Managed Print Services

Documents are the lifeblood of business. Whether they are digital or paper, documents are the integral part of all business processes. Controlling documents can be a very complex endeavor. I have written a few blog post concerning turning paper into a digital format and applying workflow, security and many other aspects of these digital docs. Most printing is wrapped up into a wider business process. This post addresses controlling your print output.

Most print output is produced right there in your office, it could be produced at multiple sites or even across a broad regional base. Most cost are invisible as a total spend from companies because it is usually wrapped into departmental budgets. Lets look at some ways to control the most critical area of print output, right there at the local environment - printing right there in the office. This is often the most fragmented and, good news, usually the easiest to control. This is also the area where the most money and workflow efficiency savings are derived from.
By taking on a fresh, strategic approach, you can add many benefits such as increased sustainability, cost savings and enhanced security. Lets face it, poor management results in costing time and money.
Increasing security and streamlining processes does not have to be complicated. Your biggest challenge is probably going to be finding a trusted partner. A partner that will help you set a baseline and achieve goals for greater governance and enforcing compliance that will fit into your business's culture.

DTS's Print Management Solution is a total print management system designed to provide the consumer with a cost effective single point of contact for managing their entire print environment anywhere in the United States.

Guaranteed Uptimes and hot swap programs ensure no disruption in your mission critical workflow.

• Utility Software Detects All Network Printers, IP Addresses & Meters
• Monthly Reporting Done Automatically Without IT Intervention
• Automatic Maintenance, Service & Supply Replenishment Based On Usage 

For more information, click HERE

Saving Money - BIG TIME

Real simple idea, simple to implement and the saving are guaranteed. Hunh? Read on.

Just the facts.

Printing, according to the Gartner Group and other studies, companies spend 1 to 3% of their total revenues on printing. In my experience, most companies consider printers a cheap item to purchase and easy to throw away. Most toner ordering and supply tracking is haphazard at best.

42% - amount of global wood harvest dedicated to paper production

5.4 million tons – office paper consumed annually by U.S. companies

16.3 million – number of printers and copiers sold to U.S. companies in 2007

$800 - $1000 – annual per-employee expense of printing/copying/imaging

10,000 sheets – number of pages printed by the average employee each year

$150,000 – How much it would cost to fill up the tank of your car with inkjet ink




The Situation


The customer is a large faith-based organization known world-wide. Operating a busy office with over one thousand employees, the organization originally relied on hundreds of color HP convenience printers paired with a smaller number of black-and-white only multi-function peripherals (MFPs) for their printing and copying needs. Although their employees enjoyed the convenience of their HP color printers, the organization was needlessly losing money each time workers printed color documents on these high-cost devices

Paying for 88,000 color copies produced on the convenience printers each month, the organization was
searching for a solution that would reduce their costs while preserving a corporate culture that allowed their
employees to have personal printers.
In their new printing environment, employees would be guided by the software to make the most cost-effective printing decisions. An employee who attempts to print a large color document on the older, more costly printer would be reminded of the new cost-saving color MFP down the hall through a popup message. At the same time, a worker who is printing a quick one-page black-and-white memo could easily retrieve his or her document at the printer around the corner, which assures optimal workflow is preserved.
We give a unique competitive advantage by not only offering our clients a complete picture of their printing environment, but also letting them take action to reduce inefficient printing habits.
Before implementing the software, the client was averaging 88,000 color prints on HPs each month. Six months later they average only 10,000 – with the rest of the volumes being transferred to the MFPs.

By migrating large print jobs from older printers to new low-cost devices, the organization is saving $15,000 per month in printing costs, which is a total of $180,000 in annual savings.

Create cost and eco-conscious users by informing users of job costs and environmental impact before they print.

Ensure your most efficient printers are being used by redirecting jobs from high-cost to low-cost devices.

Maintain document security and regulatory compliance by implementing rules that can prevent confidential documents from being printed or inform you when they are printed.

Control color costs by limiting color usage by the user, computer, printer, number of pages, application and much more.

Reduce abuse by encouraging or forcing users to print on both sides of the page.

Hey, shoot me an email. After an analysis and setting a baseline, the savings are garuanteed, this is what I do.

Lets go Paperless! A really short blog.

Statistic are proving that we are NOT eliminating paper, but quite the opposite. 

This looks like fun!

At DTS we don't encourage clients to go totally paperless, but that we focus on is streamlining the processes that have been dependent on paper.  Paper usually follows a path through a company.  There are usually processes and rules for how that paper is routed and what is done with it.  The benefits of “going paperless” are in relying less on paper and more on repeatable processes.
So when it is smarter or needful to use paper, use paper.  What we challenge is whether a business is focused on their paper or focused on their processes.  “Going Paperless” means being focusing on your business process rather than on shuffling paper work around.

Here are some great tips on saving paper...

