Tackling Invoice Processing with Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition

Paying invoices in inevitable. The way in which organizations pay invoices today wildly differs. While most companies have a formalized or semi-formalized method to approve and pay invoices, these methods often fall victim to missing documents and delays in user execution. These inefficiencies can create cash flow issues, credit problems, missed opportunities for vendor discounts and potentially, an inability to effectively pass audits. By utilizing Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition, businesses can capture and store invoices and their related documents, enabling users to centrally access these documents in a secure and managed environment. This article explores a few of the challenges our AP departments face every day and introduces a cost effective solution for companies looking to keep on top of their back office processes.

The Challenge

Invoice processing is a critical operation and extremely document intensive, relying on paper from multiple sources arriving through a variety of delivery channels. In an unmanaged, manual environment it can become extremely challenging for AP Clerks to track documents related to a specific invoice. Missing documents prevent users from effectively reconciling invoices, purchases orders, packing slips and other items required to process an invoice. In cases where all the documents are present, workers are still required to walk the paper from desk to desk in order for an invoice to be approved or disputed.

So my invoice process is inefficient – does it really matter?

Inefficiencies in processing invoices leads your organization to not only miss out on valuable early payment discounts from the vendor but also opens you up to late fees and may, block you ability to accurately contest invoices from vendors. This situation will not only adversely affect cash flow but often leads to strained relationships with vendors resulting in unfavorable credit terms. In today’s economy paying late often means paying more. If your business exists in a regulated industry, struggles to verify transactions related to company operations may open the door to increased risk of imposed business restrictions, fines, and even legal action.

Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition – Capture, share and process invoices securely

Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition enables organizations to capture and store invoices along with other documents relating to the transaction. Invoices can be automatically delivered to secure repositories structured by vendor, department, cost center, in fact any model adopted by the AP department.  Documents can be viewed, annotated, transitioned to the next stage in the invoice approval process, filed for dispute or sent to management for payment authorization. Document Server is easy to configure, enabling users to work with a solution that mimics their manual environment without the traditional bottle necks and choke points.  Documents can be accessed across the web or distributed using any kind of removable media meaning those involved in the process can participate through a variety of channels.

What this means for you

Organizations who streamline their invoice processing operation with Document Server can reduce the costs associated with managing vendor payments. The cost to process each invoice will significantly drop as the time and expense involved with validating and routing invoices and associated documents is slashed. Working with a central view of all the documents relating to specific transaction allows the business to swiftly contest incorrect invoices, avoiding needless overpayments. From a compliance perspective, organizations will be able to accurately support all financial reporting with their ability to locate those supporting documents in a few simple clicks.

Invoice Processing is one example of how Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition enables businesses to transform document intensive operations and reduce operating costs.  To find out more about Document Server contact Open Text or one of our global partners.

We have a web demo on Open Text Document Server, Alchemy Edition (formerly Captaris Alchemy) located here.

Written by Darren Boynton with Open Text’s Fax and Document Distribution Group.  (Formerly Captaris)

The Reality of Fax Virtualization

What’s all the fuss about virtualization anyway?  Well for starters, it’s a hot topic in IT consolidation today because it saves money and helps the environment too. Virtualization is the ability to run multiple instances of applications, operating systems or CPUs on a “virtual” or “alien” platform. The obvious benefits are easy to see: Less computer hardware to maintain, less space in the datacenter, and even less energy consumption.

At first pass it sounds straightforward, but if you dig deep enough, virtualization can be thought of at multiple layers within the topology of an Enterprise to such a degree that it can be downright confusing. Popular definitions of virtualization will usually lump it into two main categories however: Platform virtualization and Application virtualization. If you want more, then it starts to get a little too deep.  As a matter of fact, Wiki lists about ten distinct categories of virtualization. But fear not, with respect to Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition (Formerly Captaris RightFax) and its role in your virtual reality, it is well, “virtually” a no brainer. Simply put, the new version Fax Server, RightFax Edition is an application that can run on a virtual machine using VMWare.   This means that your fax solution can now play nicely with whatever virtual strategies you have in place today and for the future. 

But wait, what about the fax boards that interconnect the server to the phone system? After all they are physical pieces of hardware that require occupancy in a machine. How do you turn that into a virtual solution too? The first answer is easy: Consider migrating to a software-only solution that eliminates the need for the fax boards altogether. That’s right; we’re talking about strengthening your virtualization strategy by adopting a fax over IP (FoIP) solution. Now, you’ve created a truly replicable environment.  

