I have not been writing for a while... but felt like I should put more effort into this... I hope you find the information below helpful.
In short DES has four pricing components:
1. Per Server - this is broken down to three basic model:
i) CPU Model - allows you to size your system based on CPU or per Site. There is also a departmental server (small business type of setup).
ii) Site Model - There are also unlimited site.
iii) Departmental Model - limited functionality and connectivity.
2. Per INPUT - each input would pay a set licensing price. Note that some of their CPU server models comes with preset INPUT licenses.
3. Per DESTINATION - that's where you pay for your destination connectors (DMS, etc.)
4. per User - That's the user stations
Most other competitors do not have as complicated pricing as DES. In most cases you generally find Per Device + Per Server. The Connector to Ascent Capture is also available and can be used to send documents to Ascent Capture (see my note on the Ascent Capture - CLICK!). There are various packages on Maintenance and Support as well. The pricing depends on number of maintenance years and type of support.
Note that above pricing model provides a lot of flexibility and allows users to select from variety of options. At the same time these little numbers could easily add up and make this already feature-challenged software to be pricey. The key is to know what is included and what's not included in each package.
Pricing level - Small deployment can use the Departmental Server but they will be limited to Ascent Capture and MS SPS as destination. if you know you are not going to grow, Departmental server maybe for you but know that with Departmental server Ascent Capture (CLICK!) is your expansion strategy. If you are looking for flexibility, start with the 1-2 CPU server but be ready for sticker shock.
On the down side, scalability is an issue and make sure to discuss your "processing and indexing" requirements clearly (Devil is in the details!)... you may find out that you have to purchase Ascent Capture additional licenses to really do anything with DES.
One last thing, ask for DES references within your own industry, and the size of the actual connected devices. What you may find is that due to limitations currently facing the product, there are not that many successful deployments. The product has ways to go before it's ready for scalable use.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Document Exchange Server by Kofax
Well here is a short article about Document Exchange Server or DES by Kofax. Some of you may remember Kofax Ricochet, basically a coversheet that held indexing information. DES is a glorified Ricochet with web viewing added into it. What are the flaws of DES?
1. Completely disjointed - What I mean by that it does not control how many users can scan into it, DES does not control scanning parameters (you can get color images when you expect B/W or low res when you need high res. etc.) and it leaves the routing completely to the user this simply means the user can file things into wrong destinations, with wrong names... etc. etc.
2. While scanning devices get smarter and smarter (and you pay for smarter devices), DES makes little to no use of the available techniques that allows users to rec. the benefits of smarter devices. Next time you are evaluating use of DES, ask the question: "Can users get to see list of destination folders?" or "Can users interact with back end Document management application while in front of the MFP devices or scanners controlled by DES?"... and if the sales man says yes, request a DEMO :)
3. No proven install base - that's right... ask for enterprise deployment of DES and also Document Scanning Server... neither case have been a success... as a matter of a fact both products have been a flop.
4. Pricing - these days you can get 10 times better capabilities in 1/10 of the price... don't leave the competitive pricing to your "friendly Resellers" since they are in on charging you more :)... ask for competitive pricing for products that work with MFP/Scanners and see the difference for yourself.
5. Click charges... that's right they are in there... you may not realize it but ask these questions and you will notice that the DES still includes click charges when you like to PROCESS your images... Question 1: "Can I do image processing?" answer: YES - YOU NEED ASCENT CAPTURE (CLICK!)... "Can I use VB or Other Scripting to connect these to my Business Applications?" Answer: YES - YOU NEED ASCENT CAPTURE (CLICK!)
Just a couple of words from your friendly Document Capture Workflow expert...
1. Completely disjointed - What I mean by that it does not control how many users can scan into it, DES does not control scanning parameters (you can get color images when you expect B/W or low res when you need high res. etc.) and it leaves the routing completely to the user this simply means the user can file things into wrong destinations, with wrong names... etc. etc.
2. While scanning devices get smarter and smarter (and you pay for smarter devices), DES makes little to no use of the available techniques that allows users to rec. the benefits of smarter devices. Next time you are evaluating use of DES, ask the question: "Can users get to see list of destination folders?" or "Can users interact with back end Document management application while in front of the MFP devices or scanners controlled by DES?"... and if the sales man says yes, request a DEMO :)
3. No proven install base - that's right... ask for enterprise deployment of DES and also Document Scanning Server... neither case have been a success... as a matter of a fact both products have been a flop.