• Use document scanners to convert paper documents to electronic format then shred them – if allowed by law and industry – and send the shredded paper for recycling

• Do not print or copy any documents unless absolutely required. Send all documents via e-mail or electronic fax as the preferred method to your customers

• If you do have to print, be sure to spell/grammar check before you print to eliminate reprinting

• Use Web 2.0 technologies like wikis and blogs for internal communication and collaboration

• Use single source repositories and shared digital workspaces to develop, manage and refine documents like contracts, marketing materials and any other type requiring review and refinement

• Use web interfaces and forms for online applications and order placement

• Sign up for e-bill delivery or online billing from your suppliers rather than paper statements, and pay your bills electronically

• Map, design and manage all business processes electronically. You can begin by mapping the processes and assessing how they can be improved as they are, then address process automation using what you currently own and/or may purchase

Picture yourself jumping into a company's network and getting things a bit more paperless.

Electronic Signatures - Answers!

Often, I get asked about electronics signatures and the requirements of keeping paper documents. I am writing this clear clear up many questions. While I live and work in Minnesota, but the UETA standard has been adopted by almost all states with the exception of 

What is an electronic signature, a digital signature?

 Good question! Hey, what do you expect, I asked it.

An electronic signature is any legally recognized electronic means that indicates that a person adopts the contents of an electronic message. The U.S. Code defines an electronic signature as "an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record. It may be an electronic transmission of the document which contains the signature, as in the case of facsimile transmissions, or it may be encoded message, such as telegraphy using Morse code. Increasingly, encrypted digital signatures are used in e commerce and in regulatory filings as digital signatures are more secure than a simple generic electronic signature.

A digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was originated by a known sender, and that it was not altered in transit. Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery and tampering.

Properly implemented digital signatures are more difficult to forge than the handwritten signatures!

There are 3 main points to the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act.

A record or signature may not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form

If a law requires a writing, an electronic record satisfies the law

If a law requires a signature, an electronic signature satisfies the law

The first important principle of UETA is that a record or signature cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is in electronic form.

The world of business is moving away from paper to electronic media.  It is incumbent on the law to acknowledge and provide for this, otherwise the law becomes a hindrance instead of a tool for economic development.
Thus, from this first principle naturally evolves the second principle of UETA: if a law requires a writing, an electronic record satisfies the law.
In addition, if a law requires a signature, an electronic signature satisfies the law.
It is important to keep in mind what the statute does not do. It does not give legal validity to electronic records if they would not have validity if they were paper records. The barriers that are removed from electronic commerce does not alter the outcome of the dispute-whether the parties use electronic or paper media, the dispute is subject to the same legal principles.
One must look to the underlying law to determine whether the record would have validity. UETA merely provides that just because a record is electronic, it cannot be invalid for that reason alone- but to have legal validity the record would have to have such under the existing law if the record were a paper record.
It is also important to note that UETA very specifically does not mandate any specific electronic technologies- it simply allows for electronic transactions using any type of technology the parties choose.
On June 30th, 2000, the ESIGN Act was signed into Federal Law and thereby established the validity of electronic signatures for interstate and international commerce.


Retention of contracts and records
Section 101(d) of ESIGN provides that if a law requires that a business retain a record of a transaction, the business satisfies the requirement by retaining an electronic record, as long as the record "accurately reflects" the substance of the contract and is "accessible" to people who are entitled to access it "in a form that is capable of being accurately reproduced for later reference, whether by transmission, printing or otherwise."


The most FAQ that arises out of the thought of an electronic signature is, “Will this document hold up in a court of law?”  The answer is -  yes.
There are applications out there that can adhere to laws and make paper signatures a thing of the past.
Business process automation can further the benefits of electronic signatures by automating workflows that can route the signed document to the appropriate party, who then can archive the document in a repository within a matter of seconds.  Another helpful incentive of combining automation with electronic signature verification is the ability to automatically start a process as soon as the document is signed and completed.  There is no waiting for a CSR or company rep to enter in information manually, which saves both time and money.
Keeping compliant with the law is an important aspect of many businesses.  With an electronic signature system in place, a business can show that they have adhered to laws, just as they would with paper documents.
Lets put a logical system in place and ditch all those boxes that take up valuable space and much time to find specific documents in. Now, replace it with a solid digital workflow process that won't break the bank.
You know who to call...

Silly Sharp won't stop it!

