Merge Ahead for Better Business

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1 Merge Ahead for Better Business The convergence of ECM and BPM promises better business Abdullah Daoud VP, Product Management Everteam Two categories of software have evolved sideby-side over the last two decades: enterprise content management (ECM) and business process management (BPM). Both ECM and BPM can play important roles in helping an enterprise become more efficient. But while ECM and BPM work well independently of each other, together they can effectively address even more complex processes that involve both content and process management tasks. ECM is generally thought of as the organization and management of a company s documents and other content assets. BPM, on the other hand, is less focused on content, and instead provides a way to manage the wide range of business processes an organization needs to run its business effectively. This white paper examines the strengths of each technology, how they complement each other, and discusses the reasons why the integration of BPM and ECM results in an integrated operation with deep and comprehensive business insights. Contents A Look at Business Process Management BPM Technology BPM is Necessary for Digital Transformation A Look at Enterprise Content Management The Enterprise Content Management System ECM Integration with Other Business Systems Bringing ECM and BPM Together: Unifying Process and Content Content, Process, and People Benefits of Unifying BPM and ECM The Implication for ECM and BPM Platforms +1 (650) State Street, Boston, MA USA

2 A Look at Business Process Management At the heart of every organization are business processes: sets of repeatable tasks or activities that accomplish a business goal. Business process management is simply the discipline of analyzing, optimizing and monitoring the performance of business processes. It doesn t start with technology. Before there was a category of software called BPM, management professionals and process engineers were creating systems centered on defining, documenting, monitoring, measuring performance, and optimizing the business processes an organization. BPM Technology BPM is software that employs technology to achieve those same goals. The official definition of BPM from Gartner is:...the discipline of managing processes (rather than tasks) as the means for improving business performance outcomes and operational agility. Processes span organizational boundaries, linking together people, information flows, systems and other assets to create and deliver value to customers and constituents. Most BPM systems include a shared set of core capabilities, such as: Identification of processes within the organization and determination of which ones can be best managed with BPM Modeling of business processes (capturing the activities, people, content involved in the process) using a visual editor Identification of rules and workflow followed from the start of the process to its completion. The ability to start and stop processes automatically, based on results created during the execution of the process. Testing of processes to ensure they work as expected. Monitoring processes to ensure they are performing as expected, improving them where necessary. Not all BPM systems are the same, so it s important to understand the features and capabilities you need before you select the BPM system that s right for you. For example, if you have a highly mobile workforce, you ll want to ensure that your BPM system works across mobile devices. Similarly, if many of your employees are geographically distributed, or work outside the office, then consider looking for solutions that are cloud-based. Merge Ahead for Better Business 2

3 While there are many differences in the capabilities of different BPM solutions, there are several core capabilities included in almost all BPM software products. 1. Process Execution: The process engine is the heart of a BPM system. It s used to model and execute business processes, providing the communication and interaction between different people, data and process sources across the organization. 2. Analytics and Reporting: Analytics and Reporting give managers insights into how processes are performing, where bottlenecks might be occurring, and where processes can be automated or improved. 3. Content Management: All business processes involve content of some kind. Many BPM systems provide some degree of content management capabilities. 4. Collaboration: Typically more than one person performs or manages a business process. Collaboration tools enable teams to work together more effectively through the use of features such as chat, workspaces to share documents and processes in development, messaging, and more. BPM Technology (con t) Business process management used to be primarily about cutting costs and being more efficient. But it s much more than that in today s business landscape. Today it s very much about competitive advantage: agility in getting new processes in place quickly to support the business, and customer experience improvements such as allowing customers to execute self-service activities easily. BPM can also provide connective tissue that connects the various systems in an organization. In a discussion with Peter Schooff, Managing Editor of BPM.com, Neil Ward-Dutton, Analyst with MWD Advisors said it was critical to leverage BPM technology for digital transformation:...there is a great opportunity for BPM technology to be used to create what I ve heard called a digital thread that can run through an organization from the front office to the back office, from the customer through to supply chain if you like, to enable new kinds of experiences and products. BPM is Necessary for Digital Transformation Merge Ahead for Better Business 3

4 A Look at Enterprise Content Management Enterprise content management has its origins in basic document management and imaging but has grown significantly in capabilities and functionality over the last 25 years. The growth of ECM came from the need to manage all enterprise information - both structured and unstructured - to address regulatory needs and to improve efficiency and control and ensuring the right people (and only the right people) had access to the right information. Enterprise content management helps an organization manage the entire lifecycle of its information from creation or capture all the way through to records and disposition (archiving or destruction). But it s much more than simply managing content. AIIM defines enterprise content management as:...the systematic collection and organization of information that is to be used by a designated audience business executives, customers, etc. Neither a single technology nor a methodology nor a process, it is a dynamic combination of strategies, methods, and tools used to capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver information supporting key organizational processes through its entire lifecycle. Enterprise Content Management Software Gartner defines ECM as both a strategic framework and a technical architecture that supports all types of content (and format) throughout the content life cycle. (Gartner Magic Quadrant for ECM, Oct 2015). As such, ECM systems have capabilities that typically include: Managing access to content Document versioning Management of Audit Trails Records lifecycle management Document sharing and collaboration Image capture and processing Simple workflow capabilities As with BPM systems, not all ECM systems are identical. Although most provide the key capabilities listed above, some provide additional functionality. Content analytics is a good example of a capability that not all systems provide, but one that many organizations can benefit from greatly; Content analytics give organizations the opportunity to explore the content collected into ECM repositories to extract business insights based on patterns. Merge Ahead for Better Business 4

