Konstantin Istomin, Directum: New strategy is directed to creation of an ideal ECM system of the digital enterprise

Konstantin Istomin: The main indicator of our work are the implemented projects, i.e. the solved business challenges of clients. Last year showed the stable growth of number of projects: it both new projects on implementation or substitution of systems (subsidiary companies of PJSC Gazprom), and development of the current clients. Special attention is deserved by projects where uncommon problems of document flow were solved: confidential office-work (ChTPZ Group), personnel document flow (Lokomotivnye technologii LLC), development of a Regional system of execution of regulations (Government of the Ryazan region), implementation of artificial intelligence (JSC UEC), etc.

We announced several innovative solutions: from intellectual services to chat-bots. Relevant business needs which we regularly face are their cornerstone.

All range of solutions and basic approaches to work are reflected in the new long-term strategy of Directum DigitALL. And today we offer the customers not just EDMS with standard feature set, and a complex intellectual ECM system for solving of tasks of the digital enterprise.

The release of version 3.0 of the DirectumRX system became an important event for the company. It is a new reference point — now DirectumRX not simply easy cloud solution for the small companies, it is a modern functional ECM system with the thought-over ergonomics and the built-in development environment. A system is still available both in cloud, and in local delivery and ensures functioning of several thousand users.

Konstantin Istomin: We not just monitor trends, we study data domains, we develop solutions and the most important — we put them into practice.

The key innovation which appeared in solutions of Directum company in 2018 is an artificial intelligence. Already now customers process documents using intellectual services Directum Ario, different opportunities are available to them: extraction of the facts from the text, automatic classification and distribution of flows of letters, contractual documents, supporting documents; identification of changes in documents, determination of the executive in charge and smart search.

The solution "Long-term Archive" which provides management of paper archive and legally significant storage of electronic documents with observance of all procedures of archive office-work is issued.

Corporate chat-bots are developed for involvement in digital processes of all employees. Also chat-bots are actively used in the solution on exchange of the electronic way bill (ETRN) in service of exchange Synerdocs.

By the way, Synerdocs became the first Russian service which allows the companies to exchange electronic way bills. Its all participants use supply chains — the transport and logistic companies (TLC), consignees and consignors.

New opportunities appeared in the solution for the organization of end-to-end processes in holding — interaction between the companies can and should be simple and controlled. In the field of intercorporate document flow the list of connectors to services of exchange extends, instruments of thin setup of business processes are available — directly from an ECM system documents go to partners and their return is controlled.

Konstantin Istomin: The last year became very demonstrative in respect of tasks which had to be solved. Every second project is non-standard processes and approaches. So, for example, the project in ChTPZ Group came to the end. About 7,000 users in 100 cities work in a uniform ECM system. What uncommon is in the project — confidential office-work is implemented, all requirements to storage and exchange of documents with a signature stamp in electronic form are considered.

In 2018 large projects developed. PJSC Surgutneftegas and its subsidiary of JSC Kaliningradnefteprodukt transferred work with accounting documentation to an electronic form. In the first case automation concerned bookkeeping registers, in the second — legally significant exchange of documents between divisions is adjusted.

In Lokomotivnye technologii LLC the solution on personel assessment is implemented. Thanks to transparency of procedures and a clear technique of assessment the personnel are motivated to develop own skills for compliance to competences and the corporate purposes.

Projects on implementation of intellectual services in PJSC United Engine Corporation (UEC) and in JSC ODK-Aviadvigatel are interesting. The companies process flows of the entering paper documents using Directum Ario. In total for last year we implemented 8 projects with implementation of artificial intelligence, among them, of course, there are also pilot projects.

Among projects in public sector it should be noted system implementation in the Murmansk region duma, works in the Government of the Ryazan region: multiregionality and interactive forms of statements for EPGU, work in SIEI through systems integrators.

Large-scale implementation projects of uniform long-term archive of documents in the large companies started. In all cases it is the large companies where about 10,000 users of information systems. In such organizations large volumes not only paper, but also electronic documents therefore management of their storage becomes very relevant task are saved up.

Every year mobile solutions are more and more demanded. Directum Solo for heads is actively used in JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, ChTPZ Group, in the Government of the Vologda region. Employees in JSC Glavkosmos, "BP Resource", JSC UEC — Gas Turbines work with Directum Jazz.

Clients execute a set of projects independently: it both implementation from scratch, and development of the current solutions. We see an overall picture and scale of the done work at annual tender of IT projects and the solutions Directum Awards. The last tender which came to the end in March, 2019 collected 85 requests. Among participants T Plus PJSC, Ruspolimet PJSC, Sovcombank PJSC, the pharmaceutical companies Gideon Richter is Rus of JSC were noted and Biocodex.