Okay, so what if that is not possible? Since we are on the topic of “reality”, it is well understood that many organizations are just starting to implement their plans to migrate to FoIP and that there are in fact a lot of installed fax boards already in place and working fine just as they are. That brings us to the second answer and it’s just as easy: Using Fax Server’s modern architecture, it’s simple to setup the fax boards in a dedicated CPU machine (with a remote DocTransport service running for example) and placing the rest of the application on an “alien” or “virtual” machine. You’re still going to recognize tangible benefits while leveraging your current fax board investments. Over time, you can migrate your fax hardware to FoIP and gain even more return as you virtualize the rest of the solution. 

To sum it all up, if going “virtual” is in your company’s plans, then Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition now offers flexible ways to make it… real.

Download a Fax over IP Toolkit and information on fax server virtualization in VoIP environments.  

Open Text has also published The Essential Guide to Fax Server Software and you can download it for free.  Jointly published with Windows IT Pro, this comprehensive guide details all considerations when developing a secure and cost effective fax enabled document delivery strategy.

Eliminating Fax Machines in Small to Medium Size Enterprises

“If a 25 person organization manually faxes 30 two-page documents daily, it is squandering approximately 1,000 man hours per year.”  Source: Mary Kauffman- The Kauffman Group

Many small to medium size organizations still use standalone fax machines to conduct daily business. What they might not realize is the amount of money they are spending annually simply to maintain a single machine.  One Fax machine can cost an average of $1000 annually to maintain. This is not even taking to account the amount of time that is wasted from retrieving these faxes from the machine and ensuring they are directed to the appropriate recipient. 

OpenText fax solutions eliminate the need for fax machines and keep businesses from losing important information, thus saving time and money. Below are some questions to take into account for deciding to implement a faxing solution to replace fax machines in your organization:

• How much do you spend annually on maintaining fax machines in your office? (paper, toner, repairs etc.)
• How much time are associates wasting on a daily basis from retrieving, and rescanning faxes from machines?
• Is vital information being lost in fax transactions?
• Would you like to streamline your business to ease the amount manual paper processes?
• Are there security and compliance issues that you face from having fax machines outputting sensitive information?
• Do you want better control and availability to see audit trails of your faxes?

 Open Text Fax Server, RighFax Edition and Fax Appliance, Fax Press Edition offer solutions for small to medium size enterprises looking to eliminate traditional fax machines and reduce the amount of lost information, increasing the compliancy and saving money.

OpenText Fax Server Business Edition is the optimal fit for small to medium size organizations. The Business Server software is a stand-alone fax server comes standard with the SMTP Gateway and allows a maximum of 30 channels.  Business Server also allows for telephony-based routing including: DID, Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), DTMP, CSID and Automatic Number Identification (ANI).

Fax Appliance, FaxPress Edition is an all-in-one hardware and software solution that offers a variety of features ideal for small to medium size enterprises. The 2500 analog 1 channel option is the smallest option and can be purchased for under $2000. This allows companies sending and receiving fewer than 480 pages of faxes per-day to have a low cost, high ROI solution in their office. The Enterprise Redundant System is a digital option that is available in up to a 72 channel option. The available unit options are the 2500, FaxPress Desktop Edition, Premier and the Enterprise Redundant. FaxPress is the perfect fit for small to medium size organizations looking to automate their faxing process with a user friendly interface and simple to install combined solution.

Open Text Fax & Document Distribution Group has published a free guide detailing document strategies for small and medium sized enterprises and you can download it from here. 

For more information on OpenText Fax Server, RightFax Edition and Fax Appliance, FaxPress Edition visit our website at:

http://faxsolutions.opentext.com/fax-server.aspx

http://faxsolutions.opentext.com/fax-appliance.aspx

Written by Kate LeRoy with Open Text’s Fax & Document Distribution Group. 

 

Open Text Delivers Rich Fax Functions for Microsoft Exchange Server 2010

The following news announcement was made today through Open Text Corporate PR…

 

Ensures that Enterprises Can Migrate to Exchange Server 2010 and Preserve Investments in Unified Messaging, Network-Based Fax Capabilities

WATERLOO, Ont. – November 9, 2009 – Open Text™ (NASDAQ: OTEX, TSX: OTC), a global leader in Enterprise Content Management (ECM), today announced that it has developed enterprise fax functionality seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. This ensures that enterprises can migrate to Exchange Server 2010, preserve their investments in network-based fax capability and unified messaging systems and provides the ability to access faxing from mobile devices. Open Text is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and 2009 ISV Line of Business Partner of the Year finalist.