5 The ability of an ECM system to integrate tightly with other enterprise systems is also a key differentiator. This includes integration with case management or business process management systems, in addition to portal software, CRM, and ERP systems. ECM Integration with Other Business Systems from AIIM Industry Watch: ECM Decisions - strategic options for managing, accessing and preserving content A Case Management application or module within an ECM platform is one example of this kind of integration. Some organizations have complex case management requirements that don t fit with an out-of-the-box solution. Dealing with large amounts of content is a key feature of case management, so some organizations are building their custom case management solutions on top of their ECM, integrating business process management capabilities where necessary. This is an example of integration between ECM and BPM capabilities to create content-centric applications that support complex, integrated business processes. Applications built on an ECM system might leverage a business process engine to manage the routing of content, assigning of activities and tasks related to creating or using the content (including reviews and approvals), and creating audit trails. And we see many more exciting applications that can be built at the intersection of ECM and BPM. Merge Ahead for Better Business 5

6 Bringing ECM and BPM Together: Unifying Processes and Content So far, we ve looked at enterprise content management and business process management as a standalone systems and how, when lightly integrated, they provide complementary capabilities that can improve business processes. More complete convergence of ECM and BPM is topic worth pursuing in more detail because solutions based on this unification are poised to bring even greater business benefit to organizations. Content, Process, and People There are three core elements in all organizations: people (employees, partners, customers), processes, and content. None of these elements stands on its own: people manage processes which often include content; content is created and needs to follow certain processes for how it s managed, which almost always includes intervention by people, and processes connect both content and people. It s effective coordination of these three things -- people, process, and content -- that ensures an organization s success. It doesn t matter how it s created or by whom, all content is tied to a process. The process may be to manage that particular piece of content, or it might be a business process that creates or ingests content as part of its workflow. Without a process, content does not support the activities of a business, so it makes perfect sense to combine the capabilities of these two key business systems. Unifying enterprise content management and business process management allows us to remove an artificial barrier to building better business solutions. Building on the strengths of each other, a unified ECM and BPM approach to managing business activities integrates activities that include processes and documents in a seamless set of interactions. Benefits of Integrating ECM and BPM Merge Ahead for Better Business 6

7 Simplifies Integrated Processes that Connect Content and Processes Without integration, a user may have to move from one system to another to find and work with the information they need to complete a process. For example, if an insurance worker needs documents in a content management or records management system related to a recent insurance claim, they would have to leave their current environment, go to the other system and search for the information they need. Then they would have to go back into their case management tool and continue working. When integrated, the caseworker can find and view what they need from the records management system as part of an integrated process at the appropriate step. Similarly, an integrated solution can update a back-end system with information collected in a form as part of a single process. Another example: Since links can be automatically generated within the BPM pointing to the necessary content in other systems, an integrated solution simplifies the process of finding and retrieving information needed for the business process. Supports Compliance Compliance requirements often focus on maintaining records of activities. An integrated ECM and BPM solution can capture records of not just the documents created and accessed, but also the activities completed as processes are executed. The result is a more complete record of business activities. In addition, archiving of documents can be integrated into the execution of processes, ensuring required records are captured and retained. Enables Data-Driven Processes As discussed, ECM manages data and document storage and relationships while BPM manages the data lifecycle, rules enforcement, and acts as an integration layer. An integrated BPM/ECM system enables support of data-driven processes which leads to the ability to bind data with processes/rules. Why are data-driven processes critical? The best way to answer that is with an example. Insurance claim processing demonstrates the need to transition from managing initiatives to managing activities and the entire related lifecycle. For an insurance claim, there s one main entity (the claim record) that needs an undetermined amount of documentation support. First, the ECM provides a place to store data and documents. But related to this single claim record, you could have two bound processes: one to provide the claim processing and one that could be triggered by a rule if certain values are matched. For example, if a fraud investigation is initiated around a claim, that trigger lets the ECM relate data to the claim. An insurance claim may eventually resolve to a payment. The claim process would create that payment record, and in turn that payment record would have the claim process associated with it. Many types of transactions could create payments for different reasons, but you have one process to manage them all. As the BPM is managing the lifecycle of the data, it also covers integration scenarios. There may be a policy management system that needs to be updated with the claim resolution and the BPM would manage that integration. Merge Ahead for Better Business 7

