, Document Management, Document Imaging, and more.

“By adding Laserfiche to the curriculum, our students will gain a real-world understanding of how to digitize financial planning documents so that they are consistent, reliable, useful and accessible,” said Texas Tech Associate Professor Deena Katz, CFP. “They will also learn how to use Laserfiche to facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements, giving them a concrete advantage when they enter the workforce.”

The first Texas Tech class to incorporate Laserfiche’s Document Imaging Software in the curriculum began this fall. Approximately 100 students will complete the certification program by the end of the school year.

Several other schools have requested similar Laserfiche training programs for their students, so a whole new generation of financial planners will soon enter the workforce with in-depth knowledge of Laserfiche under their belts.

Document Imaging Software Innovation Increases Efficiency

LONG BEACH, CA (Laserfiche)—November 3, 2010—Chase Bank and Smart Business Journal today presented Laserfiche President and CEO Nien-Ling Wacker with a Smart Leaders 2010 Award in recognition of her innovative leadership during tough economic times.

“To be an innovative leader at a technology company, you have to have your feet on the ground and your eyes on a vision that’s inspired by technology trends,” said Wacker. “Creating a company based on this vision is what has enabled Laserfiche to stay on the leading edge, gaining millions of users at 28,000 customer organizations around the world.

Founded in 1987, Laserfiche is a leading provider of enterprise Document Management Software. The company has been praised by industry analyst firms such as IDC for helping organizations “address the majority of their document and records management issues effectively and within a shorter time frame than other large enterprise content management providers.”

Wacker added, “I’m deeply honored to receive this Smart Leaders Award, and I’d like to give credit to our staff, channel partners and customers for their dedication to Laserfiche’s vision of providing simple and elegant ECM solutions that enhance organizational efficiency.”

Robert LaGace, President of Chase Middle Market Banking, presents Nien-Ling Wacker with her 2010 Smart Leaders Award

Since 1987, Laserfiche® has used its Run Smarter® philosophy to create simple and elegant Document Management Software solutions. More than 28,000 organizations worldwide—including federal, state and local government agencies and Fortune 1000 companies—use Laserfiche software to streamline Document Imaging, records and business process management.

The Laserfiche ECM system is designed to give IT managers central control over their information infrastructure, including standards, security and auditing, while still offering business units the flexibility to respond quickly to changing conditions by using Document Imaging Software.

Laserfiche distributes its software through a worldwide network of value-added resellers (VARs), who tailor solutions to clients’ individual needs. The Laserfiche VAR program has received the Five-Star Rating from Computer Reseller News/VARBusiness magazine.

Natural Disaster: Does Your Business Have A Continuity Plan?

The fifth anniversary of the largest blackout in U.S. history with damage – from spoiled food to lost sales – is estimated at $6 billion.

According to the Wall Street Journal Business Technology blog, a recent Emerson Network Power survey showed that only 31% of the respondents had a business continuity plan to prepare for such disruptions, yet nearly 80% said they had experienced at least one power outage in 2007, and two-thirds said they expected another one to occur within 12 months.

Did you know that you can use Laserfiche’s Document Management Software as the foundation of your organization’s business continuity plan? Despite the recent floods in the Midwest, law firm Arenson & Zimmerman used Laserfiche to continue working with the help of Document Imaging , even though power at their offices would be out for at least four weeks. The weekend after the flooding began, staff set up remote computer connections for all attorneys and support staff so they could work from off-site locations.

Without Laserfiche, staff members would have had to carry large boxes of files down nine flights of stairs while holding flashlights. “Although the stair climbing would have put us all in much better physical shape, Laserfiche has allowed us to spend our time producing billable work,” concluded legal assistant Laurie L. Chappell. “Laserfiche’s Document Management Solutions definitely helped keep us going during this difficult time.”