SHARP WINS BLI’S 2009 MFP “LINE OF THE YEAR” AWARD

Sharp honored with coveted award for the second time in past three years

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that it has received the 2009 “Line of the Year” Award from Buyers Laboratory, Inc. (BLI), the leading global provider of information and testing services to the digital imaging industry. BLI’s “Line of the Year” is awarded once a year to the vendor whose product line is determined to be the best overall based on its cumulative test results in BLI’s rigorous two-month laboratory evaluation. Among the many factors considered are reliability, image quality, productivity, ease of use, scanning, a host of connectivity attributes and overall value. Also considered is the breadth of each vendor’s line.
“We are honored to once again receive this award. We believe it to be the result of our continued focus on where the market is heading, not just where it is today," said Mike Marusic, vice president of marketing and service, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "In doing so we work closely with end users to understand their needs and where their business is moving, and then design products that will help them work more efficiently and ultimately improve their bottom line. The result is our award winning line of MFPs – from A4 to production class - that are customizable, easy to operate, secure and reliable.”
Several of its A3 MFPs have received Fall 2009 “Pick” Awards from Buyer’s Laboratory Inc. (BLI). The awards acknowledge “outstanding performance” and excellence “in areas of importance to IT professionals” in a number of different Sharp A3 MFPs, including the MX-M283N (Outstanding 21- to 30-PPM Monochrome MFP), MX-M363 (Outstanding 31- to 40-PPM Monochrome MFP) and the MX-M453 and MX-M503 (Outstanding 41- to 50-PPM Monochrome MFPs).
“We are proud to accept this year’s BLI Pick Awards because we believe Sharp’s best of breed engineering has reached a new level with these products,” said George Grafanakis, senior manager, Product Planning and Marketing, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “All of the newest Sharp innovations can be found in these MFPs, from the durable, standard pull-out keyboard, to the 8.5” touchscreen display, to our Sharp OSA development platform that features a growing number of certified and customizable applications. We would like to thank BLI for this award and will continue to develop products that meet our customers’ needs as we head in to the new year.”
In addition to award-winning Sharp features such as a large color touchscreen; standard retractable keyboard; and the Sharp OSA development platform, Sharp’s MX monochrome and color series models broke new ground by incorporating a common architecture among all models, minimizing the need to stock two different sets of options.
Each model features a true multi-tasking controller that delivers copy, print and fax jobs continuously, and can also process network scanning jobs while outputting existing jobs. Other standard features include automatic duplexing, electronic sorting and integrated offset stacking; an on-board paper capacity of up to 5,600 sheets; and a 100-sheet duplex single pass document feeder with color Scan2 technology standard. Sharp’s award-winning Scan2 technology enables users to scan two-sided documents in a single pass, speeding up workflow, reducing misfeeds and improving reliability.
In total this year Sharp’s A3 MFPs have earned eight “Picks,” covering the entire spectrum of color and monochrome. Sharps current A3 product line offers a total of 17 “Pick of the Year Award” winners, more than any other copier vendor. “Pick” awards recognize the outstanding combination of high reliability and above average ratings for all aspects of connectivity, including feedback to workstations, administrative utilities, and print drivers. Sharp products also score very well for ease-of-use, with a high-resolution color touch-screen display that is customizable to allow commonly used features to be placed on the main screen for each function.
“While all of the dynamics driving change may not be clear, what is clear is that dealers must expand their business model beyond focusing exclusively on selling higher-priced ledger/A3 hardware,” said BLI Managing Editor Daria Hoffman. “With A4 MFPs that are just as robust as traditional A3 MFPs in this important segment, Sharp has a leg up on its competitors.
The “Line of the Year” Award also recognizes the exceptional scanning capabilities of Sharp A3 devices, including the ImageSEND function; Sharpdesk, “a favorite among BLI technicians;” and dual-head scanning, which leads to less wear and tear, less chance for misfeeds and quicker scan speeds. BLI goes on to mention that Sharp devices “set the benchmark for programming LDAP destinations.”

Sharp proves superior once again...

Sharp is pleased to announce that the Frontier Series has won Product of the Year honors from the editors of The Cannata Report. Since its introduction, the Frontier Series has revolutionized the industry, enabling any organization to help shrink the footprint of their printer, copier, fax and scanner fleets. For the first time ever, The Cannata Report did not single out one product for this prestigious honor.

After 23 years of awarding a single machine these honors, The Sharp Frontier Series was the first full product line to come away with the award. Equally honored are the models MX-C311, MX-C401, MX-B401, DX-C310, DX-C311, DX-C400, and DX-C401. “This is the first time we have presented such an award,” said Frank Cannata, editor, The Cannata Report. “The Frontier Series has propelled many Sharp dealers into the A4 MFP market, so we extend our congratulations to Sharp for bringing on line a brand new product series that addresses a critical need for its dealers.” Sharp continues to strengthen its product offerings with the very best in leading technology, features, value, and reliability.

The Frontier Series from Sharp continues to deliver the performance and compatibility needed for today’s busy office environments. “Enterprises and medium-sized firms are increasingly replacing disparate personal printers located throughout their offices with cost-effective A4 MFPs,” said Ed McLaughlin, president, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “We expect to see even greater uptake in A4 in the next year and will continue to manufacture innovative products that our dealers can use to grow their business and increase their presence in the market.”

Fred Jeffery
Solutions Specialist
Document Technology Solutions
9401 James Ave S, Suite 162; Bloomington, MN 55431
Ph: 952-516-7914; Fax: 952-516-7901
fjeffery@dtsimaging.com
http://www.dtsimaging.com/


Now, what would one of my posts be without a picture of a nice horse...
This one happens to be with my daughter. :) The horse's name is Dyno.

Just what is this horse thing?