4. Pricing - these days you can get 10 times better capabilities in 1/10 of the price... don't leave the competitive pricing to your "friendly Resellers" since they are in on charging you more :)... ask for competitive pricing for products that work with MFP/Scanners and see the difference for yourself.
5. Click charges... that's right they are in there... you may not realize it but ask these questions and you will notice that the DES still includes click charges when you like to PROCESS your images... Question 1: "Can I do image processing?" answer: YES - YOU NEED ASCENT CAPTURE (CLICK!)... "Can I use VB or Other Scripting to connect these to my Business Applications?" Answer: YES - YOU NEED ASCENT CAPTURE (CLICK!)
Just a couple of words from your friendly Document Capture Workflow expert...
Sunday, June 10, 2007
How can capture help?
The question of how can capture help increase productivity is one question that no one asks. The way I look at it, the capture middleware is creating highways with built in traffic lights, signs, flow control and all other nice tools you need to control the flow of content traffic on highways.
Let me explain a little deeper. Let's say you had, like most companies have today, teri-bytes of disk space. Now let's ask employees use a ECM application to index and store documents into this vast disk space. What do you get?
The answer is "a mess!!"... duplicate content... people using version control to keep multiple copies of the same file. Well the world would be different if we put a middleware between people and ECM. That's the Content workflow Middleware. What's the job of the Content workflow middleware?
The first task performed by content workflow middleware is to take away the burden of finding the right location for a file out of the user's hand. That's right, the user is, I am sorry but "busy", so the average user tends to store files where it makes sense to them. Somewhere really close, easy to find and easy to use FOR THEM.
The trouble is that not every user thinks the same way and not every user can find that same "easy" location. The Capture Workflow middleware applications take the job of finding, naming, indexing the files out of user's hand and use business rules to acutally do it right. Doing it right means, the Capture Workflow software is going to ask the user about the index information and further interogate the content or back end systems to properly categorize, index and store the files.
There I said it... in short that's to me the one and the most important role of Capture Workflow servers. The ability for users to use the Capture Workflow to save content rather than storing the content directly into the back-end system is the key to choosing a successfull Capture Workflow application that can impact your bottom-line productivity.
Let me explain a little deeper. Let's say you had, like most companies have today, teri-bytes of disk space. Now let's ask employees use a ECM application to index and store documents into this vast disk space. What do you get?
The answer is "a mess!!"... duplicate content... people using version control to keep multiple copies of the same file. Well the world would be different if we put a middleware between people and ECM. That's the Content workflow Middleware. What's the job of the Content workflow middleware?
The first task performed by content workflow middleware is to take away the burden of finding the right location for a file out of the user's hand. That's right, the user is, I am sorry but "busy", so the average user tends to store files where it makes sense to them. Somewhere really close, easy to find and easy to use FOR THEM.
The trouble is that not every user thinks the same way and not every user can find that same "easy" location. The Capture Workflow middleware applications take the job of finding, naming, indexing the files out of user's hand and use business rules to acutally do it right. Doing it right means, the Capture Workflow software is going to ask the user about the index information and further interogate the content or back end systems to properly categorize, index and store the files.
There I said it... in short that's to me the one and the most important role of Capture Workflow servers. The ability for users to use the Capture Workflow to save content rather than storing the content directly into the back-end system is the key to choosing a successfull Capture Workflow application that can impact your bottom-line productivity.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Few notes on AIIM
Let's talk AIIM... I was there and here is my report on Capture workflow technologies.
AIIM last week was interesting... there were a lot of new product introduction some worthless and some very interesting ones.
In capture section we had few intro's:
1. Kofax - Capture Exchange server
2. Nuance - new Paper Port connectors for MFP
3. Adobe - PDF LifeCylce connector for MFP
4. NSi - Evolution (touch screen) and also the Kodak Scan Station Client
Some news that was not:
Who was missing? eCopy - not a sign - these guys have vanished from AIIM
Who was silent? Omtools - it's understandable... they got a lot of financial issues to worry about.
