SharePoint 2010 and Enterprise Content Management — Solutions Matter!

Enterprise Content Management has emerged with the advent of diverse technologies and the potent combination of their services. Enterprises create diverse content every day; intentionally and unintentionally as part of their business processes. For effective management of content, one needs to manage their data more effectively. It is important to focus upon the connections and collaboration between people and content. The system should also detect patterns related to behavioral barriers in the workplace.

 

Additionally, ECM’s promise of integrated tools required to capture, manage and deliver critical data has yet to be realized.

 

Defining an ECM roadmap

Identification of both organizational and user requirements and needs.

Engagement of users throughout the ECM implementation.

Relevant adoption plan related to organizational ECM strategies and tool sets to train users.

 

SharePoint compared to other ECM platforms

 

SharePoint empowers users and this fact remains a differentiating part compared to ECM platforms. It is tightly integrated with Microsoft tool sets like Windows and Office and hence users find it easy to get engaged with the platform. In addition, SharePoint is cost-effective since it is time for tight budgets in enterprises. As an enterprise platform, it offers solutions other than ECM too. Lastly, its seamless integration with different tools related to social computing, business intelligence and enterprise search makes it a compelling offering for enterprises to invest.

 

Demarcating Features of SharePoint 2010 as an ECM solution

Document ID: This new feature generates a unique id for every uploaded document even after it is moved.

Metadata: SharePoint utilizes metadata in organizing information which is different from the traditional hierarchical file/ folder structure.

Document Sets: Documents can be grouped together in different sets and worked around as a unit in SharePoint 2010 which comes in handy in project environments.

Search: Enterprise search is now in its enhanced version and the queries and results are quite streamlined. Query-less searches are available which helps in searching out photos and videos.

Records Management: This module is well streamlined and every document can be part of a record. It also features including author, hold, expiry details etc. are available.

Social Computing: SharePoint 2010 enables users to define social connections and impart information with category in MySites which allows them to see the tags made and the jobs that they are working on. One can send messages too.

Integrating External Platforms: Various platforms such as SharePoint Designer, Business Connectivity Services (BCS) can be brought together. External lists can be integrated as external data sources into SharePoint.

Ease of Use: Tight integration with MS Office allows Office document content to interact directly with SharePoint 2010 making it very efficient for users.