Our horse non profit is called Standing in the gap. Standing In The Gap endeavors to be fully equipped and financially able to rehab and retrain injured thoroughbreds. Click on any horse picture in the blog and you will be taken to the website.
Darla almost lost her life in July 2006 due to a severe staph infection called MRSA. Darla was bed ridden for 5 months and to this day lives with chronic pain. To face death, one can change their outlook on life. Horses have taken Darla on a path that she never dreamed of walking.
Darla's first horse Dolly, resided at a private thoroughbred training and lay over facility for racehorses. It was here that she found a natural ability which the horses drew out of her. Spending most of her time in the barn or at the side of the pasture, she quietly and carefully observed and learned their language.

Several months after Darla bought Dolly, a large quarter horse arrived at the barn without a name. Day after day she noticed that he kept his head low to the ground in the back corner of his stall. "Charlie" would not turn around and seemed to be locked into a depression. Bringing this to the attention of her family, they worked as a team to get this horse to interact. Darla's husband Fred sought out information about "Charlie" and learned that he had raced for a couple of years and then moved into a career of ponying racehorses for over 10 years. Due to arthritis in his knee, "Charlie" lost his job at the track...and he seemed to know that his career was over. Fred bought "Charlie" and renamed him Moses, who would then help lead Standing In The Gap's first injured racehorse to recovery.

During the spring of 2009, Standing In The Gap relocated to a smaller, peaceful farm named Heiland Hill Training Center. At their new location the horses are exposed to a whole new way of life. It is here where Maverick begins his training and Standing In The Gap takes in their second injured racehorse on July 1, 2009...Solo Tour.

Standing In The Gap endeavors to be fully equipped and financially able to rehab and retrain injured thoroughbreds. Presently, their team is small but every day they work diligently to get the word out. Darla and VP Leslie Morley are working on building positive relationships with the owners and trainers of racehorse thoroughbreds. Standing In The Gap is supportive of the racing industry and knows that like any sport...there are sometimes injuries and they endeavor to give owners and trainers a positive alternative and a chance for the horse to lead a full life. Most thoroughbreds love to work, it is Standing In The Gap's passion to retrain these broken athletes as therapy horses for military vets.

Like I said, check out the website.
Now enjoy a great picture of a horse...

Money leaking out?

Many companies in the Twin Cities are spending a ton on their printers and their copiers.  The Gartner Group estimates that 3% of a companies revenues are spent on printing and copying.  This is a massive number.  Especially if you consider for a $5,000,000 a year company, we would expect $150,000 to go to printers and copiers.  The biggest issues is most of these remain unmanaged.
If you own a company, do you know how much each page costs you?  If you are like 95% of the customers without a print management strategy in Twin Cities, you do not.  This would be like owning a fleet of vehicles and having NO IDEA what gas and maintenance was costing you.  Laser Printers which are unmanaged, are almost always expensive.  Copiers are just as bad.
How do you know if your company is using effective document workflow? What do you need to do?

1. Stop Buying!!  Assess where you are, how many pages are being printed, by whom, why, etc
2. Have analysis (either internal or external) done so you can look for cost savings or headache saving measures for your organization
3. Call us for a free on site assessment!

Now enjoy a horse picture....

My Blog Introduction...

We will cover items from Copiers (MFPs), printers, Document Management Solutions and managing all between.
MFPs are generally purchased based on price. There are many, many factors that should be considered before choosing on what to buy and from whom. Traditionally, copier purchasers get bids from various vendors that include the price of the copier or copiers themselves and the price per page charged for maintenance. Now we call them MFPs and should be considered as a device that is part of the network and should be planned just like purchasing a server or major software program. Let's face it, most are placed on a five year lease and at the rate that technology changes, this is becoming a more important decision within companies. Stay tuned for specific post dedicated to this subject alone.
Printers are necessary items within companies. These are usually purchased based on the price of the printer alone. A big consideration when purchasing printers should include total cost of ownership. Toner, cartridges or just supplies are by far the biggest expense. My printer blogs are geared toward how to make smart printer decisions and managing the print environment for effective work flow, yet controlling costs.
Document Technology Solutions are a huge overlooked item in most companies. In the past, this software/hardware solution was a costly endeavor, not only in the price of the software but the installation and upkeep also. Today, there are many, many competitors in this market. The prices range from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand for bigger installations. There are many considerations in this solution. You'll want to end up with a product that is not only effective in your company's work flow but set you up for future growth and integration to your companies software and backend programs.
Another item to be addressed in this blog is the management of all these items. Whether it be keeping up with industry news or seeking advice on purchases, the goal is to make life easier for people who have to focus on other important items and not be worried about making the correct decisions in these categories
Please contact me for any questions or to express your opinions. I appreciated the opportunities. My email address is fjeffery@dtsimaging.com. Thanks!

A Novel Idea - self training on a copier

I always thought having resources quickly available to copier/MFP end users would make them more efficient and effective in their use of the MFP AND in their daily workflow. The Sharp company has released a great way to achieve this. Sometimes, during bigger installs, I also fill in as a trainer. After presenting a vast amount of information, I leave then with 5 resources to get answers and continued training. Besides a live help desk, manuals, C.D's and a website, Sharp provides a website and, now, video that runs right on the large color screen that walks you through the most used functions. Here is a statement from Sharp.