Faxing continues to be a critical requirement for many businesses that need signatures, drawings, and other paper-based content. In industries and businesses such as banking, healthcare, mortgage companies, and patent offices, faxes are recognized as important legal documents and vital to business operation. With Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition and Exchange Server 2010, faxing becomes an integral part of the overall enterprise infrastructure, providing a strong return on investment and reducing or eliminating the need for physical fax machines.

“By developing and updating our fax solutions to work with Exchange Server 2010, we provide enterprises with continued fax functionality that is vital in many industries,” said Raul Camacho, Senior Product Manager, Open Text Fax and Document Distribution. “What’s more, since faxing is built into the unified communications infrastructure users can easily receive, view, and send faxes from a variety of devices and locations, just like email.”

“Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is now available for businesses worldwide and will help organizations reduce costs, protect communications and improve user productivity,” said Julia White, director of Exchange Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “Open Text has a history of providing products with a deep interoperability with Exchange Server. Open Text Fax Server is well-proven in the marketplace and it gives customers a fax solution that seamlessly connects with Exchange Server 2010 Unified Messaging.”

Automated Fax Routing in Exchange Server 2010

Working closely with Microsoft, Open Text developed the Exchange Connector for Exchange Server 2010, which routes faxes into and out of the Exchange Server 2010 system using Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition, a solution offered as part of the Open Text ECM Suite. When a fax comes into an enterprise, Exchange Server 2010 Unified Messaging forwards it to the Open Text Fax Server, which processes the document so it can be transmitted to and viewed within Microsoft Office Outlook as a native fax message. It then routes the fax through Exchange Server to the recipient’s Outlook inbox. The original fax appears as an e-mail attachment that a user can select and view. Users can also send e-mail messages and attachments to the Fax Server from their Outlook inbox for faxing to recipients outside the enterprise.

A significant advantage of Open Text Fax Server, is that faxes are digitally protected, helping to prevent loss or unauthorized viewing of documents. Logging and auditing features provide the ability to review and track all faxes from sender to recipient.

The seamless integration of the Open Text fax technology into Exchange Server 2010 eliminates faxing as a stand-alone system that would require additional IT resources to maintain. Key features such as Active Directory® service synchronization and support for Outlook contact forms provide well-known tools for managing faxes alongside other unified messaging features. Companies can also take advantage of unified communications to have faxes routed to mobile users, who can read and respond to faxes from their smartphones.

Microsoft published a case study on how Open Text developed this solution here:

For the Top 5 Reasons to integrate electronic fax with Microsoft Exchange Server, we have this data sheet. 

For further information on Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition (formerly Captaris RightFax) please visit http://FaxSolutions.OpenText.com

Sizing Your Fax Server Requirements

(Fax) Size Really Matters

Deploying a fax server to meet your company’s needs today and tomorrow requires careful planning. So many organizational metrics come into play when sizing up your server. How do you tackle such a daunting task? Here’s where to start:

1. Take stock – You’ll need to do some sleuthing around your organization to quantify who, what, when and where fax documents are being created, delivered, and received. Find the fax machines first and determine how many pages go in, go out, and require storage. Then, you can start to discover which processes are involved.  Who sends those faxes? Why? How many users are parts of the process?  This investigation can reveal  other paper-based processes,  especially those being used with any multi-function devices (MFDs), or back office ERP systems.   All of these are ideal targets for automating and securing fax document delivery with a fax server integration such as Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition. Remember to plan for the future too. Once a fax server is deployed, other business units and their processes may be ideal to automate with your fax application. Sounds easy, but you’d be surprised how many different paper based processes you may find. Remember, Open Text Fax Server sends documents as faxes, PDF, Emails, secure email and certified email too so don’t limit yourself when you conduct your internal needs assessment.
2. Do the Math – It’s simple: fax servers, whether using traditional phone lines or via the Internet, require “channels” as a means to define bandwidth. Channels can process fax pages at a fairly predictable rate. Thus, knowing the number of pages being sent and received on a particular day, week or month is the best way to size up the number of channels needed – easy!  The number commonly used today is 1 fax page consumes a minute of session time on the phone network or the IP network. So, if you process 5000 fax pages per day, assuming an 8-hour day, then that’s 5000/8hours/60minutes  = 10.4. This means you would need an 11 channel server at a minimum. Obviously, it can get more complex than that and you should always reserve a test channel so in this case we’d recommend a 12 channel server.  Fax storage is easy to compute too. If we take an average of 2.5 pages per fax, and the average fax is 90kB, then storage requirements can be easily estimated. Remember these are just averages – work closely with your Fax Server vendor to better understand YOUR numbers.
3. Who’s’ in the game? Understand where the fax server will reside within your infrastructure. This is where it can get interesting. In addition to the number of channels you’ll need, your fax server strategy must also include an understanding of the overall topology and the necessary systems required to support it now and in the future. Things like server’s CPU size, storage requirements, database, directory integration, telephony requirements (IP, PSTN, or both?), and redundancy strategies – all need careful planning and consideration, especially across larger organizations. Integration with email will require additional modules, as with certain MFPs or ERP systems too.