What if your offices lost power for four weeks? Do you know how you could use Laserfiche to keep working? Download our white paper, “How Digital Document Management Streamlines Business Continuity Planning,” to learn more about how you can better prepare for disaster, whether it’s a power outage, an earthquake or a tornado.

ECM Solutions with Document Management Software and Imaging

ANAHEIM, CA (Laserfiche)—October 12, 2010—Laserfiche (booth #1876) will exhibit its agile ECM solutions this week at the 2010 EDUCAUSE Conference in Anaheim, and talk to IT leaders about the benefits of adopting enterprise content management (ECM) as part of their IT infrastructure with Document Imaging.

“By standardizing on an agile ECM system from Laserfiche, colleges and universities increase information accessibility and security, eliminate data silos and enable key stakeholders to make better-informed decisions,” said Brian LaPointe, vice president of strategic solutions at Laserfiche. “Agile ECM also gives academic institutions a flexible and secure way to automate business processes in every department.”

With hundreds of higher education customers around the world, Laserfiche has emerged as the leading ECM solution for enhancing efficiency and cutting costs across campus with Document Management Solutions. For example:

Texas A&M’s Department of Entomology expected to receive an initial ROI of $54,000, but actually achieved an ROI of $272,000 within one year of implementing Laserfiche.

The University ofSouthern California has improved faculty records management. The Provost’s Office says, “Something that used to take ten minutes now takes a matter of seconds.”

The University Utah has dramatically accelerated the disbursement of financial aid. According to the university, “In the past, it took us at least six weeks to process a student’s paperwork. Now we process those documents in two weeks.”

LaPointe notes that the benefits of Laserfiche extend across the institution because agile ECM tools can be configured locally yet controlled centrally. “Agile ECM gives individual departments the ability to configure local solutions while helping them to avoid using consultants, programmers and in-house IT staff for all but the most strategic ECM tasks.”

Laserfiche will demo its agile ECM solutions, Document Management, and hand out copies of a new report titled “ECM Agility for Higher Education” throughout the conference at booth #1876.

About Laserfiche

Laserfiche creates simple and elegant enterprise content management (ECM) solutions that help organizations run smarter. Since 1987, more than 28,000 organizations worldwide—including federal, state and local government agencies and Fortune 1000 companies—have used Laserfiche software to streamline document, records and business process management.

The Laserfiche ECM system gives colleges and universities the ability to improve disaster recovery planning, centrally and securely manage records, and deliver shared services such as contract management, grant management and HR onboarding with Document Management Software. It eliminates data silos and integrates easily with other applications, accelerating business processes and making staff more efficient.

Accountants Become Efficient With The Help of Document Imaging

When Olmsted & Associates, a CPA firm based in Fountain Valley, CA, went looking for a document management system in 2006, its needs were simple: “We needed a program that would allow us to scan multiple sizes and types of documents and then facilitate our search for them later. Security and retention periods were a concern as well,” says Tax Administrator Fernando Rocha. “Basically, we needed to have everything in one place so whomever needed to use it, could.”

Laserfiche was a name Olmsted’s partners were aware other accounting firms were using. And, says firm president Bernie Olmsted, with good reason. “There are a million document management systems out there, but nobody has the security ratings Laserfiche has in terms of being DoD 5015.2-certified,” she says.

Rocha says his fellow Olmsted staffers were particularly impressed by how user-friendly Laserfiche was, because it “had the look and feel of Windows and search engines we were used to using.” Another plus, he adds, was the comprehensive single solution Laserfiche offered. “Other programs you had to buy more products to get to that level of functionality. Laserfiche suited our needs right out of the box.”

The firm purchased document imaging software Laserfiche with Web Access to serve staff internally and remotely, as well as its clients. Implementation began in late 2006 with a backlog conversion of seven years’ worth of paper files. Adjamian and fellow solutions consultant Kristina Yassi worked with Rocha and Olmsted’s staff to set up templates and document types to establish the file structure that, with some enhancements, the firm still uses today. “Allen and Kristina helped us a design a folder and subfolder structure that allowed us get started scanning our documents right away,” Rocha recalls. “We’ve been able to improve on it since then, which is actually something we’ve come to appreciate about Laserfiche: It’s flexible enough to grow with us, without making a big project out of it.”

