INTRODUCTION:
"Document Management is the control of an organization's documents and their life-cycle, including how and when documents are created, reviewed, published, utilized, retained and destroyed" (www.knowledgetree.com).
Electronic document management allows attorneys and their staff to, "image, access, store, retrieve, electronically route, and manage client information and other legal documents with the click of a mouse. EDM eliminates the need for filing cabinets and accordion files, providing accountability, security, and efficiency throughout" the entire firm (www.docfinity.com).
It seems as if almost every day a ground breaking or revolutionary piece of technology is introduced into mainstream society. Yet, as a whole, the legal field is continually resistant to embracing these changes and technologies. However, as the legal administrators of today begin to manage more and more firms effectively, firms are beginning to become much more efficient through the use of technology. One of the greatest advances has been through the organizing, sorting, storing, and retrieval of documents through the use of document management systems. However, before implementing a document management system, there are numerous factors to consider.
CORE GOALS:
As stated earlier, the legal field is resistant to change, especially with concern to technology. Therefore, a productive legal administrator would need to show the benefits to the firm in instituting such a system. A more efficient firm is a great reason for investing in such a system as a document management system
Some of the goals of document management systems include:
- Deliver shared intelligence
- Improve operational and strategic performance
- Enhance cross-functional collaboration
- Share knowledge
- Adhere to data governance and compliances
- Provide a competitive advantage
- Attain high levels of innovation
- Document security
- Document collection
- Document tracking and analysis
- Document Search and Support[1]
(Some goals came from an article on writing a Request for Proposal for a Document Management System in eWeek magazine) (Rapoza 2006).
One of the key goals of a document management system is Knowledge Management. Knowledge Management (KM) is the gathering of facts and documenting them in electronic media for systems that allow for searching and presentation of factual data and reporting. It is also the process of reporting and archiving of documents in a standard format such as PDF. More recently KM tools have shifted focus a bit from the collect->store->retrieve cycle and instead are concerned with linking people to each other in order to share tacit knowledge. Social tagging and social book marking are two examples of these technologies.
In determining what type of document management system to implement, one must determine if the firm needs a web-based or server-based document management system. A web-based system is one in which does not need the users to have its own server to store the data. A server-based system is one in which the users have a server on site or a privately accessed server. Obvious factors included in making such a decision include the cost of purchasing a server, the room needed for storing a server or servers, maintenance costs, and upgrading costs of such server - electronics seem to be outdated the second they leave the store. However, there is certainly something to be said about having the server on site for security reasons and ease of access for maintenance, upgrades, etc. Also, it is much harder to illegally access a server that is on-site instead of accessed regularly through the internet. The managing authority will also need to decide if the employees will be allowed to access the server from other locations, such as from their home. If so, this may add to the risk with regard to the security of the server, but it may also allow employees to telecommute, boosting worker moral and job flexibility. Nevertheless, the document management system is a sure way to solve the problem of multiple attorneys or legal staff needing to view a particular document at the same time. With many of these servers, both web-based and server-based, the documents stored on them are able to be accessed by multiple parties at the same time. The need for documents to be scanned and faxed and emailed from office to office (within the same firm) is eliminated with the use of a document management system.
CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES:
Hummingbird ConnectivityTM
Hummingbird Connectivity connects people, data and applications in mission-critical environments with an award-winning suite of solutions[2]
Customer relationship management (CRM) solutions
CRM solutions are a crucial part of many organizations' data management toolsets. What CRM solutions were designed to do-manage specific customer-facing processes such as sales, customer service and marketing-they do very well. As a method for managing the totality of an organization's master data, CRM solutions fall short of an effective solution. CRM solutions are reliant on the preexistence of good master data in order to be effective. CRM solutions are not designed to manage master data and customer transactions across all systems in an enterprise; they are designed to use the information they receive from other systems. Further, because CRM databases are closely tied to the CRM solution they support, these databases are not easily separated to become master data[4].
Data warehouses
Data warehouses can be extremely efficient holding systems for data. Unfortunately, data warehouses often contain cleansed data that is used for analysis and reporting, making the warehouses a good complement to a master data management solution, rather than being the solution themselves. Current implementations of data warehouses also tend to be stacked, leading to the same data-sharing problems discussed earlier. Finally, data warehouse solutions provide only limited data management capabilities and are dependent on other systems for data updates[5]
Document management system
An alternative solution to today's data management issues is surprisingly simple in concept. According to IBM, organizations need to expand their thinking beyond the "single" view to find the "right" view-the right view of the right information, delivered to the right people and processes at the right time. This is what document management systems have been designed to do[6].