When your users have questions or need training, the My Sharp website is available 24/7 to provide them with the answers they need to be more productive. The My Sharp website features helpful demonstrations about using the scan, copy, print and fax capabilities found on your specific Sharp products, as well as using related software solutions and ordering replacement supplies.

The My Sharp dedicated customer training website is not only customized for your Sharp product, it provides information specific to your exact configuration to help you maximize your investment. And as your business needs evolve, the My Sharp website provides the flexibility to grow with you into the future.

Click HERE for a demo look.

Imagine your end users not having to tie up other people who have better things to do besides hold hands with someone at a copier. Your IT help desk not having phone calls concerning things end users should know. How about someone calling for help with scanning and all you do is email them a link to a video to show them exactly what they are trying to do. We even take this a step further as a company, but thats another blog. Stay tuned!

This is one of the many reasons we partner with Sharp.

Now enjoy another beautiful picture of a horse. This is one of our non profit's horses.

Why Document Management Software?

Document Management Solutions

The average worker actually spends over 20 percent of their time looking for information that resides on a mono-media static document, but that only 50 percent of them find that information? That’s really a symptom of what we call information explosion. Today, workers are presented with more and more data all the time. Managing it is a big challenge. Most companies do not have set procedures for filtering, securing, configuring and extracting information from static paper and electronic files and communications. That is what total document management does.


The document is central to information explosion to that problem, because the information you’re looking for is contained in documents, whether a Word document, a spreadsheet, a PDF, an invoice or any other kind of paper document. The role it has is changing though in the sense that the document we choose to be opaque and contain that information will now become much more open through a true document management solution, making for smarter, dynamic documents. It’s going to be able to broadcast its information about itself to all business processes that it plays into. It is also going to be secure at the very fine level where specific parts of the documents will be hidden to specific users and will be accessible to others, and this might actually go down to a very fine level of granularity where specific words might be hidden for specific customers or might not be for others.

There have been a lot of discussions about the paperless office since back in the 80s. We still see paper actually growing, but we don’t use it so much anymore as a long-term storage. We use it more as an informal communication tool, as a short-term archival system, as a review media. So, it’s really still there, but its usage is changing.

Total document management will help you cut costs out of your organization by making your processes automatic and more efficient as well as potentially generate more revenue, because once you realize you can cut this cost, maybe that opens areas for new ways of handling documents, which you can offer your customers and employees. With the proper solution, your company enjoys higher productivity. Having documents that are truly part of the business processes makes your company move faster. Cost can be cut by 25 to 30% with more savings to come by partnering with the right company. DTS can assist you in making documents a more integral part of your business processes. Printing becomes not as important anymore, scanning actually decreases over time and, by partnering with DTS, color printing becomes more strategic. The overall goal of increasing efficiency will be reached.

Did you know that on average, companies have one device, one printing device, for every 2.2 workers? These office devices are used only two percent of a typical day. So, that’s about 50 minutes. That, you know, companies can face output costs of nearly $1,000 per office base employee per year. So, it really shows that document management is not a very well controlled domain in any organization. Now smarter document management can help you cut those costs. You can implement effective device management and save between 10 percent and 30 percent very easily, but with the proper document management solution we believe we’ll be able to achieve more like in the 40 percent to 50 percent savings range.

At DTS, partnering with companies that have an interest in improving workflows, saving hard cost and becoming a better competitor in their perspective industry is our passion. Selecting the proper document management solution or developing an approach to implement a total solution into current company cultures is the key to success in having smarter documents as opposed to having just a system to store and retrieve documents from. This is where DTS is different. We assist you in choosing the proper solution and continue to follow through the implementation and growth of your solution.

What a true solution does is pretty simple. It takes a document, any piece of text, or an electronic file and it will tell you what categories a document belongs to. It can take a document and say, “This is a letter, this is an invoice, this is a resume,” and it will be therefore able to automate one of the most critical steps in a business process, which is routing a document to the right person or to the right business process. In the future, it will automatically fetch relevant content from the Internet or from other sources of information in order to refresh its content and keep it up to date. At DTS, that is what we do and we take pride in every success story.

The cost of these solutions has dramatically decreased over the past few years and the products that are on the market are increasing. Your biggest decision is choosing the right partner to collaborate with. I would look forward to making your company another success story!


Fred Jeffery
Solutions Specialist
Document Technology Solutions
9401 James Ave S, Suite 162; Bloomington, MN 55431
Ph: 952-516-7914; Fax: 952-516-7901
fjeffery@dtsimaging.com
http://www.dtsimaging.com/

Getting the most from a copier

Guidelines for maximizing your MFP

The following guidelines will not only help you get the most out of your MFP, but can also help you find the best MFP for your business.

Make the connection...

There's no question about it, when it comes down to getting the most out of your MFP, if it's not connected to your network, you're shortchanging your business and missing out on the device's additional capabilities. A connected MFP allows you to use it as more than just a walk-up copier. When it's connected, users can print from their desktops, scan documents onto the network, and if the device also has a fax function, transmit faxes

Make sure your MIS/IT personnel understand the benefits of the MFP
It's a good bet if you’re MIS or IT personnel weren’t involved in discussions about how the MFP can improve efficiency and productivity, it's probably not going to get connected and your office will be losing out on many of the benefits of the MFP. The challenge here is getting these individuals to understand and acknowledge the cost savings and productivity benefits of researching and integrating solutions into your current workflow processes.