Konstantin Istomin: I already mentioned the project in ChTPZ Group, the foreign electronic document management system was substituted there. Migration of the historical data which are saved up in 10 years of use EMC Documentum became a separate major problem of the project.

On the project of our partner in JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (JSC GSS) the EMC Documentum system was also substituted. Based on Directum the uniform information field which is connected with the main large information systems of JSC GSS is created. Interaction of each division and department both in Moscow, and in other divisions, including interaction between productions in the different ends of the country is provided.

In subsidiaries of PJSC Gazprom implementation projects with substitution of systems on the Lotus platform are now conducted. For benefit of Directum played several factors at once: existence in a portfolio of ready-made solutions and a possibility of their adaptation, integration mechanisms with the systems of SAP and our experience of maintaining large-scale projects, including in other companies of society.

Konstantin Istomin: For effective implementation of our products in the company there is a special technology considering long-term experience of substitution including foreign IT solutions. There is no special difference whose product to substitute — domestic or foreign, the algorithm of actions is essentially identical.

Every second implementation project is substitution of outdated software now. Most customer companies already have experience with electronic document management systems, and today reached that degree of a maturity when there is an understanding of tasks and an ultimate goal of digitalization.

The technology of implementation with substitution of a system is practiced also by our partners. They have rather high competences independently to implement such projects: PJSC Il (Tanais), Conde Nast publishing house (Akelon), JSC UEC ("Modern technologies"), Government of the Yaroslavl region (Finex Quality), etc.

Conditionally minimum plan of substitution consists of several stages:

• the analysis of custom practices under the client and the saved-up historical data in the substituted IT solution;
• deployment and setup of the Directum system;
• user training of the client;
• migration of historical data from the substituted IT solution;
• support of employees of the client at stages of test and trial operation.

Upon transition to a new system we urge clients to aim at more good results. It should not be replacement for the sake of replacement, it is necessary to estimate efficiency of the operating processes and to review them if necessary, to pass to completely digital format, to expand use on a scope of tasks and users. It is necessary to reach new level managements — on the new level of digitalization.

Konstantin Istomin: Import substitution is not so much the law, how many the recommendation and the directions of development today. Yes, in acting with the NPA sometimes there is not enough reality and unambiguity of treatments, but in general at the level of the legislation is already made enough. The political will objectively is and is clear to all, the impulse is already given — the real movement in the direction of import substitution is.

Do you need to improve something in the legislation? Debatable question. Now competent dense work of IT professional on places is necessary. Not be engaged in achievement of indicators on import substitution, and create the reliable and effectively working systems. It is important that financing was selected. Then it will be necessary only to support all this huge difficult mechanism.

Konstantin Istomin: The directions of development of products of the company are reflected in the strategy of Directum DigitALL which provides complex approach for implementation of an ideal ECM system of the modern digital enterprise. What directions are included by strategy:

• The legal importance of electronic documents which should be provided in internal and external processes of the company: it is important to support work with different types of the EDS, to build integration with e-document flow services, it is correct to organize long-term document storage with preserving of their legal importance.
• Omnichannel is different options of access to corporate information and services outside a "stationary" ECM system: mobile applications, chat-bots, integration with corporate portals, embedding in third-party applications.
• Convenience of users in interaction with solutions. We pay special attention to study of the interface (UI/UX), we try to facilitate adaptation of users at the expense of the built-in system of training, for the repeating routine transactions masters of actions and designers of documents are provided in systems.
• The intelligence and robotization undertake a part of routine transactions of users. Intellectual services are used for automatic document classification, extraction of the facts from a text layer based on what different document revisions can be compared, form summaries, etc. Besides, using intellectual services smart search (Smart Search) is implemented.
• A set of the business solutions ready to implementation extends also constantly and improved. It is important to us to give to the client the solution of a specific objective of business, to consider all requirements and features of processes, to implement them at the most modern level of digitalization. Now it both personnel processes, and traveling expenses, and purchases, and even accounting.
• The powerful ECM platform is a basis of the digital enterprise therefore its scalability, a possibility of fast adaptation and integration with other software matters. To the large organizations and holdings creation of an ECM system with a distributed architecture that the solution was optimal on functionality and labor input of maintenance is relevant.

All directions are important, but the most trend are the intelligence and robotization (RPA systems) and also the legal importance now. The last is especially relevant in the context of personnel document flow.

Together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection we participate in study of legislative aspects of personnel office-work. Also the Directum company is a part of theme groups according to the Digital Economy program. The most discussed issues are connected just with the correct document storage and ensuring their legal importance.

All this becomes in order that our solutions were most ready to transition to completely digital interaction of all employees and partners.