Transactional Content Management in the Enterprise

By Barb Mosher | Published Apr 25, 2008

Enterprise Content Management provider Open Text is diving deeper into content transactions by announcing a new solution called Transactional Content Processing (TCP). This new solution takes the company further into the world of business process management — a place where content and transactions are tightly intertwined.

TCP enables organizations to develop workflow functions for critical business processes like invoicing, order and claims processing and customer request handling. It's an extension of Open Text's BPM and Document Management products.

The solution is also integrated with Open Text Content Services which includes the Enterprise Library Services and Process Services.

The TCP Solution addresses the key phases of a transactional system in the following manner:

Capture: No need for paper - capture the incoming inputs like e-forms. faxes and print streams electronically using OCR/ICR and have them stored in a central repository
Process: Once the content is captured, design workflow processes to route it using graphical design and modeling including BPMN notation, business rule integration (JSR94) and others. Reporting and business activity monitoring are also included.
Access: Display the transactional content and process information in case-centric views. Data is pulled from multiple sources — like a mashup, and a search function based on metadata is provided. Self-service portals for customers, suppliers and other business partners are also supported when combined with LiveLink ECM
Integrate: Integration with other solutions like SAP, email, document management systems and custom applications to pull the information required to work on the transaction. TCP supports Web Services and a Repository Bridge.
Preserve: TCP leverages the Enterprise Library Services to store transactional content ensuring retention and compliance rules are supported. Store content in original format or tamper-proof formats like TIFF or PDF.

The introduction of this new solution that is a compilation and expansion of Open Text's already existing products continues to demonstrate their belief that ECM is an integral element of information strategies in organizations today.

This type of capability combined with their new Enterprise 2.0 strategy, may help propel them higher on the Gartner list of ECM companies.