Rocha also says that Laserfiche’s document imaging interoperability with other programs and file types has brought efficiency and convenience to other business processes. “We transfer all our disparate types of data and document types into Laserfiche—QuickBooks, PDF documents, and Excel,” he says. “We can print directly to Laserfiche, save-to, or just drag-and-drop it. It’s that easy.”

And Rocha says that Olmsted & Associates has found a new way to work. “With Laserfiche we’ve found a document management system that offers us control in terms of securing and centralizing information, but also the flexibility to handle all kinds of content and make it readily available to our staff and clients securely and conveniently.”

What Happens To Your Business In the Event of a Disaster?

The largest blackout in U.S. history incurred damage – from spoiled food to lost sales – is estimated at $6 billion.

According to the Wall Street Journal Business Technology blog, a recent Emerson Network Power survey showed that only 31% of the respondents had a business continuity plan to prepare for such disruptions, yet nearly 80% said they had experienced at least one power outage in 2007, and two-thirds said they expected another one to occur within 12 months.

Did you know that you can use Document Management as the foundation of your organization’s business continuity plan? Despite the recent floods in the Midwest, law firm Arenson & Zimmerman used Laserfiche company to continue working, even though power at their offices would be out for at least four weeks. The weekend after the flooding began, staff set up remote computer connections for all attorneys and support staff so they could work from off-site locations.

Without Laserfiche, staff members would have had to carry large boxes of files down nine flights of stairs while holding flashlights. “Although the stair climbing would have put us all in much better physical shape, Document Management has allowed us to spend our time producing billable work,” concluded legal assistant Laurie L. Chappell. Document Management Solutions definitely helped productivity during this time.

What if your offices lost power for four weeks? Do you know how you could use Document Imaging to keep working? Learn more about how you can better prepare for disaster, whether it’s a power outage, an earthquake or a tornado as part of your business continuity plan.

Document Management Solutions: Recommending It to Your Colleagues

With the support of the Eaton County Information Systems Office, the Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office has successfully transitioned from dependence on physical paper file folders. In fact, we are among the first prosecutor offices in the USA to go paperless!

Changing to electronic files isn’t a revolutionary idea; many private industries have already made the switch because Document Management is a priority for all businesses. But our change has been a revolutionary improvement in how we do the People’s business by providing Document Management Solutions, and is a harbinger of the future for many other prosecutor offices and other businesses.

I think it’s important to show my colleagues that there’s a better way to do business. So, on our Website, we include information on why we chose Laserfiche, how it works, the benefits and our tips and suggestions for success. There’s a frequently asked questions section that answers questions like “How do you handle discovery?” and “What happens if your computer crashes?” We had such a positive response to that page that we created and posted videos about how we work and how Document Management can help, so other prosecutors’ offices can see the benefits of Laserfiche first hand.

One of the other things I do is talk about Laserfiche whenever I can. We host on-site visits from other prosecutors’ offices interested in seeing how “paperless” we really are. (Instead of six file cabinets, we now only need a single drawer – and it doesn’t even hold paper. We use it to hold evidence CDs.) The fact that we haven’t lost a single file in over three years is earth-shattering to other prosecutors thanks to Document Imaging Software.

I also present at industry conferences. Last year, I lectured for the National College of District Attorneys (NCDA) and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) National Advocacy Center about our paperless file management system. During these presentations, I show screenshots of our Laserfiche repository and explain our various work processes. I also like to show photos of the “before” and “after” in our office. It’s a great way to spread the word that there’s a better way to work than with paper.

