Common Cent$ ECM - October 2009
ECM COMMON CENT$ Issue 1
October 19th, 2009
Publisher: Imaging 411
Contact at: commoncents@imaging411.com
$HARE THE WEALTH - USING WIRELESS NETWORKS FOR ECM
by: Joe Paradiso
Traditionally imaging applications required a wired network to operate due to
the high bandwidth requirements of electronic images. The finalization of the
latest Wi-Fi standard (802.11n) will give IT departments the option to utilize
wireless networks to deliver electronic media to their EDMS users. THe 802.11n
specification supports up to 600Mbps connectivity speeds and provides greater
coverage areas, up to 4,000 square feet.
While wired networks are still the natural choice for offices with existing
networks or organizations moving into buildings with structured Cat-5/6 cabling
business wireless networks are growing in popularity, particularly in these
environments:
Green field sites - new office network, where substantial savings on
wiring and installation fees can be realized.
Offices without structured cabling or limited cabled solutions - avoid
installation of wires to places that cabling is not provided or cannot
reach, e.g. conference rooms, new office space, refreshments areas
Tele-commuter / Home workers - workers connecting to the main office via VPN.
The advantages of setting up wireless networking in these environments are:
Portable & Flexible - Remote staff visiting the office can instantly log in to
the office network without needing to locate a spare Ethernet cable and port to
plug it into. Wireless networking enables staff to work from any desk or room
in the building. Wireless networking also gives employees the freedom to move
around the office i.e. remain connected in meeting rooms.
Cost Effective - Purchasing and installing structured Ethernet cabling into
offices can be a costly exercise. Setting up a wireless office network can cost
significantly less, as the only items to purchase are the networking devices.
Neat & Safe - Running cables across a building that does not have
structured cabling runs in walls and ceilings can be a hazard as there is
nowhere to hide the wires. Choosing to set-up a wireless business network
eliminates the need for unsightly cables to be trailed across the office.
To demonstrate the power of WiFi, Motorola recently deployed an 802.11n network
in one of the most demanding bandwidth environments, a hospital. At Memorial
Medical Center Motorola's WLAN technology will enable end-to-end voice, video
and data mobility using wireless networks across the entire health care
facility.
One major criticism of WiFi is security, since anyone can "steal" signals
transmitted through the air. I will tackle this concern in December and
share with you the key methods to securing your wireless network.
TIGHT ON CASH? CONSIDER A PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED SCANNER
Looking to add scanning capacity to your operation but don't want to pay the
price for a new scanner, consider pre-owned. Scanner Traders certifies all
of their used scanners and offers a 90 day warranty.
Just visit; http://www.scannnertraders.com
Imaging 411, The Document Capture Company is a leading provider of document
capture and management products. Give us a call at 866-411-4624 and schedule
a free consultation with one of our Electronic Content Management consultants
or e-mail to sales@imaging411.com
(c) 2009 All Rights Reserved - Imaging 411 Inc
THAT MAKE$ CENT$: "CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO?"
by: Andy Schreck
“Can You Afford Not To?” - … invest in document capture … produce a quality
image … find the document you need … increase turnaround time …improve customer
satisfaction …reduce processing and filing costs …enhance security and
compliance … automate your work flow bottom line…etc., etc.
Document Imaging has become an essential component of modern office management.
The transformation from creating, distributing and dealing with paper original
documents started with photocopying and faxing. Copying and faxing allowed us
to reproduce, distribute, process and collaborate on documents, at (back then)
lightning fast, phone communication speeds without mailing, transporting
or waiting. Processing turnaround times, customer satisfaction, productivity
and accounts receivables really jumped up a level. Boy that was some cool
stuff! In today’s ever quickening world of ‘I need it now’, this process has
become dramatically faster and much more mainstream with the growing trend of
digital document imaging and content management. Digital documents and
information regarding those documents have transformed the modern office and
the way we do business today.
Can you afford not to keep up with this trend? Document capture and management
has become so mainstream that without it you stand to lose competitive edge as
others move forward. This can ultimately cost business and reduce bottom lines.
The decision to move forward with document capture and management has become a
much easier one and is almost a given necessity. The question now becomes one
of how or what more so than why, and not, can we afford to do this, but can
we afford not to?
Many people and businesses know that document imaging and content management
makes ‘cents’ but often look for a quick , economic entry point to carry them
into this new way of doing business. The attitude of ‘we scan our paper’ is
not enough. Document capture needs to be seen as a long term investment that
will grow with your business and allow for increased productivity, customer
satisfaction and increased bottom line.
A paperless office is not just a matter of ‘hey let’s get a scanner and go
paperless’ anymore. It is an integral part of doing business in today’s modern
office and everything from the quality of your images to the integrity of the
technology and business process on through to the ultimate satisfaction of your
clients is directly related to the investment and functionality of your
document capture process.
Again, pose the question: “Can We Afford Not To?”
Next month’s issue will discuss more specific impact of document capture on
business process and the bottom line.
