What Do Enterprise Content Management Systems Do for the Enterprise?

What Do Enterprise Content Management Systems Do for the Enterprise?

The ECM Association ,AIIM, defines ECM as: “…the technologies used to capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver content and documents related to organizational processes. ECM tools and strategies allow the management of an organization’s unstructured information, wherever that information exists.”

The focus of the definition above is on tools and technologies. AIIM itself emphasizes that while tools are important, it is the way that they are used that is important. Content must be managed in a way that furthers the organization’s goals.

According to AIIM, the four primary areas in which ECM helps organization are: Compliance, Collaboration, Cost and Continuity.

In each of the areas, you must have clear strategies and policies before you start using ECM tools. Strategies and policies are derived from organizational goals and your particular environment.

COMPLIANCE

Compliance with regulatory requirements involves costs. The variety of regulations, and the ongoing legislation of new regulations and requirements, adds to the...