The Cure for Paperwork Headaches

Laserfiche Document Management Software saves the Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center time and money

Texas A&M University (TAMU) is one of the largest universities in the U.S., both in terms of enrollment and physical size. With nine system schools and two campuses, as well as a main campus with over 100 buildings on over 5,200 acres, TAMU faces a unique challenge in sharing information.

Relying on paper was an inefficient use of TAMU’s monetary and staff resources. In addition, board requirements frequently limit the amount of office space to conserve space for classroom and labs, so space used for paper storage was at a premium. What little space was available could have been better used for professors’ offices.Beginning in 2004, different programs and departments within TAMU began investigating document management solutions, in order to more efficiently and cost-effectively share information—not to mention save space. Ultimately, they chose a Laserfiche enterprise content management solution to securely store paper, implement business process management and eliminate file cabinets.

Currently, nearly 1,200 staff in 10 departments and divisions within TAMU use Laserfiche document management software. The Health Sciences Center (HSC) reaches across Texas to educate health professionals and researchers through its seven components: the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas; the College of Medicine in College Station, Round Rock and Houston; the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; the Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston; the School of Rural Public Health in College Station and McAllen; the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville; and the College of Nursing in College Station.

When the HSC was planning to build its 200-acre new central campus, it wasn’t planning on using space that could house students and labs to house file cabinets. Add to that a system that spanned the state and often required costly overnight delivery of paperwork to its central office, then a need to duplicate and store copies of that paperwork, and Laserfiche was just the cure Project Manager Kristin Nace was looking for.

Nace, the director for fiscal services, was formerly in the HSC accounts payable division. While working in that department, she scanned documents into a basic system that used a centralized network drive. In 2007, the HSC formed a committee to find an alternative system and a vendor to provide it.

Because of Laserfiche’s successful implementation in the Texas A&M AgriLife program, it was considered for the HSC, and was ultimately chosen due to ease of use. Nace says that Laserfiche’s document management interface is simple and self-explanatory, and the system’s ability to import and export Microsoft Office documents was critical to its ultimate selection.

Since implementing Laserfiche, the finance office has quit accepting paper documents, and instead requires all internal documents, such as invoices, payroll documents and contracts, to be submitted electronically. They have been able to eliminate most of their 69 file cabinets, which cost $2,100 annually to maintain. And they have been able to adhere to their records retention schedule much more easily.

Even better, the department has eliminated nearly all their overnight shipments from regional locations. Previously, regional offices would overnight documents to the finance department on a daily basis. Because 95% of these overnight shipments were internal, they are now handled electronically through Laserfiche—eliminating nearly $55,000 spent in shipping costs.

Nace has recently created a position to manage the expansion of Laserfiche into new HSC departments. Eventually, every department in the HSC will be using Laserfiche.

“Our largest unexpected benefit came in realizing how popular Laserfiche has become within our organization,” she says. “I’m regularly getting requests from our departments to set up additional folders, processes, or even repositories. I knew people would love the product, I just didn’t expect they would love it this much… As a matter of fact, I’ve not had to convince anyone to use it, if anything I cannot keep up with all of their requests to bring more documents into the system. We are excited it has taken off as quickly and easily as it has.”

Benefits of Document Management

In this day and age, most forms of communication have gone digital. All major companies have digitized all of their systems and rarely use physical paper for anything. It is easier to have things organized on a computer, to where anyone can access it at anything, without making multiple copies. Filing cabinets and folders used to be the old form of Document Management. This was the way businesses kept track of all the vital information needed to keep the company running efficiently. Today, to keep up with the times, that is simply not good enough. These businesses, whether they be domestically or nationally run, need some sort of Document Management Software.

These management software systems make it possible for the businesses to digitalize all of their records in a clear, concise, and easy to use fashion. It allows multiple users to see the information at once, without having to be in the same place to view it. The systems create a network for the companies to use, which ties everyone into the same stream of information. This will substantially increase the efficiency of the business.