Back to new product introduction:
Kofax - the Capture Exchange Server:
Summary:
Essentially is a web based review station. That's the best way I can describe it... scan into this web based review station so you can review before you submit into your application.
Advantages/Added value:
1. Users get to review documents before they submit into backend applications
2. You can manipulate documents before you submit
3. Build document review logic before you submit
Disadvantages:
1. The alternative would be to review by staging the documents within the application
2. Most devices provide logic to connect scanned documents to applications why do you need another web based application to review everything
3. The imaging capabilities are limited
4. The traffic back and forth to display images between the browser and the web server is a killer... especially so in case of color images.
Nuance
Summary:
Users of paper port now can designate a folder to be the inbox for Xerox scanners. The users using Xerox machines now can login and see their own button that scans to them.
Advantages/Added Value:
1. Scan from Xerox MFP to the Paperport folders
2. Another method to distribute files to the users directly
3. Stores files into the workstation of users where users can see them
Disadvantages:
1. Complex to setup for user (by any stretch of imagination)
2. More ways for users to fill out their disk space
3. No central business rules that can control the document distribution
4. No auditing and central control for risk management
5. Opens the gates for users to take control over the document flows without proper rules around it.
Adobe Lifecycle:
Summary:
Great PRESENTATION of software that integrates into Ricoh front panel devices for capture, preview and display of images… note while the PRESENTATION was great they had no PRODUCT to show!!!
Advantages/Added value:
All they had was a presentation that looked great. I asked for an actual demo, they sent me to Ricoh booth and the demo was far less impressive than the presentation... There you have it ... I guess I have to research this one to get the full story.
NSi
Summary:
AutoStore Evolution - Touch screen station for MFP devices... scans, review and send to applications.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Increase the usability of the MFP devices.
2. Rich GUI with image preview allows users to review before they submit.
3. Indexing and connectivity to applications (email, fax server, folders, FTP, applications including SAP, FileNet, DCTM, etc.)
4. Manage scan setting centrally and control business rules on how you want your documents centrally
Disadvantages:
1. Added cost of maintaining another device next to copiers
2. Footprint or room to keep these devices next to copiers
AutoStore Client for Kodak Scan Station - New Kodak Scan Stations with AutoStore clients on them that enables them to scan, index, lookup application data and send to application directly from front panel.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Full functional out-of-the-box scan station that connects to your application
2. Review documents before you submit (not available anywhere else)
3. Index on the device with full application connectivity
4. Manage all capture rules centrally so you can audit and track activities
5. Control scan settings centrally (color vs. bw, tif vs. PDF, resolution)... this is handy since without control you can be running out of space with grandma's pictures taking up 24 Meg of space in 24bit full color :)
Disadvantages:
1. Small screen
2. Initialization of scanner takes about few seconds to warm up
OpenForm 360 - New form recognition technology that connects to AutoStore, extracts indexing data (form recognition), Categorizes documents, and applies business rules and send to business applications.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Flexible for all types of unstructured capture
2. Shipped with pre-made template to support both US based and EU based forms (some templates cover the invoices, etc.)
3. Made for large scale deployment with load distribution capabilities
4. Full featured product with validation, distribution, business rule, SDK, etc.
Disadvantages:
1. Keeps the count of volume of paper processed (use a little pay a little BUT use a lot and pay more)
AIIM last week was interesting... there were a lot of new product introduction some worthless and some very interesting ones.
In capture section we had few intro's:
1. Kofax - Capture Exchange server
2. Nuance - new Paper Port connectors for MFP
3. Adobe - PDF LifeCylce connector for MFP
4. NSi - Evolution (touch screen) and also the Kodak Scan Station Client
Some news that was not:
Who was missing? eCopy - not a sign - these guys have vanished from AIIM
Who was silent? Omtools - it's understandable... they got a lot of financial issues to worry about.
Back to new product introduction:
Kofax - the Capture Exchange Server:
Summary:
Essentially is a web based review station. That's the best way I can describe it... scan into this web based review station so you can review before you submit into your application.
