White Paper. How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System

Transcription

1 How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System Executive summary White Paper Electronic document management systems EDMS bring discipline to file management and project delivery processes. Engineering and construction companies employ solutions such as Bentley ProjectWise, IBM FileNet, and Microsoft SharePoint prevent team members from overwriting each other s work, enforce adherence to file naming conventions, and ensure everyone works with the most up-to-date files. Large engineering firms tell Newforma that as much as 30 percent of their files are managed using document management systems. That metric means 70 percent of the firm s project information resides outside the EDMS, in locations such as file and servers. As a result, document management systems become yet another information silo to be integrated into larger project delivery processes, such as sharing files, responding to request for information, and processing submittals. One solution to the challenges of siloed information and disconnected workflows is to implement a project information management (PIM) system that embraces all information sources. Such an environment eliminates gaps between different information sources and enables users to use consistent workflows across projects. Such a system enables casual users of the EDMS to check files out of and into the system from the same project information management interface they use to access files on the local area network or a cloud server. They don t have to learn a new process. Such a system provides a seamless workflow for sharing files, collaborating with team members inside and outside the company, managing contract administration, and more As a result, they re more prone to use the EDMS, reliability of information improves, and the document management system s value to the firm rises. How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System July 2015 Page 1 of 5

2 I. INTRODUCTION Electronic document management systems serve a vital role Most large engineering firms uses an electronic document management system (EDMS) to manage revisions, enforce security, and collaborate on projects. Solutions such as Bentley ProjectWise, IBM FileNet, and Microsoft SharePoint address important project delivery and collaboration challenges. For instance, they prevent team members from overwriting each other s work. They enforce adherence to file naming conventions. And they ensure everyone works with the most upto-date files. Robust permissioning enables firms to secure sensitive data, and audit trails provide much-needed transparency. It s no surprise that many firms are well into their second or third decades of using EDMS. EDMS is one information management platform among many While an EDMS might manage tens of thousands of engineering drawings on a large, complex project, more and more of the data that s relevant to a project such as messages, image files, reports, RFIs, submittals, field reports, even superseded files that have been exported from the EDMS resides on network file and servers, as well as cloud-based file storage products, disconnected from the EDMS. On the very largest projects, there can be terabytes of project-related data distributed across these non-edms repositories. And quantities of project information are growing. The engineering and construction sector has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of project information being generated. Virtual construction techniques enabled by BIM and other technological advancements now require more collaboration by more team members from the earliest stages of a project. More collaboration means more exchanges of information. And while EDMS solutions provide robust platforms for work-inprogress engineering document management, getting project documents into the hands of the extended team, with the requisite accountability provided by an audit trail, is often still an arduous and time-consuming process. II. CHALLENGES Information silos lead to risk When project information exists in silos, team members must access numerous systems to get the information they need, which can consume time, obscure transparency, and create opportunities for information to slip through the cracks that exist between systems. For example, information checked out from the EDMS may be sent to another team member via FTP or Dropbox, but those file transfer systems will not log who s been sent what, when. That information is siloed in the logs of the individuals who sent the files, if it s logged at all. Collaboration is optimized for internal employees Although document management systems provide collaboration features for external project team partners, usability and cost issues prevent them from being broadly adopted. To share documents with the extended team, firms often adopt FTP or a cloud storage system such as Dropbox or Box. Such file sharing leads to additional challenges. For instance, all parties must log in to a new system to send and retrieve files. More troublesome, the firm has no way to ensure that each team member is working with the most current document. How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System July 2015 Page 2 of 5