The advantages of digital Document management are clear. It is cost effective in the sense that it saves time. Employees will not have to spend time going and looking for a record. The information is all in the same place, easy to access. The systems also allow the company to back up the information. There is not a need to make multiple copies of the items, they are backed up within the system. You can make it so all of the information is secure. You can set up password protection and limit access of information is necessary.

In order to back up old files that were previously only in paper form, a company may find the need for document imaging. This is a system in which the old documents are taken and scanned in order for them to be placed in the new digital database. This allows for everything to be in one place, making it easier for a company to locate important information. Much like with the systems created for document management, there is document imaging software that allows companies to take large scale physical paper documents, and make them digital for the computer.

These document management systems also tie into features online, allowing them to be stored as a database for the company. This enables the ability for the company to access the information from any location in the world. Imagine the possibilities and the room from growth of a company that is able to operate or access information from any location.

Document management software : Document Management Solutions for the Legal Industry

Many people would be surprised to hear that one of the best uses of document management software is in the legal system. Not only is document imaging a good way to help the environment by reducing paper waste, but it also is a good way to keep the seemingly endless number of paperwork organized in a law firm.

Document management software generally is most effective in industries with a large amount of paperwork. Law firms definitely fit this criterion. Endless paperwork often has to be organized to find the most relevant information. In fact, law firms often hire people just to sort through the huge amount of information. However, with document management, law firms can be assured that legal documents will be stored in one easily searchable and secure place. With the use of document imaging, a law firm can not only keep all their documents on the computer, but they can password protect it so only authorized personnel can access classified information. This way, the law firm can concentrate on their actual work and not waste time on managing the vast information found on their paper documents and records.

In addition to the obvious organizational benefits of document management in the legal industry, law firms can easily search and comment on certain legal documents. For example, one can organize all forms related to a certain case in a folder specific to said case. Also, document management software often enables chatting and commenting on each document. A lawyer can highlight parts of the document and make comments that other authorized personnel can view. A law firm could have a discussion about the case without even scheduling a meeting. Of course, there will always be face to face interaction, but with document management, one can be assured that everyone will have viewed the same documents and will know the same information.

In addition to document management, law firms are also using technology to manage other aspects of their business. Client information and billing can be easily accessed from one place. By password-protecting these documents, one can be assured that only the right people will see this information. Additionally, one can easily print out any documents that need to be sent to the client or used in a face to face meeting.

Although a law firm must invest initial time and money into starting up a document management system for their practice, it is well worth it in the long run. Initially, the firm must scan all documents that can only be found in paper form. This can be a lengthy process. In addition, organizing the documents once they have been scanned can take some time. However, once this is completed, law firms will be able to save a lot of time and money. According to the many law firms that already use document management software, this initial investment is well worth the eventual benefits!

Document Management – Advances in Technology

In the 80s and 90s capturing, managing, and sharing documents in the business world meant copying machines, fax machines, and row upon row of file cabinets. Documents were often sent to settle offices and customers via fax or courier service. In today’s high-tech world, documents can be captured via a scanner, saved to a hard drive, and shared all crossed the company via e-mail or online digital documents. Document management software is a term that would have been unheard of just a few short decades ago. Today however, many businesses use software to capture, store, and share important paperwork and other documents.

While document management once just meant copying and filing documents for storage, today businesses can do more with a document than just copy it and file it. Entire groups can collaborate to create a document without ever being in the same room together. A lengthy document can be shared with satellite offices and customers across the globe in a matter of seconds. All of this can be accomplished without ever leaving your desk. This provides a wealth of improvements to business processes. Rather than rummaging through file cabinets, sales staff and other employees can simply click an icon on their computer to locate a particular document.

Part of the revolution behind the improved management of documents in the business world is the advancement in document imaging. The ability to scan a hard copy into a computer and create a digital copy allows or faster sharing of information and less storage space for record-keeping. Additionally, old records and documents are easy to access via a computer. A large amount of document images can be stored in a relatively small space. Likewise, multiple copies can be made so there is no need to be concerned over the degradation of paper documents over time.