What is a Document Management System?
Document management describes a set of disciplines, technologies and solutions used to create and maintain consistent, complete, contextual and accurate business data for all stakeholders (users, applications, data warehouses, processes, trading partners).
The key to master data management is "management." Master data management does not create new data or new data silos. Rather, it provides the method by which an organization can effectively manage the data already resident in disparate systems. Master data management uses the systems already in place, drawing up-to-date information from each of those systems and providing the technology and processes that automate and validate the accurate, timely dissemination and analysis of that data across the entire enterprise.
Some of the attributes of a master data management solution include:
- Consolidation of customer and other knowledge and insight from existing silos to an enterprise level
- Sharing of data across all systems as a set of customer-centric business processes and services
- Common master for customers, products and suppliers to speed data entry, retrieval and analysis
- Support for multiple users of data, including the ability to limit certain users' ability to add, update or view processes which maintain the master data
- Integration of product information management, customer relationship management, customer data integration and other solutions that provide access to analysis of master data.
DocumentumTM content server contains wide range of management services.
1. Storage
2. Version control
3. Data dictionary
4. Assembly and publishing service
Storage
Documentum contains single repository called Docbase which stores files and its attributes (metadata). Content Server is based on object-oriented architecture which stores the content and metadata in Docbase. It means that everything that is stored in the Docbase is stored there as objects. Metadata is stored in tables which are located in underlying RDBMS. There are two possibilities to store content files associated with objects. First as it was previously mentioned is storage inside the Docbase itself. The other is to place them on the external storage devices. Content files can have various kind of formats, dependant on the services are installed. E.g. if you have installed DMS - Digital Media Services, Documentum has a possibility to process rich media files like audio/video and thumbnail redention.
What would be storage for if there would be no way to retrive the data. Documentum Content Server provides the possibility to retrieve data using Documentum Query Language (DQL). DQL provides query language for all objects handled by Content Server. Using DQL you can query:
1. Cabinets and folder hierarchy
2. Document attributes and its content
3. Virtual document's hierarchy
4. Workflows and life-cycles
Retrieval request is handled by reliable service depending on the content format it can be streaming server, Content Server or Thumbnail Server.
Versioning
Content Server has implemented version control system which assigns the version label to each and every SysObject in the Docbase. Data Dictionary Data Dictionary storage is inside the Docbase. Information refer to object types and attributes. Data Dictionary can support multiple locales. Default set of Data Dictionary is enabled once Content Server is installed. There is a possibility to modify the set or add more information for Documentum or user-defined types[7].
Another example of current technologies currently available is ACCESS, or Automated Community Connection to Economic Self-Sufficiency, which is used at the Department of Children and Families in Florida. This document management system was developed by "Team Scan It," a group of employees from the Florida Department of Children and Families SunCoast Region. This system is designed to help the Florida DCF obtain its objectives:
- Maintain/improve performance retrieval speed
- Achieve significant cost efficiencies
- Simplify and streamlied processes
- Increase access to information through enhanced technology
This program has been successful in helping the DCF reach these goals[8] (Coulson 2007).
Another technology for document management currently available is the EZContentManager, an integrated document management system from ACOM Solutions. This system is one that is used by the Santa Margarita Water District in California. This system is expected to be helpful to save the Water District $250,000 from 2008-2012 (KM World 2008).
(See also) http://www.documentum.com/
COMPLEMENTARY TECHNOLOGIES:
There are complimentary technologies to document management systems. One that was created for law firms in mind is the Total Search Tool, created by LexisNexis. It is a part of LexisNexis' Total Research System. According to Electronic Information Report, "Total Search allows legal professionals to find content living on their document management systems that they otherwise may not be able to locate" (Electronic Information Report 2005). Ali Shahadi, director of information systems at Los Angeles-based law firm Alschuler, Grossman, Stein & Kahan, says that Total Search "...decreases the time attorneys spend looking for documents" (Electronic Information Report 2005).
ANALYSIS:
A multi-view document management system can provide the traditional benefits of data management solutions-benefits that "single" view solutions have had difficulty in providing. These include reduced administrative and IT costs, improved data integrity and enhanced productivity.
