Article
Electronic Document Management:
Seven Fundamentals That Should Never Be Compromised
By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology
Whether you’re implementing
for the first time or entertaining
replacement, compromising on
the fundamentals can lead to
exasperating implementations
and disappointing results.
D o c F i n
O p t i c a l I m a g e Te c h n o l o g y, I n c .
Imaging, BPM/workflow, and
Document Management Software
M
anaging business content is as important to an organization’s viability as managing
one’s food supply is to human sustenance. In both cases, ignoring the basics can
have dire consequences.
Maslow showed us that basic human needs must be met before we can
concentrate on fulfilling our individual potential. To thrive and grow, we need reliable access to quality
food that is safe. We won’t tolerate spoilage, broken product seals, or foods with expired dates. Stores
with frustratingly empty shelves or hard-to-find goods lose our business.
Shouldn’t we demand the same standards for our business-critical documents, since they are the
foundation of our business knowledge and relationships? Documents must be readable, accurate, and
tamperproof. Employees must be able to find information pertinent to assigned tasks quickly, without
wading through irrelevant material.
The exponential growth of digital business content – including email1 – makes centralization and
organization vital. If you’re searching for an electronic document management (EDM) solution, it
must be built on a solid foundation. Whether you’re implementing for the first time or entertaining
replacement, compromising on the fundamentals can lead to exasperating implementations and
disappointing results. Make sure your system addresses:
1. Ease of use – Even the best options can fail if they’re challenging to use. Employees – especially
workers who haven’t fully embraced digital document management – benefit from systems that
guide them through each step of capturing, indexing, accessing, and managing information. To
ensure ease of adoption, ask:
• Does the software have a user friendly interface with customizable work spaces that maximize
individual productivity?
• Is the software browser-based so employees can access work and information securely over the
Internet, remotely?
• Is there single sign-on for all functionality so users don’t have to keep logging on or
remembering multiple passwords?
• Are there easy-to-understand tool tips and help functions to guide users every step of the way as
they scan, index, search, and work with digital files?
• Are online user guides accessible to help minimize technical support?
• Are web services integration tools available to add behind-the-scenes functionality to the
software applications employees use daily?
• Does the vendor offer appropriate end-user training?
i t y ®
2. Security – Security risks related to changing regulations, poor or inconsistently communicated
policies, and at-risk employees are minimized with EDM. Configurable software lets you update
permissions as regulations or policies change, knowing they will be enforced immediately.
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Assigning new job roles or responsibilities can trigger amended • Which types of information are replicated in multiple systems
authorizations for individuals requesting to search for, access, view, across our enterprise? Which information can be reused?
annotate, edit, approve, sign, or otherwise interact with files. • How much will we grow in 3 years? 5? 10? Will the EDM system
be sufficient for our needs?
EDM eliminates the risk of compromised security at communal
printers, meeting rooms and off-site meetings. It also protects • What are the vendor’s integration capabilities? Are
companies from workers who don’t differentiate between public professional services available, or must we struggle alone?
and confidential information. From the moment documents are
scanned (or imported from legacy or line-of- 5. Document retention/records management
business software), permission-based access needs – When regulations require files to be
ensures they are available only to authorized Even the best options kept but they’re no longer needed for daily
personnel. business, they should be stored separately. Risk
can fail if they’re increases if required documentation can’t be
3. Searchable content – 2008 statistics show challenging to use. located on demand and also when sensitive files
organizations lose 7.5% of their documents; aren’t destroyed on schedule. Typically kept in
an additional 3% are misfiled.1 As electronic less accessible storage areas, retrieving archived
documentation grows the risk continues unabated, since digital paper documents is cumbersome and costly. By using retention
documents are twice as likely to be unmanaged as paper records. 2 information about each document type, EDM can schedule
Yet with EDM, the loss figure can and should be a zero percent loss. appropriate migration, purging, or destruction of files. Enabling
Scanning or importing files into EDM at the point of receipt or desktop access to long-term files that are still subject to recall and
creation, and indexing documents thoroughly using classification eliminating irrelevant documents from current storage makes
criteria your users understand, dramatically simplifies search. searching easier and more cost efficient. Make sure your retention
needs are addressed.
Successful search depends on logical, thorough, and consistent
indexing: 6. Email storage – An extensive 2009 study indicates companies
are focusing increasingly on email management.4 It also reveals
• Are there customizable drop-down menus to make indexing current business practices are pretty risky. Only 19% of companies
easy and consistent? surveyed capture important emails to a content
• Are customizable search templates available management or email management system;
Business-critical
to standardize search methodology within nearly half store emails in non-shared personal
our organization and make it easier to find information buried Outlook folders.
documents in a flash? in messages and
Insufficient email management severely impedes
• Are full-text and/or enterprise search options attachments that productivity when employees leave and vital
included to maximize performance?
can’t be located on information is trapped in personal Outlook
folders. Business-critical information buried
Talk with potential vendors’ clients. If the EDM demand compounds
in messages and attachments that can’t be
software performs well, customers should
corporate risk. located on demand compounds corporate risk,
verify excellent performance in locating
especially since electronically stored data (ESI)
information quickly. Digital documents are only
is now legally discoverable as evidence. Make
an improvement when they can be found by authorized persons
sure your solution includes an email management component
quickly, whenever they’re needed. Occasional file loss is not
that sufficiently indexes, archives, and searches messages and
acceptable.
attachments. Considering the amount of business conducted via
email, it’s crucial.
4. Scalability for current and future needs – Your needs today
may look different in a year or two. Organizations that convert to
7. Ease of administration and support – Migrating to electronic
digital document management are increasingly trying to bridge
records is a major undertaking for IT staff. It’s not just a once-and-
gaps in data content between multiple business areas.3 Maybe your
done project:
greatest need today is in accounts receivable or human resources,
but the greatest long-term ROI emerges when you can leverage • Hierarchies change; employees come and go. File access rules
EDM and the information stored within it across your enterprise, must be adjusted.
wherever it’s useful. Ask yourself: • New and amended regulations require system updates so
rules are enforced.