Advantages/Added value:
1. Users get to review documents before they submit into backend applications
2. You can manipulate documents before you submit
3. Build document review logic before you submit
Disadvantages:
1. The alternative would be to review by staging the documents within the application
2. Most devices provide logic to connect scanned documents to applications why do you need another web based application to review everything
3. The imaging capabilities are limited
4. The traffic back and forth to display images between the browser and the web server is a killer... especially so in case of color images.
Nuance
Summary:
Users of paper port now can designate a folder to be the inbox for Xerox scanners. The users using Xerox machines now can login and see their own button that scans to them.
Advantages/Added Value:
1. Scan from Xerox MFP to the Paperport folders
2. Another method to distribute files to the users directly
3. Stores files into the workstation of users where users can see them
Disadvantages:
1. Complex to setup for user (by any stretch of imagination)
2. More ways for users to fill out their disk space
3. No central business rules that can control the document distribution
4. No auditing and central control for risk management
5. Opens the gates for users to take control over the document flows without proper rules around it.
Adobe Lifecycle:
Summary:
Great PRESENTATION of software that integrates into Ricoh front panel devices for capture, preview and display of images… note while the PRESENTATION was great they had no PRODUCT to show!!!
Advantages/Added value:
All they had was a presentation that looked great. I asked for an actual demo, they sent me to Ricoh booth and the demo was far less impressive than the presentation... There you have it ... I guess I have to research this one to get the full story.
NSi
Summary:
AutoStore Evolution - Touch screen station for MFP devices... scans, review and send to applications.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Increase the usability of the MFP devices.
2. Rich GUI with image preview allows users to review before they submit.
3. Indexing and connectivity to applications (email, fax server, folders, FTP, applications including SAP, FileNet, DCTM, etc.)
4. Manage scan setting centrally and control business rules on how you want your documents centrally
Disadvantages:
1. Added cost of maintaining another device next to copiers
2. Footprint or room to keep these devices next to copiers
AutoStore Client for Kodak Scan Station - New Kodak Scan Stations with AutoStore clients on them that enables them to scan, index, lookup application data and send to application directly from front panel.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Full functional out-of-the-box scan station that connects to your application
2. Review documents before you submit (not available anywhere else)
3. Index on the device with full application connectivity
4. Manage all capture rules centrally so you can audit and track activities
5. Control scan settings centrally (color vs. bw, tif vs. PDF, resolution)... this is handy since without control you can be running out of space with grandma's pictures taking up 24 Meg of space in 24bit full color :)
Disadvantages:
1. Small screen
2. Initialization of scanner takes about few seconds to warm up
OpenForm 360 - New form recognition technology that connects to AutoStore, extracts indexing data (form recognition), Categorizes documents, and applies business rules and send to business applications.
Advantages/Added Values:
1. Flexible for all types of unstructured capture
2. Shipped with pre-made template to support both US based and EU based forms (some templates cover the invoices, etc.)
3. Made for large scale deployment with load distribution capabilities
4. Full featured product with validation, distribution, business rule, SDK, etc.
Disadvantages:
1. Keeps the count of volume of paper processed (use a little pay a little BUT use a lot and pay more)
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Distributed Content Capture Blog...
With explosion of content on the web, the way we collect, categorize and sort the content is changing. There is a new technology sector that is beginging to bloom, called "Content Capture" a.k.a. "Capture Workflow", "Distributed Capture", etc.
This sector is begining to grab some attention and like any other new technology there is a lot of smoke'n mirror that show up everywhere. So I thought it would be good to post some ideas in this area and get a collective sense of where this type of technology is heading. Your reviews of articles here are welcomed and I am sure it becomes useful for others as well.
To start, I like to ask that if you see this initial "invitation" to start the Blog on "Capture" and have an interest in this area, post your comment and tell me what you are interested in.
C.
This sector is begining to grab some attention and like any other new technology there is a lot of smoke'n mirror that show up everywhere. So I thought it would be good to post some ideas in this area and get a collective sense of where this type of technology is heading. Your reviews of articles here are welcomed and I am sure it becomes useful for others as well.
To start, I like to ask that if you see this initial "invitation" to start the Blog on "Capture" and have an interest in this area, post your comment and tell me what you are interested in.
C.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)