8 Supports Compliance Requirements Most organizations must comply with specific guidelines related to how information is used and maintained. Internal compliance policies are put in place by organizations to ensure they are managing their information in a consistent, uniform way, and ensuring its availability to the right people. External compliance regulations are imposed by the industry; some of these include HIPPA, 21 CFR Part 11 and SOX, among many others. These regulations dictate how information must be stored, maintained and made available within the organization. Integrated solutions that combine business and process management ensure that all information used within business processes also follow these compliance regulations. Without this integration, an organization would have to manage compliance separately in the BPM system. The biggest concern in separate systems is a lack of consistently in how regulations are followed and potential errors in how compliance regulations are applied. Drives Process Improvements Agility and the ability to quickly make decisions are critical for organizations today. This requires business processes that run smoothly and return results as quickly as possible, including business processes that are tightly connected to content. Consider working on a process or a case and realizing you need information. Where is that information located? Do you know if you have all the information you need to make the right decision? Do you have to look in many different repositories to find the required information? Do you have the right access to it? Access to accurate, timely, and relevant information from directly within a process speeds the time to complete that process. This is where the integration of ECM and BPM drives process improvement. The caseworker no longer has to search in multiple systems for the information they need and in some cases, the system may automatically point them to information they didn t realize available. Enables Better Decisions Analytics of content and processes are both critical. Process analytics examines how a process is performing, including if there are bottlenecks or opportunities to automate certain activities to speed their completion. Content analytics tell you what content is being created and by whom, and how it is consumed within the organization. When combined, they provide a richer picture of how an organization s processes are performing, and how content supports those processes. You can understand how different content assets support business processes. You may see where the unavailability of certain content slows the process, or where content is regularly missing or incomplete. If content is a primary element to a business process, then understanding its use within the process can help you improve how it works. Merge Ahead for Better Business 8

9 Supports Dynamic Case Management Where BPM involves the management of structured, repeatable processes, case management is the process of managing unstructured processes that don t follow a strict pattern and are very human and information intensive. As a result, case management doesn t fit nicely into the world of BPM. Although case management does rely greatly on information, it also does not apply perfectly to the world of ECM. This is because case management still requires some degree of process management to work. By integrating ECM and BPM, you can easily bring together the necessary capabilities of each system to create a case management solution that works for your organization on multiple levels. In this case, you can leverage the business rules engine to ensure the proper workflow is applied, automate some repeatable activities, and even take advantage of the BPM s process modeling capabilities. From the ECM you can use the content repository and content workflow features, in addition to the ECM s collaboration capabilities, document imaging, and capture and record management capabilities. Building your case management system on top of both your ECM and BPM ensures you are developing the system according to your specific needs and enables the continued customization of your case management functionality as your requirements grow and evolve. The Implication for BPM and ECM Platforms The worlds of ECM and BPM emerged separately and have evolved on separate paths. As such, there has been a wall between ECM and BPM software products. But in the real world our work does not separate neatly into activities focused on processes versus activities focused on content. That barrier between ECM and BPM is dissolving, driven by the need for organizations to be able to view and manage their businesses more holistically, as a group of integrated activities and not just as a set of transactions. Trying to view, model, and manage a business at the transactional level limits the ability to optimize processes, each of which may include many transactions, and support both internal information workers and external customers. Merge Ahead for Better Business 9

10 From basic information handling and simple process paths to complex documentation required for complex decision making, a unified ECM and BPM system delivers key business elements to the right people at the right time, driving better business decisions. Everteam acquired Intalio, a leading BPM vendor, in 2015, motivated by our belief that ECM and BPM capabilities need to be available sideby-side to create integrated processes that reflect core business activities. Our goal in that strategic move was explicitly to bring a world-class BPM platform under the same roof as Everteam s award-winning ECM platform. In Everteam s ibpms 8.0 release, we are adding capabilities to the already powerful Intalio product that move it toward an integrated set of process and content management capabilities. Our vision for the future of our ECM and BPM platforms is a set of unified services available to applications that address the full range of process and content management functional requirements. Both ECM and BPM are critical to ensuring a business runs smoothly. Separately these two systems work well, but together they provide a richer experience that improves the efficiency and effectiveness for your employees and processes. At Everteam, we see the signs of a merger between ECM and BPM capabilities ahead, and we are steering toward that point of intersection in our product plans today. Learn More Everteam improves how work gets done by automating the complex, interconnected processes, content, and systems that your business relies on every day. Request a demo to see for yourself how Everteam can: Bring paper, digital and other content sources into one comprehensive content management system. Create scalable, repeatable business actions that anticipate your unstructured processes. Manage records retention and access for all record types, regardless source, format or system. Make content accessible and searchable at every stage of the content lifecycle. Create more meaningful and cost-effective customer experiences for both clients and internal groups. Request a free demo today to talk with a solutions architect about the best way to tackle your content management priorities with Everteam. Visit Merge Ahead for Better Business 10

11 About Everteam Everteam brings over 25 years experience and innovation to the field of Enterprise Content Management. In an ever-increasing legal and compliance environment, Everteam s range of products support the improvement of content driven processes, and enable enterprise customers to easily monitor and align their content strategies for overall organizational efficiency and effectiveness. info@everteam.com +33 (0) , rue Saint-Honoré, Paris France +1 (650) (voice) / +1 (650) (fax) 28 State Street Boston, MA 02109, United States