JOIN U$ AT THE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT $ERVICE PROVIDER$ EXECUTIVE FORUM
The teams from Imaging 411 and Scanner Traders will be in Scottsdale, AZ on
November 5-6, 2009 for this conference exclusively for Service Bureaus,
Resellers and Integrators in Document Imaging, Coversion, and Preservation.
$UPER $AVER OF THE MONTH
Especially in a tough economy businesses look to reduce costs. A good start
is switching to Imaging 411 for your scanner maintenance. Imaging 411 will
reduce the cost of your current maintenance contracts up to 35% of what you're
currently paying. Call 866-411-4624 or e-mails sales@imaging411.com
THAT MAKE$ CENT$ - "WHY DO I NEED A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT?"
by: Gary Armstrong
You’re scanner is no different that you car in the sense that if you don’t
have it regularly maintained, it will breakdown more often, run sluggishly
and require you buy a new one sooner than you should have too!
You have your cars oil changed, engine tuned up, tires rotated, etc. all
because you want the car to run well, extends its life, and operate safely and
efficiently. Same goes for your scanners. Much like a car, scanners are
expensive and not cheaply replaced so they require regular maintenance to
extend their life. Think of how painful it is to get that mechanics bill and
how inconvenienced you are when your car breaks down unexpectedly. It is never
budgeted for and can screw up your cash flow for the month. A maintenance
contract eliminates the large unexpected repair bill, as you can select a
MONTHLY payment option on your contract so it is properly budgeted for and paid
as you go so your cash is free for other uses.
Another reason you should always choose to have your scanners covered under
maintenance contract is for the regular periodic & preventive maintenance, as
that service extends your scanners life and helps keep it running like new.
A tech will come 1-2 times per year to give your scanner a checkup. This is
important, as the tech can take care of any issues BEFORE they become major
issues. Belts that are starting to wear get replaced, staples and paper clips
get removed before they cause power issues, and cameras are cleaned and
calibrated for better image quality.
Next month I will discuss how to choose the best service plan for your needs
based on usage and cost.
MEET THE 411 TEAM AT THE NEW JERSEY MARAC SHOW -
Join Imaging 411 at the Marac show in New Jersey on October 30, 2009. We will
be showcasing the Fujitsu fi-6130, SunRise Imaging SpeedScan, Digitech
Papervision Enterprise ECM software and SimpleIndex, the
industries best value for document capture.
$END U$ YOUR QUESTION$
Have a question you'd like one of our writers to answer?
Send us an e-mail at commoncents@imaging411.com. If your question is selected
to be answered in our e-zine we'll send you gift worth over $50
CENT$IBLE ECM: DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT FOR PC OR MAC PLATFORMS
by: Chris Stanley
The emergence of the MAC in the corporate environment has made choosing the
right document management solution more challenging. Business owners had a
difficult enough time selecting an ECM solution that was robust, cost effective,
easy to use, and that would actually increase productivity. Finding one that
does all of that and supports both Windows and Mac can feel like looking for a
needle in a haystack.
The PC had dominated the corporate office environment which explains why the
majority of ECM solutions were developed for the PC and Windows OS. The
improvements to the Mac platform, and slow adoption of VISTA, has enabled the
Mac to slowly gain desk-share in the office. The Mac has always been the
preferred choice in the media world, recognized for it's power and ease of
use in desktop publishing, graphics / web design and music creation. It's
only natural that businesses would want to manage this valuable electronic media
within their corporate ECM to provide controlled access, enhance collaboration,
and track revision history.
Mac users have had the ability to emulate the Windows operating system for some
time now. The emulation software allows them to run Windows based applications,
but at a cost of performance and stability. If your current ECM solution only
supports a PC/Windows client, this may be your only option. Mac users might
also be able to access their corporate ECM through a "thin client". Thin
clients connect to the ECM through a web server that enables users to access
their stored documents within a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla
Firefox or Apple Safari. Some ECM thin clients are less robust than others,
and might require the installation of plug-ins in order to access advanced
features (which are typically not compatible with Macs).
If Macs make up a large portion of your office workstations then you'll want to
select an ECM that offers robust thin client support or provides native Mac
clients. The Open Source movement has led to the development of a Mac
compatible ECM that is fully compatible with Microsoft SharePoint, called
"Alfresco Labs 3". Alfresco utilizes the SharePoint protocol while while
offering hardware, OS and software independence for their users. A non open
source option is Optix by MINDWRAP which offers both Windows and Mac clients to
perform scanning, indexing, text search, work flow, faxing and COLD
applications for their users.
Apple has fought hard for Macs place within the office and maybe onto your desk,
but still has a way to go before it gets the attention and support it deserves
from the providers of ECM solutions. The good news or bad news is Mac support
is in the development plans for most of the ECM providers so there will be even
more options to select from in the future
SCANNER TRADERS DEAL OF THE MONTH
Bell & Howell 8140DCI Spectrum XF Demo Units: $16,500 (Limited Quantities)
The 8140DCI is the workhorse of the industry and Scanner Traders was able to secure
the entire demo inventory from Bell & Howell for our customers.
Call 888-411-1397 or visit http://www.scannertraders.com to order.
Common Cent$ is a monthly email distributed by Imaging 411 and Scanner Traders
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866-411-4624
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