Porter-Roth Associates
Document Management Consulting

Technology and Project Resources

Document imaging, document management, and workflow, as a group of technologies, poses a significant challenge to both users and vendors. Users find that substantial technical and personnel skill gaps become apparent when considering the adoption of an ECM* system. Vendors are increasingly depending on third-party system integrators and value-added resellers (VARs) to implement their technology. And system integrators are finding that it is hard to provide "objective" consulting and solutions when they are contractually associated with one or more vendors. As if all these variables were not enough, ECM is probably the single most dynamically changing (and confusing) group of technologies currently being implemented by businesses around the world. (*Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems handle electronic document (.doc, .xls, .pdf, etc) types, scanned images of documents (document imaging), records management, and workflow)

The following documents can be downloaded for your use and reference. We are happy to grant you permission to quote from these documents but request that you provide proper acknowledgement when appropriate.

Document Backfile Conversion Projects

Paper is not going away and in fact, it seems that even more paper is being generated every day. Paper can be a costly storage medium - and it is susceptible to damage or destruction. If you are involved in a lawsuit, providing paper documents can be time consuming and expensive. Scanning your documents can be a cost effective method for storing your paper - and retrieving it. Contact us prior to getting started on your backfile conversion project.

This White Paper includes an overview of the backfile conversion (also know as a document conversion) process and a checklist of considerations and issues. This complete backfile conversion White Paper will save you time and money whether you are doing the work in-house or outsourcing to a service bureau and will help you to make that decision. This White Paper will also help you to develop questions and requirements for your RFP.

AIIM Blogs. See all of my AIIM blogs on topics ranging from cloud technology to why systems fail.

AIIM Toolkit: Cloud Content Management. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of current cloud content management system. This toolkit is bundled with expert advice, webinars, presentations, and AIIM research to offer you statistics as well as supporting evidence fro your own cloud business case.

SlideShare Presentations. This link will take you to my SlideShare home page where you can download my presentations.

Records Management White Paper. This White Paper was written for Xerox and discusses the basic issues and features of a records management system. The DocuShare Records Management product is given a brief introduction at the end of the paper.

The Trouble with Paper. Read this paper on a common sense approach to beginning  document imaging projects.

Choosing the Correct Technology Solution. Are you confused by the different technologies and which one is correct for your project. Do you need document imaging, document management, records management, enterprise content management, or all of the above. This presentation will help you to understand the different technologies available and how they can help you.

Electronic Records Management (ERM) Project Checklist. This brief questionnaire and checklist provide the reader with the fundamental questions that should be considered when undertaking an ERM project. While this list is not all inclusive, it should provide the reader with the basics for establishing a more detailed questionnaire.

What is SharePoint? This short paper reviews that basic elements of SharePoint and tries to position SharePoint in the enterprise content management (ECM) world.

Request for Proposal (RFP) Writing and Development

One of the best ways to ensure that you are getting what you want is to write an RFP. We can help in a variety of ways but perhaps your first step is to buy my RFP book,  Request for Proposal: A Guide to Effective RFP Development  available through Amazon and local bookstores such as Borders.

"Request for Proposal" is used in college and project management courses nationwide.

This is the only RFP book on the market that guides you through how to write an RFP. It provides a format and layout for an RFP, offers in-depth examples and checklists, and talks about why a well written RFP will save you time and money - and keep saving you time and money long after the contract has been negotiated. It has been purchased and used by Fortune 100 companies as well as small independent companies that have never written an RFP. You can't go wrong buying this book - it is a must for any bookshelf. "I found this book very helpful as I developed a software subcontract management process recently. Every time I pick it up I spot another tidbit to consider adding to the process. "Request for Proposal" is a gold mine of useful ideas for anyone who has to ask vendors to describe how they propose to satisfy a buyer's requirements.."

This experience-based handbook offers a systematic, comprehensive, and professional approach to writing RFPs. It guides you step-by-step—from initial planning to selecting the winning proposal—through the RFP process, demonstrating the most effective ways of structuring the document and expressing technical, administrative, and financial requirements. After reading this book, you will be able to:

• Plan and organize the RFP effort

• Outline each RFP section

• Develop, write, and review all requirements, including those that are administrative, technical, and managerial

• Set realistic pricing requirements

• Pre-screen a vendor list to select appropriate vendors

• Set up objective evaluation criteria for selecting the best solution

• Prepare for post-RFP activities such as site visits, reference checks, and implementation activities

"The author goes well beyond the immediate objective of writing an RFP and managing the process by including thought-provoking material on post-award vendor management. This material sometimes escapes the RFP development team who is more focused on getting to the award milestone without thinking about the post-award ramifications."

"Your book literally saved me days and days of work - worth triple the price." From an e-mail to me..........

RFP Consulting. We are available to help you strategize about RFPs and/or can serve as your RFP Consultant. RFP Services range from initial RFP strategies to helping you write an RFP, evaluating responses, and negotiating the contract. The next step is to consider bringing me into your company for an RFP writing workshop or presentation tailored to your needs. I also review RFPs and work with you to incorporate my suggestions.

The complete first chapter can be downloaded as a PDF file: RFP Organization

See my article, "8 Things to Consider when Writing an ECM RFP" at AIIM's Digital Landfill.

See my comments in the Harvard Business School article on writing an Executive Summary http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3660.html

Review this brief article on writing/planning for an RFP Planning for an RFP

Top

Independent | Unbiased | Objective

Document Imaging | Electronic Document Management | Records Management | SharePoint

Consulting in Electronic Document & Records Management Technologies

PRA is not affiliated with any vendors, is not a reseller of any products, and provides objective document management consulting services.

Links to recommended sites. These are sites that may be useful and include business training, RFP development, technical training, business contacts.