Accessorize Your DMS

From the June 2010 Review of Document
Management Systems.

As with many technology initiatives, implementing a document management system
requires a supporting cast of characters to help make the solution complete.
So we thought it would be helpful to identify a few of the accessories that
can help you optimize the deployment of your DMS. You should visit these vendors’
websites to learn more about the solutions they offer.

ABBYY — WWW.ABBYY.COM
Abbyy is a company that specializes in developing and distributing document
recognition and linguistic technologies. If you’re curious about the origin
of the company name, it comes from the Sino-Tibetan language and translates
to “keen eye,” reflecting the company’s focus on processing
information that originates in paper documents and electronic images.

The list of specialty applications Abbyy offers is too lengthy to detail here.
However, some of the specific tools that you may find useful in your DMS deployment
include the following: Abbyy Fine Reader (OCR application that converts image
files into editable text), Abbyy PDF Transformer (provides an alternative to
Adobe Acrobat as a tool to create PDF files), and Abby Scan To Office (application
that converts scanned images into editable MS Word and Excel files).

KOFAX — WWW.KOFAX.COM
Kofax is another company that specializes in technologies to enable the processing
of data captured through scanned documents, faxes and other electronic images
by converting them into machine readable text. Its most popular application
is Kofax VRS (Virtual ReScan.) This software takes scanned document images and
analyzes the content of the document so that it can be “cleaned up.”
This cleanup includes blank page detection and deletion, character clarity,
de-skewing, image cropping, hole punch marking elimination and more. The bottom
line is that VRS takes your scanned images and transforms them into more legible
images that can be more accurately processed by other applications, specifically
OCR tools such as the Kofax Document Capture Software.

FUJITSU — WWW.FUJITSU.COM
While there are many manufacturers of quality scanners, Fujitsu has earned the
reputation as a premier provider of scanning devices. One of the features that
has helped Fujitsu establish itself as a leader in this market is the fact that
it has scanners that are top sellers at all levels of the scanner market —
portable, desktop, workgroup and commercial. One of the company’s most
popular models is the portable ScanSnap device. This is a practical and affordable
desktop scanner for personal scanning that supplements your workgroup scanners.

NUANCE — WWW.NUANCE.COM
The name Nuance aptly applies to this company. They offer dozens of applications
that specialize in document image processing and speech recognition. Examples
of some of their products include the following: PDF Converter 6 which lets
you create, edit and convert PDF files; OmniPage OCR software; and Nuance Recognizer
V9 speech recognition software, which facilitates the process of capturing speech
as an input method and interpreting it to execute a workflow. Think about when
you call into a company and you have to answer a series of recorded questions
that you respond to in order to determine how your call is routed. It is likely
we’ll see speech recognition software play a bigger role in our workflow
automation because, for a lot of us, talking is a whole lot easier than typing.

XCM SOLUTIONS — WWW.XCMSOLUTIONS.COM
One of the key attributes we evaluate in our review of DMS solutions is the
inclusion of workflow functionality. Workflow software means a lot of different
things, but essentially it is about the functionality that lets you manage the
flow of engagements in a paperless environment. XCM distinguishes itself as
a developer of workflow software that is not dependent on any one DMS solution.
The company offers two workflow solutions: XCM and XCM Essentials. Both applications
are designed by a team of tax and accounting professionals and are offered as
web-hosted solutions. XCM is a robust workflow application that provides sophisticated
workflow management capabilities to enable a firm to have complete management
of all their engagements electronically. XCM Essentials is a trimmed down version
of the workflow software that is designed to be more compatible with the needs
of smaller firms.