Document imaging software has come a long way since the first scanners were introduced to the mass market in the 1990s. Whereas images were once grainy and blurry, thus making them difficult to read and print legible copies, today’s document images boast high-resolution that enables a printed copy to be just as good a quality as the original. Likewise, high-resolution document images are considered in some legal circles to be just as good as originals. Years ago, faxes and photocopies were considered unacceptable as official documents due to their poor quality and the ease with which they could forged.

document management software - Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse or the Software Before the Plan

Document management is an ongoing challenge for many businesses. Despite the advances in technologies over the past couple of decades, paper is still an ongoing issue. Many people are used to working with paper in their hands instead of looking solely at electronic screen. Many legal documents still require paper copies. All of this means many new businesses are looking for document management solutions. Document imaging has become a popular solution. Once the business no longer needs a paper copy, the company scans the document into electronic image and destroys the original. To manage these images, many companies use document management software.

Businesses face many legal requirements on retaining documents a certain length of time. Retention of documents can range from months to years to even indefinite periods. If they should fail to retain the document, a business could face stiff fines or legal penalties. That makes document management solutions critical in many businesses. Most jurisdictions allow electronic document imaging in place of retaining the originals. Using document management software, a company can pull up the required documents when needed. That makes document management a much easier than going through hundreds of filing cabinets.

Document management software is not a single solution. There must be a comprehensive document management plan in place as well. The company must identify the document in some way. Many times, it is by customer number or invoice number. That ties the document back to something the company would understand. Once the company no longer needs the original, the company uses document imaging to save the file. For example, if they were looking for particular invoice associated with the customer, they can look up the document by either the customer number or a known invoice number. Document management solutions are growing part of the business world.

Are you investigating document management solutions? Look at your company as a whole. Create a plan before committing to document management software. Purchasing software without a plan is like contracting to have a house built without architectural plans. Don't put the cart before the horse. Another factor to consider is the additional costs involved. Document imaging will probably put be part of that plan. That will require some hardware as well as software. You can drastically reduce the amount of paper required in your business with a little bit of thinking. You should do document management with a bit of planning and lots of thinking.

document management software - Making Your Business Better with Document Management

If you run any kind of business, you are probably tired of all the content that passes through your hands on a daily basis. You may have piles of paperwork on your desk to sort through, or perhaps it’s all thrown together on your computer. To make your life and the lives of your employees a little easier, you can consider document management software. This allows you to put all of your documents on the computer and share them with your employees whenever you want to. A number of benefits result from there.

By sharing your files through document management, you can get all of your employees on the same page without having a huge meeting. Everything can be done through the internet, and you can all post feedback on the latest discussion topics. Your employees can edit your work if you allow them to, or they can at least see the adjustments that you have made. This is great for businesses that work virtually because it provides an online conference room for feedback and discussion. You can share information and so can they, just like your own little forum for work.

In using document management solutions, you can access your files from any computer. This is great for the times when you left something at the office you can’t go back for. This can make you seem ill prepared in times of need. There are no worries though if everything is online. You simply have to log into the site, pull up the files, and print them if need be. You can show someone something on the fly as long as you have some sort of internet access. This brings work mobility to a whole new level because you can literally be just about anywhere and still be able to do your job.

Document imaging keeps everything organized for you. Piles of desk papers are usually impossible to sort through, as are folders on your computer. With the right software, you will be able to easily search for your files and keep them in their designated areas. You can save a great deal of paper by not having to print off all of your paper work. Thus you will be helping your budget and the environment at the same time. There are a number of benefits to be found with document managing software, so consider getting this for your business.

