Legacy Documents in a new Automated Document Factory September 30, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in afp, automated document factory, emtex, pcl, print files, print stream manipulation.1 comment so far
Whilst there may be a major investment in bringing major documents into line with the requirements of an Automated Document Factory, there may be many documents that leave the organisation that there simply isn’t a business case for migration into a new process.
However, through the use of print stream manipulation tools, it may be possible to ensure that these documents can utilise the newly developed document creation infrastructure.
Print Stream Manipulation can be utilised to add integrity marks to documents, thus enabling a closed loop processing approach. Where certain documents need re-printing, print stream manipulation software can also selectively draw individual documents from a print stream.
Another consideration is that certain tools such as that provided by Emtex enable print stream transformation. This means that for example a PCL print stream could be converted to IBM’s AFP format. This offers much greater flexibility in the use of printers within a document production site.
There is some effort in achieving this but, the project component will look much smaller than a complete redesign and the project effort involved in doing this.
FileVision – Integrated Document, Information and Workflow for the Enterprise September 30, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in business process management, canada document management, factory workflow, FileVision.add a comment
FileVision, a provider of business productivity software announces the availability of FileVision 5. Previously designed to work with other Enterprise systems, FileVision claim that by managing business processes and information with a single solution.
FileVision is said to outpace other products through it’s productvity, scalability, speed of implementation and thus its cost effectiveness.
FileVision claim that companies will be able to use its sofware as the single business process execution infrastructure, with customisation options meaning it can be easily adapted to departmental business process.
Document Management Legacy & Greenfield September 29, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in call centre document creation, canada document management, customer communications, customer relationship management.add a comment
Few document management projects enjoy a pure greenfield environment. A legacy project environemnt is the norm.
Legacy brings with it extra complications. Likely, documents are already beng generated, sometimes across multiple systems. This may mean more than one print stream type, data feed and may also bring scheduling issues with it as well.
The decisions that have to be made include:
1. Do we want a lights off scenario for legacy document creation?
2. What are the barriers to migrating to a new platform?
3. Is it possible to migrate all applications across to the new platform?
4. Is there advantage in using print stream manipulation technology to leverage existing applications.
5. Will the legacy documents meet business criteria for a new wave of customer relationship oriented documents?
6. What is our strategy for bring new documents into play – big hitters first or start small and prove the point?
7. Can document output be reduced from generating smarter customer facing documents?
8. Will our inserting and printing platforms enable the new initiative?
In initiating a new document creation project, there is much to be considered. More soon on this subject.
FileHold, SME Paperless Office Provider – International Presence September 25, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in canada document management, Filehold, SME Document Management.add a comment
Canadian based provider of Document Management solutions to the SME market announces growing international client base and international business manager.
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/9/prweb1376414.htm
Documation is Award Finalist in Content Management September 25, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in content management systems, documation, document manager magazine.add a comment
Documation Finalist In The Document Management Awards For The Second Year Running
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/documation-finalist-in-the-document-management-awards-for-th-pr-74873.html
Pitney Bowes Introduces Map Extreme September 25, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in geocoding, group 1 software, location intelligence software, mapextreme, mapinfo, pitney bowes.Tags: customer communications management, location intelligence, map extreme, marketing communications, marketing communications plan, pitney bowes
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Pitney Bowes continues is push for domination with the introduction of it’s latest .NET generation of MapExtreme custom mapping and location intelligence solutions. At the upper end, this is mapping software is a key driver of outbound document processes because it is location specific intelligence that will drive the promotional cycle.
Pitney Bowes Introduces MapExtreme
News Item – Entropy, Extract Transfom & Load for unstructured data September 25, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in Alfresco, Content Manager On Demand, EMC Documentum, etl software, Filenet, IBM DB2, Interwoven Team Site, Microsoft Sharepoint, OpenText.add a comment
HP Trim Connector works with Alfresco, EMC Documentum, Filenet, Open Text, IBM DB2 Content Manager On Demand, Interwoven Team Site and Microsoft Sharepoint.
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/40288/
The Automated Document Factory – Maintaining Mail Integrity September 25, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in adf, automated document factory, banking software, document composition, document integrity, factory workflow, kern, pitney bowes.Tags: adf, bank process, document integrity, mail integrity, print file, print stream engineering
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The Automatic Document Factory (ADF) as a concept has been around since at least the mid-90’s. In it’s truest sense, it has been slow to gain ground.
