TAdviser Interview: The director of information technology of "The Siberian service company" about features of replacement of outdated EDMS

Evgeny Klimov: Before implementation of EDMS EDMS already worked at the Tessa platform in our company. A system was used since 2007, at the same time, was quite strongly adapted for specifics of work of our company. Decentralization was the main feature of an old system: 5 different installations of a system in the branches of the Company distributed over the country with quite difficult solution for data exchange between installations within business processes of work with documents.

Such solution had a number of costs: difficult maintenance, delays with updating of information, certain restrictions on work of end-to-end business processes.

Besides, a system became morally outdated, both in terms of architecture, and regarding the interface. Also there was a number of claims to the speed of work of the solution.

But, if in 2007 the decentralized solution was in our case, perhaps, the only possible option for creation of the distributed EDMS, then by 2015 technologies stepped forward, and as a result we made the decision on the beginning of the project on centralization of EDMS. First of all the latest version of the used platform was considered, but, when it became clear, that new versions are incompatible with current and the solution should be made actually again, decided to consider all key players in the market of EDMS.

Evgeny Klimov: We had to receive a new centralized system, with modern and, at the same time, the simple and clear interface, with modern architecture. A system within uniform installation had to provide the high speed of work in all branches where there was a separate installation, on the existing data transmission channels earlier. A system should repeat the existing application solution without any functional restrictions and provide a sufficient stock of flexibility and durability both for horizontal, and for vertical scaling. In total nearly 1000 employees of the company had to become users of a new system.

Evgeny Klimov: In selection process we considered 5 workflow systems and among them at that time still the platform, absolutely new in the market, Tessa. In selection process reference visits were held demonstrations, organized, demos stands were provided, work speed in branches of the company was tested.

On set of criteria for the centralized solution the Tessa platform and the contractor – developer company of a system Syntellect was selected. Key users were bribed by the beautiful interface, high high-speed performance, simplicity and convenience of work. IT specialists estimated a system in terms of low requirements to the hardware and data transmission channels. The major factor also was that results of measurements of speed of a response of a system (opening of cards, formation of representations, end of tasks) were almost equally fast both in the Moscow division, and in remote branches with limited data transmission channels. In terms of Tessa migration project cost also showed good result: not the lowest, but quite reasonable offer, is slightly lower than the weighted average amount according to all offers.

Evgeny Klimov: The plan of migration for new EDMS was rather conservative: first of all to bring into operation on a new single platform all functionality existing in old EDMS with migration of the documents which collected almost in 10 years: contractual the block, powers of attorney, guaranty letters, work with claims, the module of office (entering outgoing documents, instructions), besides, internal, organizational and administrative documents, regulations and protocols. The new functionality had to be added by the second queue: memos and instructions. Besides, a system should be integrated with the corporate accounting system based on 1C and the NSI system.

The project of migration started in May, 2016. The first stage was implemented and brought into operation by the end of 2016. The second queue – all other processes and also a mobile workplace as which the contractor offered the universal web client with adaptive imposition under different devices was put into commercial operation in April, 2017.

From features, except the large functional volume of the solution, perhaps, It should be noted separately gradual transfer of functions from old EDMS in Tessa and the corresponding procedure of data migration. Migration for each functional module took place in several iterations. At first all static data of the functional module, i.e. documents according to which processes completed the lifecycle were transferred: for example, the approved agreements, the sent outgoing documents, etc. Further, in an old system creation of new documents of certain types was blocked, all new documents could be created only in Tessa where on them processes of approval and processing were started. In an old system, documents according to which processes were in an active phase completed the operation cycle and then were also transferred to Tessa. Thus, an old system gradually unloaded and afterwards was completely taken out of service. Users completely passed to work in new EDMS Tessa on all modules and functional units.

Evgeny Klimov: In spite of the fact that the interface and even partly the principles of work in Tessa differ from old EDMS, the simplicity and convenience of the Tessa interface and also provided training and provided by the contractor of the instruction and videos on work with a system minimized quantity of questions and problems with adaptation. It is possible to tell that difficulties were not.

Evgeny Klimov: First of all, we achieved a key project objective – received the fast and convenient uniform centralized EDMS on the modern platform, with the modern interface. It helped us to bring corporate document flow to new level, to lower costs for maintenance of a server framework and to lift a number of architectural limits on further development of the centralized solution.

Evgeny Klimov: In general, a system covers all our main requirements to corporate electronic document management. Nevertheless, there is a lot of plans for development.

Next year we expect from the producer release of a mobile workplace of Tessa in the form of mobile application for Android and iOS, including with an opportunity for work offline. Its absence currently – perhaps, the main lack of a system. We together and quite quickly correct others.