Leverage SharePoint 2010 to build Composite Content Applications
Expert Opinion
Ziad WAKIM, VP Solutions, EVER TEAM | Composite Content Applications (CCA) result from the orchestration of people, processes and content, based on packaged solutions, on top of powerful Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Frameworks. Delivered by business domain experts in vertical markets, CCAs enable common enterprise content management suites to respond to organizations’ and industries’ increasing business demands, while providing a faster Return on Investment than custom application development. |
Enterprise Content Management solutions have only recently evolved to enable CCAs to be designed and configured on top, delivering packaged vertical solutions. Previously, business focused content initiatives often had to rely on niche vendors, or custom development, which lead to a fragmentation of the content repositories, as well as application lifecycle issues.
SharePoint 2010 provides an advanced platform for vendors with an expertise in vertical enterprise content management domains. Providing CCAs on SharePoint 2010, EVER TEAM creates new, strengthened value propositions and business outcomes, offering customers several benefits: it enables companies to leverage a common repository, empowers IT staff to use a familiar office like experience, while also providing a balanced set of integration capabilities with LOB applications or ERPs.
To make the best use of the capabilities of SharePoint 2010 in building advanced, transactional, content intensive applications, companies must build their solutions according to experience and best practices of the enterprise content management world. Based on Extensive Domain Expertise, innovative vendors have begun linking their content management applications to industry-specific, human centric processes to offer various CCAs such as:
- Correspondence Tracking: including document imaging, digital mailroom, advanced workflow routing, as well as incoming and outgoing correspondence and the use of digital signatures.
- Supplier Invoice Management : including advanced document reconciliation, ERP integration, complex workflow and extensive notifications.
- Insurance Claims handling and processing.
- Loan Application Process.
In a large distributed environment, CCA integration with disparate information systems becomes an absolute necessity. Whether ERPs, portals, repositories or custom applications, there will always be a need to incorporate content from these third-party vendor suites. They should always be able to integrate smoothly with most pieces within the IT landscape.
Composite assembly, fast integration and ease of use, are the three new pillars of next generation content solutions. Building a state-of-the-art CCA today requires an unprecedented openness and connectivity into the existing environment to fully leverage existing data sources and process investment.
SharePoint 2010 is a robust, efficient platform to build such solutions supporting very efficient, fast and cost effective business focused content initiatives. Benefiting from the best practices and domain expertise already available in a ready to use package, companies looking to leverage their SharePoint investment would be wise to consider CCAs as an alternative to custom development.
Leveraging SharePoint 2010 for building CCAs provides business solutions with the ability to be quickly configured and deployed addressing the specific business problems, shortening the project implementation cycle, and targeting ROI within a year.
By Ziad WAKIM, VP Solutions, EVER TEAM
