The AIIM Blog
Keep your finger on the pulse of Intelligent Information Management with industry news, trends, and best practices.
Automation | Document Management
As standard documents become more complex, and organizations adopt new systems and technology, the information for these documents needs to come from different places. Pricing information may come from a financial management, sales configuration, or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, while customer contact details may be stored in a customer relationship management (CRM) or contract management system. Other parts of these documents may only need to be included in certain situations, or spreadsheets that contain charts that need to somehow be incorporated. This process is often time consuming, unwieldy and error-prone. Organizations can gain extra efficiencies and optimize their resources by automating the creation of standard documents. Automation can also extend traditional templates to become more powerful by taking advantage of new technologies and other data sources.
Share
Business Process Management (BPM) | Document Management
When most people think of e-forms, they think of a fillable PDF that is printed, signed, and either scanned for emailing, faxed, or – heaven forbid – mailed. Whichever scenario you conjure up, a fillable PDF is not a “true” electronic form and cannot provide companies with an integrated solution to streamlining and automating key business processes. Here are eight ways in which “true” electronic forms can transform your business. This is especially important, since according to Gartner, 85% of business processes rely on forms.
Share
Making an ECM implementation successful requires planning and attention to detail. The best way to create the right solution is to identify organizational goals and priorities. Learn how to manage a successful implementation in our free guide.
Digital Signatures | Document Management | Paperless Office
The law is on your side. Digital signatures are as legally binding as a physical, hand-written signature in every circumstance where a signature is required. The E-SIGN law and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act are supported by the federal government and have been adopted by 47 states. It clearly states “(c) If a law requires a record to be in writing, an electronic record satisfies the law” with the purpose “to facilitate and promote commerce and governmental transactions by validating and authorizing the use of electronic records and electronic signatures." Further refinements by the EU, PIPEDA and the FDA recommend making sure the signature is unique to the signer, and that the signer’s identity is linked to the document. When combined with good governance and unalterable file formats, you can easily meet the guidelines for legality.
Share
When confronted with information management challenges, many organizations operate on a reactive basis—developing ad hoc solutions to specific problems as they arise. And because of this, many document management programs are rife with duplicate capabilities, non-standard approaches, and process inefficiencies. The result is that companies are becoming exposed to unnecessary risks and costs and missing out on opportunities to add business value. It's time to take a step back and view information management as a critical process on par with more traditional business operations. But few organizations have the time or expertise to build an information management program that meets today's needs—and will be ready for whatever the future holds.
Share
