3
Introduction
Aswith anyenterprise software purchase, purchasing enterprise contentmanagement(ECM)software representsa major commitmentofresources—time, money, and staff. Thisguide hasbeen created to help you make an informed purchase decision.The guide consistsoftwo major sections:
Section I — An overview ofenterprise contentmanagement
Providesthe definitionsofenterprise contentmanagementand itscomponents—documentmanagement, web contentmanagement, digitalassetmanagement, compliance, collaboration,documentimaging, electronicdiscovery, and reportmanagement. Read thissection to getanunderstanding ofwhatyou can do with ECM.
Section II — The pillarsofenterprise contentmanagement
Discussesthe capabilitiesthatprovide the foundation-or pillars-ofan ECM solution. Read thissection to find help assessing your own ECM requirementsand a frameworkfor evaluating thestrengthsand weaknessesofcompeting solutions. Thissection also includesinformationexplaining how EMCDocumentum productsaddresseach ofthe pillarsofcontentmanagementto meetthe challengesofECM.When reading through thisguide, itishelpfulto keep the following in mind. Immediatebusinessneedsoften drive the acquisition ofenterprise software. However, when evaluating ECM solutions, remember thattoday'spurchase should notonlysolve today'sproblems, butalso those oftomorrow.