Wean employees off personal printers...
The challenge you'll find when trying to get employees to use your MFP as their primary printer is weaning them off their personal printers or the local workgroup printer that they've grown accustomed to using over the years. Chances are they'll kick and scream and cry like babies. Now, that's not to say personal and workgroup printers shouldn't be used for small print jobs. The trick is, however, making sure employees route large print jobs to the MFP. Contact your DTS rep if you would like suggestions for your company or if you would like to consider rules based printing implementation.

Fax?...
And for a business that has heavy fax volumes along with heavy copy and print volumes, a copier/ printer-based MFP may create contention issues when multiple users try to access the machine at the same time. That said, if your business has modest fax volumes or needs a backup fax machine, you may want to consider a software or appliance solution. DTS is well equipped to assist you.

Distribute, and then print...

Encourage employees that need to distribute documents to other employees or to clients to distribute them over the network or via e-mail rather than distributing hard copies. This way, recipients can print their own copy, or if they prefer, just read the document on their computer screen and not print it out at all. This method of document distribution reduces paper consumption and reduces the need to make multiple prints on the MFP. DTS employs experts in the field of document distribution, document lifecycles and document management. Let us be your first go to when considering document management, scanning, archival and retrieval.

Summing up software...

Be sure to consider software benefits. All our Sharp MFPs functioning as printers come bundled with software that allows users to enable print jobs, select various finishing options or consolidate time consuming task into a simple mouse click. We carry software that helpful from Document Management to controlling your print environment, and the easier it is to use; the more likely users will be to spend their valuable time doing what it is they do best. Contact DTS to review your workflow.

Time for a "Break"

Everyone who works or has worked in the office environment knows this movie... Office Space Movie Clip

Now be in the movies! Or just feel like it.

Click here to smash a printer yourself!

News from the Sharp Front

Latest from Sharpland. I have always liked the Sharp lines. Here is the latest...

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that it received six "Pick" Awards from Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI). The awards acknowledge "outstanding performance" and excellence "in areas of importance to IT professionals" for a wide range of Sharp products, including Sharp Printer Administration Utility version 5 (PAU5); Sharp’s newest A3 MFPs (MX-2600N; MX-3100; MX-4101 and MX-5001); and the MX-C311/DX-C311, Sharp’s first color A4 MFP and part of its Frontier Series.
Mike Marusic, vice president, marketing, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "Our line of MFPs, coupled with our software offerings such as PAU5 can help businesses operate more efficiently and keep service costs to a minimum."

The Sharp MX-C311 and Sharp A3 segment MFPs feature a number of award-winning features that consistently draw rave reviews from customers. These features include an 8.5-inch high-resolution touch-screen color display; Sharp OSA® development platform; and a stylish, textural exterior that compliments any office design. Furthermore, the MX-2600N, MX-3100, MX-4101 and MX-5001 include a standard, retractable keyboard that makes data entry at the MFP quick and easy.

Sharp Captures “Pick” Awards For 41- to 50-ppm Color MFPs
The Sharp MX-4101N and MX-5001N, with color and black speeds of 41 ppm and 50 ppm, respectively, have each earned a Spring 2009 BLI “Pick” because of their top-notch overall performance in BLI’s demanding two-month evaluation.
“We put these models through their paces and they passed with flying colors,” said Lynn Nannariello, BLI’s assistant managing editor. “Sporting a distinctive design that includes a textured exterior and rounded corners, these highly reliable devices offer an array of features that make them very easy to use.” Among these are a large full-color control panel, a standard retractable QWERTY keyboard that makes entry of e-mail destinations and index data more convenient, a remote front panel feature that allows administrators and users to view and control machine operations from a PC workstation and the ability to customize the touch screen so that the most commonly used features can be placed on the main screen. In addition, these devices, which offer an excellent security feature set, support Sharp OSA® (Open Systems Architecture) so that they can be configured to integrate with customers’ document management and other types of applications to automate workflow.Very good multitasking capabilities and color and black print output, plus high marks in all aspects of connectivity, also contributed to BLI’s decision to give these devices “Pick” awards.

“Sharp is extremely proud to have both the MX-4101N and MX-5001N selected by BLI as recipients of the prestigious ‘Pick’ award,” said Shane Coffey, associate director of product planning and marketing for Sharp Imaging and Information Systems of America (SIICA). “Excelling in BLI’s rigorous testing confirms our commitment to delivering products that provide a winning blend of performance, quality and reliability.”

What the heck is DMS?

Believe it or not, when DMS - Document Management Solutions are mentioned in most companies, you get that look from people that tells you that they know this is something they should be able to converse about, but have no idea what it is. Super hero to the rescue! In school, we always began with the history of the subject. Everything has a beginning.

History lesson for adults only!

