Paper

• Mostly very reliable
• ALWAYS easy to use
• Easy to replicate
• Mostly easy to file (index)
• Mostly easy to find

Electronic

• May need an IT department
• May need dedicated servers for storage of large volumes of images
• Cannot handle paper "as is".
• Easy to "lose" documents which are improperly "profiled"

Mixed

• The ultimate solution ???
• Keep electronic documents electronic as long as the process being performed does NOT need paper, then move to paper.
• Scanning paper back to an electronic format is only suitable (after KOFAX) when:
  • the paper is in perfect condition,
  • the paper is of a uniform type and size.

Many people just use the document management facilities built into the windows operating system

• Access to both directories and documents can be easily controlled
• Names of documents can be made adequately descriptive
• Documents can be listed by searching for included text content

EDM Systems do not peform clerical tasks, and

• Require a "profile" to be completed when a document is created or received.
• Do not have the searching and indexing facilities needed for complex projects

CAD Systems require to be managed, and this is done by specialised EDM systems which

• Have special capabilities to handle revisions of documents
  • First is the ability to maintain the Title Block from a database
  • Second is the ability to manage access to revisions - once "issued" a revison becomes locked
• Build a profile from data specifically entered for title block etc
• Manage the allocation of work to the individuals in the drawing office
• Can be misused to generate unnecessary documents better held in a database
• Have Workflow which can be misused to generate transmittal notes

Portals are essentially a "shared system" which

• Enable Data to be shared - although access to documents and rights to processes can be controlled
• Have no-one with overall responsible for data integrity.
• Require double entry of data
  • Outward
    • Entered on one's own CEMDC or EDM(CAD) system
    • Entered separately on the Portal
  • Inward
    • Downloaded from the portal and
    • Entered onto ones' own CEMDC system

• Perform the basic necessary EDM functions, and
  • use the operating system for viewing electronic documents
  • allow storage of documents in a structured repository
• Generate general documents from information within its database, can keep a "hard" copy (pdf or paper)
• Handle paper and electronic technical documents in an identical fashion
• Do the clerical work - in the same manner as an accounting system
• Use the main features of the internet
  • Generates emails directly or passes to an email system
  • Reads emails directly or retrieves from an email system
  • Can FTP / HTTP documents UP to and DOWN from a server
• Uses EDI to reduce double entry whilst retaining incoming data validation.
• Can be seamlessly linked to an EDM(CAD) system

• Document Controllers can use paper or paperless systems.
• Software means that information within can be shared by others.