The idea of the ADF is to provide a file oriented check in which the integrity of document factory operation can be assured. In a properly managed ADF, documents should always mail to the individual that they were intended. There should no embarassing errors such as placing another individuals statements in envelope’s. It also ensures that everything is finished and posted. In it’s most advanced state, this tracking then continues into the postal service.
In theory therefore, a individuals document can be tracked from the data inception stage right through to the moment it arrives at the customers letterbox.
Pitney Bowes and Kern, both providers of the large envelope inserter platforms probably have the most significant capabilities. Due to its investment in software companies, Pitney Bowes is likely the most advanced of these two companies.
How is the ADF achieved?
First lets consider the steps in the process in a banking organisation with a print job where the print file is generated by a composition engine.
1. A core banking application kick’s off a batch job, lets call it April Statements. This batch job produces the data necessary to generate 100,000 statements.
2. Using a factory / process workflow tool, the data job is collected and registered as a live job within the ADF. The data job is passed to a document composition engine in line with the factory schedule.
3. On receipt of the data file, the composition engine then recognises the job and starts the process of creating the document print file. Following a set of rules, the documents are generated whilst at the same time, a side file, or integrity file is generated. This is usually a 5 – 7 field file that contains information about each individual mailpiece. Importantly, the composition engine will also apply a mark such as an OMR mark to the document so that downstream hardware is able to recognise the mailpiece utilising camera technology. As each document is generated, the side file is populated.
4. Upon completion of the composition step, the file is then passed to a print server together with it’s side file. The ADF Workflow control software kick’s off a print job. The printer with camera attached checks off each item as it is printed, verifying number of pages printed for each mail item. The side file is checked off to confirm that individual mail pieces have been printed.
5. Once printed, the physical job is then passed to an envelope inserting platform. The job is started within the workflow system and then by using camera technology on board the inserter, each mailpiece is recognised and understood. By understood this means that the inserter recognises the mailpiece and what needs to be done with it. The questions that the inserter will be resolving will be things such as: Do I need to outsort this? What inserts need to go in this mailpiece? How many pages in this mailpiece? With various checks and controls in place, the inserter then processes the job, again doing exactly what the print job was doing evaluating it’s processing of every mailpiece and recording it’s actions in the side/integrity file.
With a big job of say 100,000 mail pieces it is likely that some items will get spoiled. The inserter will know this and will record this in the integrity file. At the end of the job or during the job, those items that haven’t been completed will then be passed back to the start of the process, the documents re-generated, printed and re-inserted. This looped process continues until the ADF software is satisfied that every item has been completed.
In actual fact this integrity can continue either through internal post sorting systems or via the mail. In reality, many postal service providers do not yet have the technology to execute in this area.
The company is assured of reliable delivery of mail whilst there also remains an audited process so that customer complaints and other issues can be identified, verified and resolved.
What is IDARS? September 24, 2008
Posted by Julian Bradder in Document Archival Retrieval, finance applications, IDARS, report management solution, software solution.Tags: document management, IDARS, paper cost, Report Management, report printing, return on investment, roi
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IDARS is a definition coined by Gartner Group and used to describe a group of software applications that are designed to make documents available online to users within and outside an organisation.
Originally, IDARS was utilised to make mainframe reports available across an organisation. Companies recognised that huge amounts of money were being spent printing reports. Often, huge reports hundreds and sometimes thousands of pages long were being printed and being printed again. Often this was in order that a worker could view one or a few pages and after this, the report is discarded. Every time reports are run, there is a big load on the software application that produces them. This could slow down the system and cause problems around month end because of the slow speed.
Rather than do this, the document is simpy printed to file, held in a compressed repository and then made available to users with authority to access the reports. By being able to seek out information on screen huge savings in productivity and print were achieved.
By implementing this technology in a UK bank, who were experiencing print costs of £0.12 per page we achieved annual savings of over£5m p.a against a spend of £200k. Impressive results.
The use of IDARS applications has now expanded and many document types are supported within the system. The use of IDARS technology helps to drive down paper usage and improves productivity.
Relatively simple to implement, it is in my view a ‘no-brainer’ for any organisation producing large amounts of paper.
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