Beginning in the 1980s, a number of vendors began developing systems to manage paper-based documents. These systems managed paper documents, which included not only printed and published documents, but also photos, prints, etc. Remember laser fiche readers? I had small laser fiche strips and a back lit magnifying for all the manuals I had to carry. True DMS.

Later, a second system was developed, to manage electronic documents, i.e., all those documents, or files, created on computers, and often stored on local user file systems. The earliest electronic document management (EDM) systems were either developed to manage proprietary file types, or a limited number of file formats. Many of these systems were later referred to as document imaging systems, because the main capabilities were capture, storage, indexing and retrieval of image file formats. These systems enabled an organization to capture faxes and forms, save copies of the documents as images, and store the image files in the repository for security and quick retrieval (retrieval was possible because the system handled the extraction of the text from the document as it was captured, and the text indexer provided text retrieval capabilities).

Here is where we are today..
EDM systems evolved to where the system was able to manage any type of file format that could be stored on the network. The applications grew to encompass electronic documents, collaboration tools, security, and auditing capabilities.

Next Lesson - Keep It Simple Stupid

Here are the main components of a DMS..

Metadata

Metadata is typically stored for each document. Metadata may, for example, include the date the document was stored and the identity of the user storing it. The DMS may also extract metadata from the document automatically or prompt the user to add metadata. Some systems also use optical character recognition on scanned images, or perform text extraction on electronic documents. The resulting extracted text can be used to assist users in locating documents by identifying probable keywords or providing for full text search capability, or can be used on its own. Extracted text can also be stored as a component of metadata, stored with the image, or separately as a source for searching document collections.

Integration
Many document management systems attempt to integrate document management directly into other applications, so that users may retrieve existing documents directly from th
e document management system repository, make changes, and save the changed document back to the repository as a new version, all without leaving the application. Such integration is commonly available for office suites and e-mail or collaboration/groupware software. Integration has made many advances, especially recently.

Capture Images of paper documents using scanners or multifunction printers. Optical character recognition (OCR) software is often used, whether integrated into the hardware or as stand-alone software, in order to convert digital images into machine readable text.

Indexing
Track electronic documents. Indexing may be as simple as keeping track of unique document identifiers; but often it takes a more complex form, providing classification through the documents' metadata or even through word indexes extracted from the documents' contents. Indexing exists mainly to support retrieval. One area of critical importance for rapid retrieval is the creation of an index topology.

Storage
Store electronic documents. Storage of the documents often includes management of those same documents; where they are stored, for how long, migration of the documents from one storage media to another (hierarchical storage management) and eventual document destruction.

Retrieval
Retrieve the electronic documents from the storage. Although the notion of retrieving a particular document is simple. Simple retrieval of individual documents can be supported by allowing the user to specify the unique document identifier, and having the system use the basic index to retrieve the document. More flexible retrieval allows the user to specify partial search terms involving the document identifier and/or parts of the expected metadata. This would typically return a list of documents which match the user's search terms.
Newer systems allow you to search for word or word contained in the stored document or words and data that is linked to the document via attached notes or redactions.

Distribution
A published document for distribution has to be in a format that can not be easily altered. As a common practice in law regulated industries, an original master copy of the document is usually never used for distribution other than archiving. If a document is to be distributed electronically in a regulatory environment, then the equipment tasking the job has to be quality endorsed AND validated. Similarly quality endorsed electronic distribution carriers have to be used. This approach applies to both of the systems by which the document is to be inter-exchanged, if the integrity of the document is highly in demand.

Security
Document security is vital in many document management applications. Compliance requirements for certain documents can be quite complex depending on the type of documents. For instance the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements dictate that medical documents have certain security requirements. Some document management systems have a rights management module that allows an administrator to give access to documents based on type to only certain people or groups of people.

Workflow
Workflow is a complex problem and some document management systems have a built in workflow module. There are different types of workflow. Usage depends on the environment the electronic document management system (EDMS) is applied to. Manual workflow requires a user to view the document and decide who to send it to. Rules-based workflow allows an administrator to create a rule that dictates the flow of the document through an organization: for instance, an invoice passes through an approval process and then is routed to the accounts payable department. Dynamic rules allow for branches to be created in a workflow process. A simple example would be to enter an invoice amount and if the amount is lower than a certain set amount, it follows different routes through the organization.

Collaboration
Collaboration should be inherent in an EDMS. In its basic form, a collaborative EDMS should allow documents to be retrieved and worked on by an authorized user. Access should be blocked to other users while work is being performed on the document. Other advanced forms of collaboration allow multiple users to view and modify (or markup) a document at the same time in a collaboration session. The resulting document should be viewable in its final shape, while also storing the markups done by each individual user during the collaboration session.

Versioning
Versioning is a process by which documents are checked in or out of the document management system, allowing users to retrieve previous versions and to continue work from a selected point. Versioning is useful for documents that change over time and require updating, but it may be necessary to go back to a previous copy.

