Reprt title Agenda item Implementing an electrnic dcument and recrds management system using SharePint 7 Meeting Finance, Prcurement & Prperty Cmmittee 16 June 2008 Date Reprt by Dcument Number Head f Infrmatin Technlgy FEP 1203 Public Summary This paper reprts n the prgress with implementing the electrnic dcument management system using Micrsft SharePint sftware and related technlgies (e.g. dcument scanning). Recmmendatin 1. That the reprt be received. 2. It be nted that revenue savings f 180,000 n apprved budgets will be delivered frm 2010/11 nwards, as a result f the adptin f the SharePint slutin.
Intrductin 1. In April 2004, the Authrity agreed a prpsal (reprt FEP 550) t intrduce an electrnic dcument and recrds management system (EDRMS) plus assciated technlgies (like dcument scanning and wrkflw) fr ffice-based staff (plus statin managers) at a revenue cst f 1.9 millin ver fur years. 2. This reprt updates Members n prgress with the implementatin f the electrnic dcument management system. Backgrund 3. After the EDRMS prject cmmenced in 2004 (using the Hummingbird prduct), an enhanced Micrsft prduct t prvide a dcument management slutin became available, thrugh a cmbinatin f the SharePint 2007 and Micrsft Office prducts. These prducts frm part f LFEPA plans ging frward and are included within the IT strategy (currently under revisin), with SharePint being used fr the e-hr prject (e-prf (persnal recrd file) frms part f the wider e-hr prject), t prvide a slutin fr migrating Exchange Public Flders; they als frm a part f the FireLink and FireCntrl prjects. SharePint als brings additinal benefits f develping synergies with partner rganisatins thrugh the adptin f cmmn Micrsft-based technlgies. 4. The Micrsft SharePint prduct will prvide an enhanced electrnic dcument management system fr the Brigade with a number f additinal benefits. It will cntinue t be delivered t the agreed budget. 5. As a result f the adptin f the SharePint slutin, revenue savings f 180,000 n apprved budgets will be delivered frm 2010/11 nwards. Prgress with the prject 6. The current timetable fr the Authrity-wide rll ut t ffice based staff (including statin managers) f SharePint is as fllws: - (a) July 2008 Launch f an electrnic persnal recrd file (eprf) as part f an verall SharePint based slutin fr emplyee self-service called My Emplyment fr all staff. (b) End f September 2008 Rll-ut f cre dcument management functinality t all ffice based staff. (c) Once SharePint has been rlled ut acrss the rganisatin and is in use, departments will be given supprt t review dcument-centred wrk prcesses. This will be t deliver business imprvements and efficiencies using SharePint and related dcument management technlgies (like wrkflw and dcument scanning). 7. The sectins belw prvide further detail n prgress and infrmatin n the wrk being carried ut. (a) the eprf within the My Emplyment slutin 8. The My Emplyment slutin will give staff and relevant managers access t the electrnic persnal recrd files (eprf) which will sit alngside ther staff self service emplyment related functinality including electrnic expense claims, nline payslips, etc.
9. This will result in an electrnic persnal recrd file being intrduced fr all staff and will have cnsiderable benefits ver and abve the current paper files such as cntrlled security f files, functinality fr staff t readily view their infrmatin as read-nly (reducing Data Prtectin requests fr persnal infrmatin) and better management f files and availability f infrmatin. Paper PRFs have been scanned ver the past six mnths in readiness fr the eprf. (b) SharePint electrnic dcument management rllut 10. Delivery f the prject t date has included meeting the fllwing milestnes. 11. Design and cnfiguratin: wrk n the implementatin f SharePint t ffice users has invlved wrking with SharePint specialists t design and cnfigure t meet the cre identified business requirements fr electrnic dcument management. The design is essential t the success f the rll ut and user acceptability and therefre several wrkshps have been held with users and technical staff t develp the right slutin. 12. Ratinalisatin f current files: As part f the implementatin f SharePint the pprtunity has been taken t review the way data is stred. Apart frm crprate and departmental shared areas, SharePint allws fr defined wrkspaces t be created fr users and these areas can be tightly defined and cntrlled which in turn cntributes tward a mre efficient strage strategy. 13. Security arrangements: A new security mdel is being cnsidered as part f the rll ut f SharePint. SharePint prvides mre flexible security facilities t users than is currently the case with shared drives. Generally speaking, all dcuments will be available t all users n a read nly basis unless restricted by the authr. They will be pen fr editing by members f the team t which they being. It is recgnised that a clsed security mdel will be required fr sensitive data and this has been cnsidered as part f the discussin arund the security mdel. It is likely that the actual mdel used will be a hybrid that maximises infrmatin sharing whilst prviding facilities t restrict access t dcuments when necessary. 14. Training and cmmunicatins: All users will have cmputer-based training (CBT) and will be supprted by sme 400 pwer users wh will have a half day classrm-based training in SharePint dcument management. Online help and frequently asked questins (FAQs) will als be available. 