3 EDMS is not used on every project One of the largest engineering firms we ve spoke to is an ardent supporter of their document management solution, endorsing it to other companies. However, this company only uses their system on their largest infrastructure and industrial projects. For example, their buildings (structural and MEP) and construction management groups global leaders in their respective fields exclusively use network drives for project file storage. Documents can be difficult to find The information buried in project documents can be critical for answering questions and avoiding problems. But locating the right document which may be a design drawing, commentary in an , a PDF, or any other kind of file is sometimes next to impossible. Employees need to conduct multiple keyword searches in different file management systems in the hopes of finding the exact document they need. Given the high volumes of data in today s complex projects, such searches can consume hours, even days. Compliance is a challenge Because document management systems do a very good job policing file access, many employees resist using them because of the speed bumps those systems add to workflows. They may find the requirements associated with checking in and checking out documents too arduous, and adopt habits that circumvent these procedures, such as filing documents locally instead of checking them back into the EDMS. Such shortcuts undermine the strengths of document management systems. III. SOLUTION Newforma believes engineering and construction companies can improve project delivery by employing a project information management (PIM) system that unifies data sources, including document management systems, under one easyto-use umbrella. How? Provide a single point of access to project information To solve the problem of disparate data sources, a project information management system provides single-screen access to all project information, regardless of its file format or where it exists on the network or EDMS. To accomplish these tasks, the PIM application should provide: Access to EDMS-held files directly from the PIM application Strict mapping and enforcement of EDMS/corporate permissions, security and document check-in/check-out statuses Ease of use such that users can pull files from the EDMS without special training A document viewer that displays the most commonly used files, so users won t need to license and open separate authoring applications Seamless transitions from the EDMS files to common workflows such as file transfers, transmittals, submittals, RFIs, punch lists, and more Enable repeatable best practices across the company A comprehensive project information management system, when simple to use, promotes standardized workflows for file access, collaboration, tracking of action items, submittals management, and many other common processes. Included among How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System July 2015 Page 3 of 5

4 these processes is EDMS access. People don t have to learn two ways of working one for the EDMS and one for the PIM system. Instead, the PIM workflows include the most-used functions of the document management system, which can be employed without special training, opening EDMS access to more workers. EDMS power users can segue into the document management system with the ease of a right click of the mouse. Include among file types to be managed A challenge we hear repeatedly is that it s difficult to manage the volume of employees send and receive on a daily basis. Though design and construction professionals say they are drowning in messages, they can t afford to ignore them, since critical commentary and information is often communicated via . What s needed is a practical way to manage Use the s to initiate action items, RFIs, submittals, and other workflows managed by the PIM system. File with other project documents, where they can be retrieved by colleagues during the project and archived as part of the formal record upon closeout. Make filed s searchable by colleagues, so that information in the can be found quickly, even when the person who filed the message is no longer with the company. If desired, file in the EDMS. Capture a unified project record Project information management software provides the best opportunity for achieving a unified project record. The application should manage all the information outside the EDMS platforms, as well as connect it to the information contained within it, so there is one comprehensive, unified project record. Enable robust searching Employees need the ability to search across all project data as easily as they can search the web, regardless of the information s location or document format. Ideally, they can search for information directly from their Windows taskbar. Ensure that collaborations take place with current documents The iterative nature of design and construction means that one file will go through multiple revisions on its way to its final form. Document management systems contain the most recent files. Now it s necessary to get those files to the people who need them in a way that s seamless with the EDMS. A comprehensive project information management system enables users to check documents out of the EDMS and share them with collaborators in a way that documents the workflow, providing full transparency and accountability of these pivotal transactions. Integrate with related workflows The whole project benefits when it s easier to tie EDMS files to the workflows used to manage RFIs, submittals and other design and construction documents, as well as seamlessly share information with team members outside the firm, with the accountability and transparency of a robust audit trail. The PIM application should also offer workflows that manage processes which are adjacent to engineering document management, such as field reporting, construction administration, and task management. How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System July 2015 Page 4 of 5

5 IV. CONCLUSION As complexity grows, software must simplify workflows Engineering and architectural firms work with a greater number of outside consultants, designers and contractors, as well as significantly greater volumes of data, much of it contained in messages. These challenges require solutions that exceed the functionality of existing electronic document management systems. But it s possible and practical for companies to integrate their use of best-in-class document management systems with their systems and other software used to manage project information. Firms can extend the value of their EDMS investments by augmenting them with a project information management application that incorporates all project data including messages and files that reside outside of the EDMS into a unified project record. Users can rely on PIM to issue EDMS documents of record to appropriate members of the extended team, in the process capturing audit and tracking data. Such systems ensure documents have been received and everyone is working from the most up-to-date information. PIM can also streamline the rigor of using EDMS systems; for example, a universal document viewer can make it very easy for users to view multiple file formats without calling up different applications. As a result, adoption of the existing EDMS system will increase. Newforma Project Center manages all forms of project information, whether at your desk, from the web, or from mobile devices. Its single point of access, integration with existing systems, workflow support, and simple interface combine to raise your return on investment in document management systems Elm Street, 10th floor Manchester, New Hampshire USA , option 1 newforma.com How To Generate More Value From Your Document Management System July 2015 Page 5 of 5