Publishing
Publishing a document is sometimes tedious and involves the procedures of proofreading, peer or public reviewing, authorizing, printing and approving etc. Those steps ensure prudence and logic thinking. Any careless handling may result in the inaccuracy of the document and therefore mislead or upset its users and readers. In law regulated industries, some of the procedures have to be completed as evidenced by their corresponding signatures and the date(s) on which the document was signed.

The published document should be in a format that is not easily altered without a specific knowledge or tools, and yet it is read-only or portable.

Conclusion

As you can see, a EDM or DMS can be very complex or simple and inexpensive. The qualifying factors are what are your current needs, budget, pain points in your current workflow. Is there a boat you are going to miss if you don't jump aboard? Maybe not in the immediate future, but definitely there will be a day. In the industry we call the current state Document or workflow evolution. Many bigger companies employ Business workflow analysis, Business Process Managers, heck, ever hear of an IT position? Information Technology. Why will it catch you with your guard down? How are you going to instantly catch up when everything is linked, referenced together, collaborated and required to be submitted digitally with proven versions, e-signed with a proven security trail? Don't be caught scrambling to hire temps, directing valuable company resources to set up the process and training everyone to use a new method overnight. You can start out simple and inexpensive. Just shoot me an email and I will point you out in the right direction, in my territory or not.

 Fell free to contact at http://www.dtsimaging.com/

Another future post

   Many times when people speak of the future, they refer to some ideas. Today's future post is actually in beta testing and working in their lab. EEtimes is reporting about a German lab, Fraunhofer Research Institution for Electronic Nano Systems, developing printable batteries. The batteries are low powered, about 1.5 volts, short term and less than 10 cents a page. Heck, less than 10 cents a page is cheaper than printing a color page out on most color laser printers. (Hum, wonder if I can put these under a price per page contract?)
   They are targeting applications such as smart credit cards with battery-powered displays to show balances and other account information. Think about the other applications. Like greeting cards. I like to talk to people about transforming their current mono-media static documents into smart documents that retain information about themselves, can be instantly shared with multiple people and can apply security to themselves. This would take that a step further. Imaging have web links within the document, the document displaying the linked information within itself or requiring a login to display certain portions of itself to apply security or tracking during its life cycle. How about having information in the document that recognizes it has been read and then disappears like in some Bond movie. You are probably thinking right about now of currently having these types of features in a laptop. Yea, maybe, but not at less than
 10 cents and weighing less than a gram.
   Is the future really paperless?

Send me an email if your interested in getting your static documents into smart documents. It what I do.

Need a big print?

I don't think there is a big need in the business market for the following from Printdreams in the UK, but it is interesting.............

The Largest printout in the World unveiled at CeBIT

15.5 trillion ink dots on 7,000 square meters of ordinary office paper build a full color, high definition image in an unprecedented format. While normal desktop output is best viewed at arm’s length, this record-breaking printout needs to be seen from the sky – or at least a couple hundred meters away.

CeBIT, the world’s largest computer exhibition, is putting its name to the world’s largest ever printout. PrintDreams, the company behind this innovative breakthrough, officially launched its Random Movement Print Technology at CeBit in 2002. RMPT™ set the benchmark as the basis to the world’s smallest letter-size printers. Now, it is set to demonstrate its capabilities by going to the other end of the size spectrum.

Hope it doesn't rain..

Using my copier as a scanner? Are you crazy?

Well the crazy part is debatable among some circles, but the copier/MFP is more than likely your best choice when it comes to scanning.

"But, it will tie up my MFP."
No so Sally. Most scan jobs, with a predesignated workflow and/or the proper software integrated, will take 30 seconds to 2 minutes. If your MFP is that busy, we really should talk.

"But, my stand alone scanners utilize a barcode process we set up and the MFP won't."
Well Willy, who have you spoke to lately? Fact is, barcode scanning, when integrated with the MFP should be an advantage at the MFP. The integration at the MFP is more than likely going to prevent most after scan processing and filing of the documents over using a scan station especially when batching up documents for scanning.

"You can't preview the document before committing it."
Can't speak for all, but as a single line Sharp dealer, the Sharp devices not only give a zoomable thumbnail on a color 8.5 inch screen, but also plays video. (Come check this out! It is rather neat.)

I've heard this one many times....
"Our very expensive scanners provide automatically cleaned up images and small files sizes".
As I said before, come check our Sharp devices. Seeing is believing. Don't recall ever losing a deal over a dedicated scanner.
If you haven't checked out the latest in offerings, contact me. Big color video screen, slide out keyboard, military level security. There is so much more now, we published a small book on it.

Don't waste money on an expensive scanner.

"Why, you can't fit many pages in the doc feeder and the scan speed is slow."
If I keep answering, you might quit arquing and just call me. The feeders handle robust amounts of paper AND both sides of the paper get scanned at once. Then, just ask what "Job Build" and delete blank pages are.

"MFPs can't create searchable PDFs."
Yes you can. MFP scanning software allows you to create and save PDFs that are available for text searches within documents. To take it further, our MFPs take your Active Directory login and give you your own scanning route in the screen. Don't want to login? Do you have one of those employee ID cards?...

"When can I come see this?"
Ah, my kind of question... http://www.dtsimaging.com/