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)