Putting it all together seems daunting – but not to worry, the great thing about Open Text Fax Server’s scalable solution, is just that – it scales. You can roll out your deployment over time to avoid lengthy downtime and start seeing the paybacks right way. Start with the neediest users, groups, or business processes first, and then plan your expansion strategy. The multi-layered architecture allows you to add channels, connectors and modules, users or groups, document processors and remote sites too. Not to mention the new licensing utility in version Fax Server, RightFax Edition 9.4 means expanding your fax investment across your enterprise is easy too.

Well what are you waiting for?  Go get started!  Check out our complete Fax Server Sizing and Deployment Guide, part of the eBook, located here.

Xerox in Ireland Realizes Cost Savings with Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition’s Integration with SAP

According to Xerox in Ireland, faxing continues to be a critical method of document delivery for their day to day business operations.  By partnering with Ireland-based Open Text partner Softech, Xerox states that the Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition integration with SAP has “greatly improved office efficiency while also reducing our ongoing running costs. Integration with Citrix and SAP systems allows for both local and remote faxing solutions across a centralized and redundant platform.”  

Mark Gallivan of Softech still sees critical requirements with multi-national customers like Xerox for secure and integrated fax solutions.  Technology like Open Text Fax Server provides measurable benefits from the reduction in day to day document delivery costs to streamlining customer service and sales fulfillment operations.  Combined with Softech’s services, the Open Text Fax Server solution also provides customers a proven integration with SAP while ensuring secure fax delivery.

Xerox in Ireland had specific faxing needs that required Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition to integrate with Xerox’s SAP infrastructure to allow for automated faxing from their backend systems in the UK. Due to the business critical nature of these processes, a high level of redundancy was also a core requirement.

The system Softech deployed for Xerox was a fully redundant and mirrored RightFax Edition Enterprise Suite utilizing the SAP Connector and the Integration Module.  Connection to the PBX was provided via Primary Rate ISDN lines connected to a 30 channel fax card.  Faxing to the desktop is provided via the RightFax FaxUtil while integration with SAP was achieved using the Integration Module and a secure FTP connection.  In the event of a system failure, a configuration has been mirrored to a second server with faxes and associated data being replicated in real time to this server.

Working with Softech to implement the Open Text Fax Server solution, Xerox in Ireland has dramatically reduced operating and materials costs associated with standalone fax machines while integrating with their core IT infrastructure and business critical applications.  This solution also helps Xerox better service their customers with greater efficiencies.

For more information on Softech, please visit http://www.softech.ie/  or contact Mark Gallivan at m.gallivan@softech.ie

For more information on integrating Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition with SAP, please visit:  http://faxsolutions.opentext.com/sap-connector.aspx

A white paper is also available on secure document delivery with Open Text Fax Server and SAP

Compliance Considerations with a Fax Server and Document Management Strategy

With heightened demands to secure and retain information for compliance purposes, organizations are under more pressure than ever to closely manage fax communications and document processes. It’s no surprise that the number one driver for replacing fax machines with a network fax server is often regulatory compliance.

Here are some questions to consider when developing your document management strategy to support regulatory compliance initiatives:

• Are you relying on paper-based document delivery processes?
• Do you have control over who, how and where documents
  are being delivered?
• Do you have safeguards in place to prevent information tampering?
• Are you confident that information is being received by the
  right people?
• Are you sure that your confidential information is kept private?
• Do you have an audit trail for your corporate communications?

A network fax server allows senders to fax confidential information directly from the privacy of their computers, right from the application they’re working in. With a variety of configurable, automatic tracking features to satisfy audit trail requirements, the network fax server guarantees that the details of every fax transaction will automatically be recorded, stored, organized and available for auditing purposes at any time.

Businesses are also turning to document management software to replace the manual process of document handling and record keeping with tamper-proof repositories that act as a digital file cabinet. A document management solution creates a trusted digital archive where you can securely store any document type and then find it within seconds – even years later!

The combined integration of these two technologies offers a long-lasting, reliable and robust archive solution that allows users to easily store, search, and retrieve inbound and outbound fax messages and their histories.

