Many organizations need help managing the large volume of physical and digital documents created within their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Far too often, these documents become separate from the ERP process, forcing employees to switch back and forth between different applications or go on a manual “file hunt” for the document they need. Not only are these methods inefficient, but they can also become a significant problem when it comes to compliance and auditing.
Luckily, there is a way for businesses to speed up document-centric processes by integrating their existing ERP system with Infor Document Management (IDM). Infor Cloudsuite IDM allows you to categorize and connect critical information, automate workflows, and enhance performance and productivity, all at the same time.
This article will break down what you need to know about IDM and how you can get started. Let’s dive in!
What is IDM?
IDM is a central repository where you can maintain business rules for creating, storing, and managing documents, such as invoices, vendor files, and employee records. When integrated directly into Infor CloudSuite, IDM eliminates the need for document interfaces or third-party content management solutions.
The many various functions that make up the IDM application enable and augment common document management tasks, including:
- Document Capture—Scan documents using a web browser, connect them to critical business processes, and provide key document storage for critical business information.
- Automated workflows—Set up workflows to save employees time and take advantage of the categorization capabilities of IDM to organize and access critical document metadata.
- Advanced search—Simplify finding specific information, even in large data sets. Easily find the latest, most accurate version of any document (without going on that file hunt).
Features of IDM
IDM supports the entire lifecycle of your business documents, from input through storage, retrieval, and sharing. Let’s consider how this would benefit manufacturing organizations.
In the manufacturing industry, employees produce countless documents, from purchasing materials to shipping an order to a client. Add in the clients and the suppliers who create and share documents in various formats, and you’re looking at a veritable blizzard of documents to keep track of. Add IDM to the picture; however, and documents can be organized so that updating and accessing them quickly (from any location) becomes a breeze.
Here’s a closer look at some of IDM’s specific features:
Input Documents
You can automatically add documents to IDM through either a capturing process or an automated process. You can also manually add documents using your ERP applications or any IDM clients, all inside Infor Ming.le. IDM even works with Microsoft Office applications to create the appropriate metadata and reference documentation for critical ERP objects.
Store Documents
IDM stores your company’s documents in a central repository using role-based authentication and authorization to protect sensitive information. It also comes with versioning and other capabilities so you can have confidence the version you’re working with is the latest and greatest.
Connect Documents
Soft links are created between your documents and applications with attributes stored with your documents. The application doesn’t need to know any details about a stored document to connect it—IDM creates this connection for you since your business objects and documents share all the same attributes.
What Can You Do with Infor Document Management?
With the capability to scale horizontally, vertically, and globally, Infor Document Management enables organizations to manage large amounts of data locally on an existing database server or in the cloud. This way, users can automatically upload documents to their Infor system, manage the entire document lifecycle from start to finish, and distribute completed documents to relevant systems or uses.
IDM also offers Document Output functionality and a Related Information contextual app for creating document templates, printing or distributing completed documents through email, and providing context-aware information for selected assets to related Infor products.
Here’s a closer look at a few of the core capabilities of Infor Document Management:
Document workflow
Access intelligent workflow tools to automate core document management processes, including routing, approval, and status tracking.
Document organization
Assign documents to specific folders and subfolders to help users find the documents they need quickly and easily.
Document security
Leverage access controls, encryption, and password protection to ensure that only authorized users can access, view, modify, and share documents.
Document sharing
Share documents with both internal and external parties to improve collaboration and connection across the complete enterprise landscape.
Document version control
Track and manage various document versions to stay up-to-date with any changes and understand who made the change and why it was made.
Document indexing
Index documents already in the system to quickly find documents using specific keywords.
Document integration
Integrate IDM with other systems to access and manage critical documents in other applications.
Critical Tools in the IDM Suite
By storing all documents in a centralized location and automating core document management processes with intelligent workflow tools, Infor Document Management simplifies document creation and sharing and facilitates further digitization for organizations in a modern enterprise landscape.
Let’s take a look at a few key tools included in the IDM environment:
Infor Mobile App
Access IDM capabilities on mobile devices to access, create, search, modify, and share documents anytime, anywhere.
DocuSign
Integrate IDM and DocuSign to empower users to create new DocuSign templates, lock documents, and distribute documents that require additional review or signatures.
Microsoft Word Add-in
Develop templates in Microsoft Word and use them in IDM Output Management and search for images in IDM and attach them to existing templates.
IDM Utilities
Leverage self-contained executable JAR file and related functions to import, update, and export data in IDM and manage large amounts of data in a single system.
Enterprise Print
Print documents over the cloud by registering locations and associated printers and sending documents to selected locations.
Microsoft Outlook Add-in
Upload and analyze email attachments directly into IDM from Microsoft Outlook.
Infor Document Management Extensions
With Ephesoft Smart Capture technology, companies can extend their existing IDM landscape. This add-on provides intelligent character recognition (ICR) and optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities that enable teams to improve document capture processes, scan documents through an existing web browser, and connect documents to business processes.
Ephesoft extensions empower organizations to access critical business information in-context and automate the categorization and retrieval of associated metadata, further improving efficiency and ensuring access to the most accurate, up-to-date information.
Getting Started with Infor CloudSuite IDM
IDM centralizes your data storage to improve connectivity with all your Infor business applications and enable quick and easy access to your business docs. It also simplifies auditing tasks, to ensure your organization stays secure and compliant.
If you’re ready to start enjoying the benefits of IDM, our team of senior-level Infor Lawson consulting team can get you set up. Whether you need help with implementation, training, support, or something else, we’re ready to guide your team through this process. Contact us today to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does IDM integrate with other Infor applications?
IDM seamlessly integrates with various Infor applications, such as Infor CloudSuite, Infor LN, and Infor M3. This integration allows users to attach, retrieve, and manage documents directly within the context of their business processes, enhancing workflow efficiency and ensuring relevant documents are readily available when needed.
Can IDM support compliance and regulatory requirements?
Infor Document Management is designed to support compliance through secure document storage, access controls, audit trails, and version control. These features help organizations maintain compliance with industry standards and regulations, ensuring that documents are handled and stored per legal and regulatory guidelines.
What are the key benefits of using Infor Document Management?
The key benefits of using IDM include improved document accessibility and organization, enhanced collaboration across departments, increased security and compliance with document management regulations, and reduced reliance on physical paper documents.