15. SharePint recrds management functinality: An imprtant part f the prject is t prvide fr better recrds management fr electrnic dcuments. Althugh the brigade has rbust and effective recrds management arrangements fr paper dcuments, the arrangements fr electrnic recrds keeping need t be imprved. The high level design wrk (at para 11 abve) has taken recrds management needs int accunt althugh it has been decided that recrds management functinality (which is generally nly used by specialist recrds managers) will be deplyed after the main rll-ut t users. This will allw recrds management enhancements t SharePint issued recently by Micrsft t be used. It is envisaged that recrds management functinality will be available by quarter 4, in the current financial year. (c) Supprt fr departments t make business prcess changes 16. The SharePint dcument management prject is nt nly abut the deplyment f new sftware fr users t help them manage and retrieve dcuments mre effectively. SharePint dcument management (and related technlgies like wrkflw and dcument scanning) prvide a platfrm that can be used by departments t review business prcesses that use dcuments s that the benefits f the technlgy can be used t drive imprvements and efficiencies in the way wrk is carried ut. 3
17. In rder t maximise the business imprvements that can be achieved using SharePint, users will be given the pprtunity t use and familiarise themselves with the prduct. Once they have dne this, they will be in a better psitin t understand hw t imprve business prcesses. 18. Managers and staff in different business areas will be given supprt t identify what SharePint can ffer in rder that they can review current dcument and business prcesses and identity imprvements that can be made. It is envisaged that imprvements t business prcesses will be f tw main types: Simple changes that can be delivered using the cre functinality within SharePint and ther assciated technlgies (like dcument scanning). Fr example, imprvements that help users wrk better tgether (i.e. cllabratin) r simple wrkflws t rute dcuments between cntributrs/authrisers. Mre cmplex changes, including thse that ptentially require integratin between SharePint and anther LFB business system(s). Such changes, nce identified, wuld be fr the head f service cncerned t decide whether they shuld be mved frward and whether additinal resurces shuld made available t implement them (e.g. budget grwth item) r use f existing resurces. 19. A number f crprate imprvements have already been identified as part f this wrk: - Creatin f brigade-wide dcument libraries Many Brigade-wide libraries (r cllectins) are currently accessed via different pages n Htwire althugh sme are in Public Flders r n the external web site (Lndn Fire). The intrductin f SharePint prvides the pprtunity t ratinalise access t these with the prvisin f a mre pwerful search engine and access using the crprate subject list (taxnmy) which is t be integrated with SharePint. Scanning f incming mail Incming mail will be scanned and ruted, reducing the vlume f paper that needs t circulate arund, particularly t different Brigade buildings. Prject budget 20. The prject budget set under FEP550 allcated 1.9m fr the develpment f the slutin with an additinal 180,000 fr supprt in 2008/09 and thereafter. This budget has nw been recast t prvide fr the revised slutin. The prject is n track fr delivery within the riginal budget and will deliver apprved revenue saving frm 2010/11nwards. Authrity s Strategic Objectives Original Budget 2,080,000 Expenditure t Date 1,830,435 Anticipated 2008/2009 227,650 Ttal Expenditure t the end f 2008/09 2,058,085 21. The Authrity s agreed Infrmatin Strategy (reprt FEP 811 December 2005) sets ut a number f strategic infrmatin issues which need t be addressed in rder t supprt crprate gals and bjectives. This includes an actin fr... rlling ut apprpriate dcument management functinality t imprve the management and use f unstructured infrmatin ; 4
Legal and Demcratic Services cmments 22. N cmments. Head f Finance Cmments 23. There is 180,000 revenue spending earmarked fr this prject in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 budgets. The remainder f 47,000 will cme frm the IT Department s main budgets as sme f the develpment csts relate t crprate initiatives utside f this specific prject. As nted, the 180,000 has been ffered up as a saving as part f the 2008/09 budget prcess and this will impact in 2010/11. Envirnmental Implicatins 24. The implementatin f the EDRMS SharePint sftware will have a psitive effect upn the Brigade s carbn ftprint and envirnmental impact f the IT service. In the lng run it will mean less ffice strage space needed t stre paper dcuments and files by digitising them and string them electrnically, it will therefre reduce physical strage space requirement. By virtualising the servers which perate the system (i.e. sharing applicatins n fewer servers) this will reduce the number f servers used thereby reducing energy usage. Finally, by perating in a thin client envirnment, the reductin in carbn emissins is very significant as cmpared with PCs n desktps. Equalities Implicatins 25. The SharePint system integrates fully with ther Micrsft prducts and therefre allws us make use f existing Micrsft accessibility features. In additin, as an integral part f Micrsft s strategy, SharePint will benefit frm cntinued develpment and supprt and therefre as new usability and accessibility features cme n stream, these will be made available thrugh future versins f the prduct. Lcal Gvernment (access t infrmatin) act 1985 List f backgrund dcuments 1. Reprt FEP550 2. IT Strategy 2006 3. Infrmatin Strategy 2006 4. Minutes f the Authrity meeting f June 2007 Prper fficer Cntact fficer Telephne Email Head f IT Anthny McManus 020 8555 1200 (31457) anthny.mcmanus@lndn-fire.gv.uk 5