Benefits of Digital Document Management

Digital document management is a surprisingly simple concept. It involves the conversion of paper documents into image files that are stored in an electronic repository. Because all the files are in one location, it is possible to find needed information in mere seconds. Document management systems can be used for a single person’s documents or an entire company’s document system. Managing documents is an important aspect of almost any company. Paper documents and filing systems are disorganized and messy but document imaging can help companies to find digital versions of all paper documents quickly and easily. In addition, it is often viewed as a component of enterprise content management (ECM) systems. Paper documents can be scanned into the computer and, using optical character recognition capabilities, the typewritten content can be fully editable and searchable. In addition, combining documents with e-mail messages can make it very easy to organize information as well as share important information throughout a company.

Digital content management can be seen as a digital filing cabinet. Nearly all Americans have big bulky filing cabinets filled with important documents. Most of these people would certainly benefit from putting these documents into an internet filing system. Not only will this reduce the need to search through papers and files, but one can actually search for a specific word or clause in one of their documents! This makes one wonder why everyone hasn’t switched to digital content management. In addition, many document management systems go hand in hand with personal storage and backup services as well as web-based groupware, e-mail, mailing lists, word processing programs or spreadsheet programs. This component of document management software is Personal Knowledge Management. It seems odd that there would be a program to organize one’s own knowledge; however, most Americans are so busy that they need their “knowledge” stored on a system to pull up information when they need it. Personal Knowledge Management is defined as a collection of processes that an individual carries out to gather, classify, store, search, retrieve and share knowledge in his or her daily activities and how these processes support work activities.

Although it is a great way to organize one’s information, document management solutions are not for everyone. Some companies are concerned about personal information being available for everyone. Important data is usually protected by a password but the information is still on a public system. The password can be easily shared and information readily available for anyone. This is especially relevant in the healthcare industry where confidential patient information can be available for an entire office. There are some things that need to be worked out in the document management industry, but overall it is very beneficial for any companies and can reduce disorganization along with paper waste!

Document Management in Education

If there is one place where document management is important, it is in schools. The administration has so much to keep track of for every student. Transcripts, contact details, personal details, and course and billing details all have to be meticulously recorded and readily available. In addition, if any changes are made in one department, they must be noted in all departments to accurately keep track of the students. For this purpose, an inter-departmental system is vital! Data can be entered in one computer and shared throughout the administration. Password protection is also important in that only authorized people can see the information that they are supposed to have access to. Today, many schools, especially colleges, have campus-wide systems where students can access their records, class schedules, and other information from any computer. In addition, parents can access the information as well to track their child’s progress. Paper documents and physical files have become a thing of the past as most administrations are turning to online document management solutions.

Financial management is another reason why schools turn to document management software. It is very important to have an accurate financial management system. Using an inter-departmental system, everyone in the company can keep track of the budget, what has been ordered and what needs to be ordered. This can help save time and costs. Student billing is one thing which document management has made very easy. The school must keep track of who has paid tuition, or who owes money for other things. The system can automatically generate e-mails to send to students and parents who owe money to the school. With the reduced amount of funding and donations, schools have to keep their budget under tight control. An organized system is imperative to keeping costs as low as possible.

Document imaging is the process of scanning paper documents and converting them to digital images that are then stored in a database. Once the document is scanned, the entire department can easily work with it without making copies. Not only is document imaging efficient but it helps conserve paper. Many schools have already converted to document imaging to store all their important documents, and in the future more and more will also convert. It will probably be a long time before paper becomes obsolete, however, because many people still like to receive paper statements in the mail and send bills in the mail as well. However, the less paper that is used the better for the environment. Companies such as Laserfiche offer simple and elegant solutions to the organizational problems schools often have.

Enterprise Content Management: The Future of Networking

Document management is arguably one of the most important aspects of an enterprise content management system. The earliest document management systems were developed to manage proprietary file types or a limited number of file formats. Today, document management systems have grown to encompass electronic documents, collaboration tools, security, and auditing capabilities. ECM has been defined as the strategies, methods and tools used to manage, store, preserve and deliver content and documents related to organizational processes. ECM tools and strategies allow the management of an organization’s unstructured information, wherever that information exists. There are several benefits to having a quality document management system as part of a powerful enterprise content management system.

