Which device are you reading this article on? Your desktop? Possibly your mobile device? Below the piece of glass with which you are reading these words is the possibility to access endless information. Knowledge on any topic imaginable can reach your device in the blink of an eye. Ease of access to documents, content, and data can now streamline business processes and automate workflow. However, just because we have all this information does not mean that each piece is as valuable as the next. As such, the collected material must be adequately organized to be optimally utilized. Involved in Enterprise Content Management (ECM) are the tools and procedures to collect and organize the aforementioned data, so as to be of value to the reader (whether the reader is a senior manager, client, etc).

There are a number of components within ECM which aid in achieving the goals listed above. The processes involved include capturing, managing, storing, preserving, and delivering information.

– Capturing information is accomplished through data transformation whereby physical documentation is converted to an electronic form, this being merged with your current catalogue of electronic information to deliver an inventory ready to be managed. An electronic catalogue would include pulled metadata which describes that piece of data.

– The Managing aspect includes the networking of data, records, and web content management to utilize information. Included with the above means are document management and business process management. The 5 components can either be working together, or separately.

– Storing data places an emphasis on the interim, with the information that is either not required or frequently changing backed up in the short term to allow for editing, if necessary.

– The Preserve component backs up the information that is opposite of what was listed in the last point, that is the infrequently changing and required data being backed up via Records Management Systems.

– Finally, Delivering the information provides the requested information to the user requesting it.

Documentum is an example of Records Management that is found in all stages of ECM. As Michael Trafton of BlueFishGroup states “Documentum is like a hard drive on steroids” due to its incredible practical applications for medium and large sized enterprises. There is still the ability to store your crucial files, however a difference compared to a hard drive stems from the ability to access these files. This ease of access does not take away from the notion of security, with Documentum providing the ability for certain parties to view (or not view) sensitive information, and allowing the capability to edit information through authorization.

Along with excellent security, there are a number of worthwhile benefits that an organization can reap through implementation of ECM Solutions:

– A log of different versions pertaining to a file are present, with the competence to access older versions. Documentum would keep track of every version of a document where a change has been made. The name of the file would still remain the same, however data pertaining to the changes made and who made the changes can be requested.

– Documentum acts as Google for your files, providing a search engine to look up words, phrases, clients, or document numbers associated to a file. These characteristics are found through meta-data established during creation and indexing of a document.

– Documentum also allows for documents to be sent to different parties for approval. Whether this be a fellow colleague looking over a draft of your proposal or your Accountant altering an invoice, a workflow process is set up to ensure that necessary parties have the capacity to view, edit, and approve essential information.

– Via your linked email, you can receive a direct correspondence notifying you if a file has been sent to you for approval or if any changes have been made to a document. This prevents the user from having to regularly check on the status of an amendment, or diminishing the wait time between the assignment of a file and its subsequent approval.

M-Files (MyFiles) is such a platform with the aforementioned benefits. Consentia has partnered with M-Files to provide a secure and fully compliant intelligent information management platform for our clients. Our team is well versed with many ECM Solutions, including Documentum, OpenText, and Sharepoint. Through this partnership we are able to equip our clients with the very best in records management and service, setting clients up to move forward in the digital age. Consentia can provide the following services: System Migrations Preconfigured & Custom Solutions ECM Integration Records Management Workflows Content Management Interoperability Services (CMIS) Retention Policy Services Process Mapping & Improvement