The advantages of a multi-view approach to document management systems can echo far beyond the data itself. As IBM states, the right view of data, delivered to the right people and processes at the right time can also help the firm realize:
- Achievement of strategic business objectives such as increasing revenue and customer share
- Improved risk management capability
- Reduced merger and acquisition time and costs
- Improved compliance with privacy legislation and other regulations.
Without a comprehensive data management system in place, an organization may continue to be at the mercy of its limited capacity. It has been shown how limited view solutions for comprehensive data management are often impractical to implement and limited in their scope. An attractive alternative may be the multi-view approach to comprehensive document management system. These types of document management solutions do not seek to replace existing document management philosophies. Rather, these solutions employ special technologies and processes to break down the barriers between the data silos-allowing for optimal use of existing information, presented in the right view to the right place at the right time.
The greater availability and acceptance of document imaging technology, along with the rapidly declining cost of computer systems, make a document management solution a prudent investment. In an environment where increasing productivity, efficiency and profitability is crucial to long-term success, a document management solution is a business-essential aspect of day- to-day operations. It is a solution that cuts costs, reclaims storage space for revenue-generating activities, allows staff to redirect labor to more productive tasks and simplifies compliance with ever-changing regulations.
A document management system should be flexible enough to adapt to your organizational needs and address the needs of multiple departments. Scalable, open architecture allows you to start small and expand your solution as your needs change.
Document management solutions can work as effectively for a sole proprietor as for a company with a staff of thousands. The key is selecting the system that is the best fit for your organization.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES:
Although the technology of document management systems is a valuable asset to the legal field, there are certainly areas where improvements could be made. Perhaps the option for multiple document management systems to become compatible and interchangeable could be added. Many firms merge for any number of reasons. They are then left with a mess of documents (electronically and in paper form) upon the merge. Numerous hours are dedicated to formatting and transferring documents from one document management system to another. These precious hours could be saved if the document management systems were able to communicate and transfer the document on their own.
Some companies that are working on future technologies are: Novell Groupwise, OctoTools, IMB Lotus Domino, and File Surf.
CONCLUSION:
It is certain that document management is a crucial part of any legal administrator's job. However, document management is not limited to the lawyer side of the legal field. It is also a vital part of the courts and thus the legal administrator specializing in the courts must also know the importance of effective document management. Document management systems in courts are used to store court transcripts, exhibits, etc.
Although the initial cost of these systems is usually large, the investment into one of these systems proves to save costly time for attorneys and their staff, allowing the savings to be passed on to a much more satisfied client. As mentioned earlier
Document management systems have, and will continue to, allow the legal administrator to more efficiently and effectively manage the knowledge that is needed throughout the legal office.
REFERENCES:
Coulson, Michael. "Florida Shines With Document Management System." Policy & Practice of Public Human Services. June 2007. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.
"LexisNexis Knowledge Management Tool Nets New Legal Clients." Electronic Information Report. 5 July 2005. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Article available under Course Documents.
Michal, "Documentum Content Server." Sept. 8, 2006. http://wiki.ittoolbox.com/index.php/Documentum_Content_Server (accessed Feb. 1, 2008).
"Money-saving, Integrated DM Plan." KM World. January 2008. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.
Rapoza, Jim. "RFP Document Management." eWeek. 2 October 2006. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Article available under Course Documents.
Further Reading:
Miles L. Mathieu, Ernest A. Capozzoli (2002). "The Paperless Office: Accepting Digitized data" (PDF). Troy State University.
Stockton Record 11/1/07 Startup business scans your documents for easier access
Kevin Craine (2008). "Document Management Strategy Articles"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Document_management_system
[1] Rapoza, Jim. "RFP Document Management." eWeek. 2 October 2006. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.
[2] Open Text, "Connectivity Software." June 6, 2004.http://connectivity.hummingbird.com/home/connectivity.html?cks=y (accessed 2 February 2008).
[3] Hummingbird, Ltd., "Hummingbird EnterpriseTM 2004 For Content Lifecycle Management ." Hummingbird Topic Sheet, 2004, pg. 2.
[4] IBM Corporation, "Master data management: looking beyond the single view to find the right view." ibm/cio/leverage, April 2007, 1-6.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid
[7] Michal, "Documentum Content Server." Sept. 8, 2006. http://wiki.ittoolbox.com/index.php/Documentum_Content_Server (accessed Feb. 1, 2008).
[8] Coulson, Michael. "Florida Shines With Document Management System." Policy & Practice of Public Human Services. June 2007. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.