We have published a new white paper on document management strategies for businesses today that includes information on compliance and security as well as other benefits from implementing a fax server.  You can download it free from here.

For more information, you can also visit http://faxsolutions.opentext.com

Cost Saving Benefits from Document Management Strategies

Regardless of industry or size, gaining control of documents is critical to every organization. Ever-expanding government regulations require effective and auditable control systems for all documents and communications – both paper and electronic. Competitive pressures require that organizations become more efficient and responsive in order to survive and thrive. And in today’s economy, many organizations are forced to produce greater results with fewer resources.

Organizations around the globe are facing similar challenges – increase the bottom line, support compliance efforts and accelerate business processes, while at the same time contributing to a greener workplace.

When looking at ways to accomplish this, a solution that addresses the whole information lifecycle may best meet compliance, efficiency, and cost-savings goals, thereby providing the greatest value.

Cost Savings Benefits from Fax Servers and Document Management Servers

A strong focus on cost savings means businesses are looking for ways to cutback. Organizations looking to qualify each and every technology investment will discover that the implementation of a complete end-to-end document solution delivers a transparent and quantifiable return on investment. Did you know the fax machine sitting next to your desk could be costing your company $10,000 over its lifetime? It’s a fact. Consider the cost of paper and other related expenses for that machine. Now multiply that by the number of fax machines scattered throughout your organization. When you add it all up the amount of money could be staggering. Unfortunately, many companies do not realize that each time someone feeds paper into a manual fax machine; they’re also feeding into higher overhead costs. Replacing fax machines with a network fax server enables users to electronically send, receive, track, and manage fax documents directly from desktop, email, and back-office applications. It’s fast; it’s efficient; and depending on your usage, it could add hundreds of thousands – even millions of dollars – to your bottom line.

A document management solution represents significant cost savings for the organization. Eliminating the need for paper-based processing, file storage, printing and distribution dramatically reduces costs in these areas. In addition, a document management solution further lowers costs by reducing the time and resources needed for discovery, audits, litigation and compliance.

By providing immediate access to documents, organizations significantly reduce the time and resources to complete business processes. And in today’s economic climate, that’s a must.

For more information on document strategies, we have published a new white paper available here.

Additional information on the solutions from Open Text Fax & Document Distribution Group is available here:  http://FaxSolutions.OpenText.com

Go Green with an Open Text Fax Solution

Looking for a simple and cost effective green solution?  Fax servers provide real solutions without the hype!

Fax technology is ubiquitous and faxing is recognized as one of the few electronic mediums where documents can be easily transferred and tracked in real-time. Thus, faxing remains an important component of business communications today.

A modern fax server provides an organization with the flexibility to distribute virtually any document from any application, using a central server integrated into a company’s network. Fax servers are purchased to replace fax machines, leverage investments in multi-function printers or automate part or all of a manual paper based process (for example, sending a fax automatically from a CRM or ERP application or routing a fax based on information contained in the fax).

Fax server purchases are generally justified on the cost savings that they drive within the first twelve months of implementation. But there are many other benefits that a fax server provides, including improved employee productivity and organizational effectiveness, process improvement, leveraging IP and VoIP infrastructure investments, document tracking for regulatory purposes, paper wastage reduction, storage benefits and meeting compliance and information security needs.

Want to learn more about fax servers? A great place to start is the WindowsITPro eBook “The Essential Guide to Fax Servers”.
Matthew Brine
Matthew Brine is the Vice President for Fax and Document Distribution at Open Text. He can be contacted at mbrine@opentext.com.

The new Open Text Fax & Document Distribution Group site (formerly Captaris) is now here:  http://faxsolutions.opentext.com

Microsoft Publishes Case Study on Open Text Fax Server Integration with Exchange Server 2010

Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition has a long history of integration with Microsoft Exchange. We continue this market proven tradition by developing integration for Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. This is an important faxing solution because Microsoft Exchange 2010 will no longer offer faxing capability.

Open Text worked with Microsoft to develop rich enterprise fax functionality that would integrate with Exchange Server 2010. The company followed a set of technical and business requirements developed by Microsoft for Exchange Server 2010 to ensure that fax capabilities integrate seamlessly and are easy to use and manage.

These features support two kinds of users. First are employees who are accustomed to using unified messaging systems that include fax functions and who have phone numbers set up to receive faxes. The other users are IT administrators who have established policies and procedures for dial plans that work in conjunction with Exchange Server.

Microsoft published a case study on this collaboration and it’s available from their web site. You can find it by visiting this link!