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Optical Image Technology • 100 Oakwood Avenue, State College, PA 16803 • 800-678-3241 • www.docfinity.com
 • Integrations of EDM with line-of-business and legacy software require support.
• New functionality may be added as your organization grows; it must be managed.

Have you considered:

The greatest long-term
ROI emerges when you
can leverage EDM and the
information stored within
it across your enterprise,
wherever it’s useful.
• Centralized administration of EDM simplifies management significantly for system administrators?
Rather than requiring multiple updates every time changes are made, each update is effective for
all components of a suite. This allows quicker project rollouts and upgrades, simplifies changes, and
accelerates ROI.
• Whether the software is user friendly? Tool tips and helpful online guidelines reduce costs by enabling
self-serve support.
• Browser-based EDM that lets your administrator access your system and provide support remotely as it’s
needed? Avoid costly waits and downtime.

Quality, timely content, every time

As you search for an EDM system to satisfy daily business needs, don’t settle for anything that could
jeopardize the integrity and usability of your information. Make sure your workers have instant and
appropriate access to secure, accurate, searchable, and manageable content and a system that is easy
to administer over the long haul. You’ll be poised to rise above your daily challenges, ready to focus on
reaching your potential.

1
Digital Landfill: 10 Fast Facts About Document Management, www.aiim.typepad.com.
2
2009 AIIM Industry Watch, Electronic Records Management: Still Playing Catch-up with Paper, www.aiim.org/Management-of-Electronic-
Records-not-Taken-Seriously.aspx
3
Mark Brousseau, More Growth Ahead for Document Management Technology, September/October 2009 issue of TAWPI’s today ®
magazine
4
Email Management, ©AIIM 2009, www.aiim.org.

Optical Image Technology offers an integrated suite of imaging, document

management, and workflow software, including document archiving, lifecycle
D o c F i n i t y
management, electronic forms, and email management products. To learn more
®

about our products and services visit our website at www.docfinity.com, email info@docfinity.com, or call us at
800-678-3241.

©2009 Optical Image Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. DocFinity, IntraVIEWER, and XML FormFLOW are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Optical Image Technology, Inc.

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Optical Image Technology • 100 Oakwood Avenue, State College, PA 16803 • 800-678-3241 • www.docfinity.com