• The digital centralized location of the files enables people to obtain files and information without entering a file room or shuffling through a messy filing cabinet.
• ECM systems typically use a database to store metadata and administrators can authorize access to authorized personnel.
• Document management platforms have different ways of creating documents as well as a simple yet inclusive workflow design. Documents can easily be passed from one person to another. This is very useful when multiple people need to collaborate on a project.

Not only can enterprise content management systems simplify projects and make communication between people much easier, they also reduce paperwork. With the development of these platforms, companies are approaching a paperless office. Proponents of enterprise content management have argued that paperless services are faster, cheaper, more efficient, and more environment-friendly. Society has almost reached the point where computer files are out of date. Endless folders on one’s desktop contain thousands of files which one has to sort through to find needed information. Sharing files on a web workspace will eventually replace storing them on the computer’s hard drive. In addition, a large, powerful database in another location stores files for a company for any authorized user to access without having to hunt down the actual file and the computer which contains the file. The future is unfolding before our eyes. More and more companies are adapting ECM as a way to connect and network among their employees.

Laserfiche Presents on China’s Role in Global Economy

Laserfiche document management will participate in the UCLA Anderson School of Management’s fourth annual Wilbur K. Woo Greater China Business Conference, titled “China: Driving the Global Economy Recovery.”

Linda Ding, APAC International Territory Manager at Laserfiche, will take part in an afternoon ‘Executive Exchange’ session along with Xun Wang, President of Syngenta Biotechnology Co. Ltd., and Terry Horsmon, Managing Partner of True North Strategies, Metan Media Group. The exchange will be moderated by Allen Shen, producer of KAZN-AM Radio in Los Angeles.

“I’m delighted to join this elite group of thought leaders to explore the impact that China has had on the global economy,” said Ding. “Laserfiche believes that China will play an increasingly important role in the development and dissemination of new technology, and we recently opened an office in Hong Kong to better serve and learn from the Chinese market.”

Over the past several years, the Laserfiche document imaging product suite has been translated into simplified and traditional Chinese versions. To provide stronger local product services and training, the company has also developed professional Presales and Support teams in Shanghai, enabling document management and document imaging to become a full service enterprise content management (ECM) solution provider for the greater China area.

The Value of a Paperless Office

Avante document management offers a new way to get powerful document and business process management that fits the way people work and at a price that makes sense.

Avante document management gives you the tools you need now and makes it easy to add the ones you want later. Industry-leading document imaging also helps users to store and retrieve information. Avante includes sophisticated workflow tools to automate business processes. Whether you have a staff of one or one hundred, you’ll simplify complex tasks, promote better decision making and keep your organization moving forward.

Avante’s individual user connections include Laserfiche document management, Workflow, Document Imaging, Scanning, Snapshot and E-Mail, and an intuitive pricing structure makes it simple and affordable to add new features and functionality to your Laserfiche system. For a percentage of the price of your user licenses, you can add Web Access or Audit Trail, or for a fixed price, you can add Quick Fields, Plus or fully integrated, DoD 5015.2-certified records management. And when your system grows large enough, it’s simple to upgrade to Rio enterprise content management.

Move Your Organization Beyond Search and Retrieval

Laserfiche Avante brings together industry-leading document management and powerful, fully integrated Workflow functionality. Whether you have a staff of one or one hundred, you’ll simplify complex tasks, promote better decision making and keep your organization moving forward with document imaging.

Document Management licensing is based on the number of people who will be using the system—which makes it possible to calculate the cost of most systems by doing little more than counting employees.

Named user licenses include document imaging, Workflow, Snapshot and e-mail functionality, all for $500 per license. Servers are sold individually and support industry-standard Microsoft^® and Oracle^® database platforms.