There are certain things that just say "home" to us when we are hard at work: our favorite office chair, an old-but-faithful mug that holds just the right amount of coffee and, last but not least, our e-mail client. If your e-mail looks like mine, it is your go-to place for figuring out scheduling, finding documents, and keeping up with connections. From this home base, I can sort, organize, retrieve, and distribute these files as needed, and nothing ever gets lost. It's a great feeling to know that I have it all at my fingertips in a central location. If only all your critical (and not so critical) System i files could be this easy to access and manage. Well, with ACOM Solutions' EZContentManager (EZCM), now they are.

EZCM is a System i-compatible document management solution that lets users control a plethora of needed documents from any web browser. The solution can help users manage documents and files originating from disparate applications and make them accessible to a geographically dispersed staff, in a secure and familiar environment. The solution sits on a Windows file server and uses SQL Server as the database. EZCM stores documents and files in their native formats, without using proprietary file types so users get more long-term flexibility. The solution offers five key aspects to successful content management: capturing, managing, distributing, storing, and retrieving.

Finding the Right Property

There are multiple methods to get data into the EZCM solution. For example, users can capture information from both paper and digital sources or create content in a secondary product for automatic importation.

The system supports image file Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Internet Relay Chat (ICR), and forms processing, enabling you to scan structured and unstructured information with OCR through outside forms and checks solutions or via monitored network directories.

Users can also create form templates and color documents to be captured and indexed automatically by the solution. ACOM's drag-and-drop document template-design software lets users create business document templates, which are then merged with financial/ERP data into finished documents (using ACOM's EZeDocs/400 or EZPayManager/400). Finished documents are ready for printing or electronic distribution and are captured automatically. Metadata is also automatically imported with the captured documents to save time.

Unstructured electronic files such as video, audio, and CAD are placed into "monitored directories" and automatically uploaded and checked into the EZContentManager repository (see Figure 1) in their native format.

Organizing the House

So now that you've got your hands on all that data, how do you keep it all straight? Well, EZCM's document routing and workflow functionality provides business users with an intuitive environment for creating and modifying process flows. What's more, the system lets users manage document workflows over the Internet. The process coordinates all EZCM phases, automates usage control, and provides a full range of reports.

With a graphical workflow designer, managers can create custom workflow templates to regulate and refine document-oriented business processes. Managers can also coordinate document-driven processes with stage-specific schedules and automated notifications to keep everyone on task.

Love to delegate? With EZCM, you can route documents to particular workers or specific project teams across multiple offices, departments, or divisions for review and revisions. Along the way, users can digi­tally sign documents to ensure maximum accountability. And best of all, users can simply consult an assortment of graphs for current status reports and stage-by-stage timelines of all participant activity within each process.

Staying Safe

So what good are files if they're not safely stored? With EZCM, files are automatically stored and indexed in any standard format, from any internal or external source. Transactional documents can flow automatically into the system, with searchable index fields prepopulated. These documents and files can include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, RTF, TXT, HTML, TIF, JPG, BMP, GIF, audio and video files, scanned documents, and many more. Managers can maintain version control and re-index files as needed. All documents can be stored in one central repository for easy retrieval via a network or the Internet with a secure login. For business continuity, managers can back up the system to an off-site location to make critical documents and files available from any location.

To keep assets secure, EZCM includes encrypted passwords, SSL, nonrepudiation, audit logs, and assigned security controls.

Finding What You Need

So, our files are safely stored and organized. What about getting critical documents on tap? With EZCM, users can search and retrieve documents directly from the desktop using only a browser. EZContentManager does a full-text search of all files that are text-searchable. You can also search via metadata or "indexes" that are set up by document type, so users can look for specific keywords that you have set up for each document in the repository. Users can also set up filters to search for documents that are retrieved regularly so that the search criteria doesn't have to be populated every time.

The search capabilities also include a hot-key search so users can find documents without leaving the current application, a file content search that supports most document formats (MS Office, Text, HTML, PDF, WordPerfect), and realtime full-content indexing. In large document searches, users can view content or context sentence previews and an image preview.

Users can share documents via fax, e-mail, or printed copies via the solution's integrated automated e-mail/e-fax interfaces. For oversized files, a user can set up a notification to alert key people that a file has been created, commented, or updated. Those people can then access the file directly using their web browser.

Adding a Little Landscaping

EZCM features several add-on modules to provide more flexibility and usability. EZRetrieve lets users of System i native solutions highlight a field on the green screen, choose a combination of "hot-keys," and automatically log in to EZCM to retrieve documents for viewing and distribution, without having to leave the green screen.

EZImager is another add-on module that is basically an extension of a typical scanner. It enables users to set up zone templates of regularly scanned documents to retrieve indexes, then automatically imports them into EZCM. EZCM can also accept documents from other native System i applications.

In addition, the solution offers a native System i forms/document output solution (EZeDocs/400) and a native System i checks/payments output solution (EZPayManager/400).

So, now you've got everything you need to keep System i files stored and at your fingertips. Welcome home!

Erin Bradford is an associate editor for System iNEWS.

Solution Spotlight is a feature of System iNews that provides more in-depth coverage of significant System i products. Offerings are selected for Solution Spotlight by System iNews editorial staff, based on staff perception of the product as either new or innovative, or because the product is the subject of extensive discussions in Internet forums on SystemiNetwork.com and elsewhere.

Vendor Contact Information

ACOM

562-424-7899

acom.com

EZContentManager