ECM Integration - OpenText Extended ECM Platform
Integrates enterprise content management with lead applications to bridge content silos and deliver content in context for more effective business processes.
Integrate content to boost business processes
66 percent of organizations say their most significant challenge is content scattered in silos.1 Close the content and insight gap by integrating ECM into core business systems and processes from CRM, marketing and sales to ERP/procurement and HR.
Read the ECM integration guide to learn four ways to connect content to your digital business and boost productivity. Plus, get success stories and best practices on leveraging extended ECM to transform business efficiency.
What is ECM integration?
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) refers to a set of processes and technologies that manage information flows across the organization, from capture through to archiving and disposition.
ECM has changed and continues to evolve as do the expectations of its users. It is no longer enough for ECM solutions to store, retain and, ultimately, delete content. The content created within an organization is its most valuable asset. Users want access to that content when and where it is appropriate to their task, and in an easy-to-work with format. It needs to be available immediately and within their application of choice, whether CRM, ERP, HRM, a marketing automation system, productivity software or any application they use to support their work.
Content is the fuel that drives business process, not just a corporate asset to be controlled and protected. Many processes, such as Order to Pay, Hire to Retire, Concept to Launch and Make to Deliver, rely heavily on content. And, while some processes are constrained to a single enterprise business function, such as human resources, other processes can span business areas from customer service to finance, manufacturing, and delivery, with many functions dependent on the same content.
Extended ECM Platform overview
With OpenText™ Extended ECM Platform, content is transparently integrated with other leading applications such as SAP S/4HANA®, SAP® SuccessFactors®, Salesforce®, Microsoft® Office 365® or any other enterprise software. With integrations, the content services platform bridges content silos and business processes to allow information to flow effortlessly across applications. Extended ECM Platform leverages an organization’s investment in its enterprise content management software and other applications, while improving transparency and insight to enable informed decisions, speed business processes, and make users happy.
Extended ECM Platform features
-
Integrations to enterprise applications
Presents content in the context of the business process or lead application user interface. These can include ERP integrations such as SAP® S/4HANA and Oracle® E-Business Suite, HR Applications like SAP® SuccessFactors® and CRM integrations such as Salesforce®. Productivity tools like Microsoft Office 365 and Sharepoint are also supported by OpenText Extended ECM. By providing a range of content services and API’s other lead applications can also benefit from Extended ECM.
-
Intuitive user experience
Enhances productivity and eliminates barriers to adoption by allowing users to remain within the business application they are most comfortable with, while simultaneously accessing all the necessary information to get their job done. Users without access to the lead application can work with the same content used within the driving process via the Extended ECM Smart View. This intuitive UI displays select metadata related to the business object being managed in the lead application.
-
Connected workspaces
Simplifies ECM software deployment using templates aligned to business processes. As virtual models of a real-world business object, connected workspaces can be related to a customer, product, employee, purchase order or any other business object type. Workspaces can be created automatically from the lead application.
-
Content services platform
Leverages the proven lifecycle capabilities of OpenText™ Content Suite for capture, document management, search, intelligence, security, compliance and records management.
-
Automated classification and metadata management
Files documents consistently and automatically within a process and in the context of a related business object, removing the risk of users haphazardly filing items on local hard drives or file shares and sharing them via email. Any metadata or classification happens automatically in the background, without the need for end-user intervention.
-
Two-way integration
Provides two-way integration that not only extends content into the lead application but presents metadata from the lead application directly in the Extended ECM Smart View. Updates can be made in either direction.
-
Cloud content management
Flexible cloud models for public, private or hybrid deployments enable organizations to manage, protect and effectively use information within the same governance framework used by the most bulletproof on-premises systems.
Customer success stories
OpenText Extended ECM for SAP SuccessFactors was a natural choice for us. We can now manage all employee files, letters, contracts, and other documents in one place, providing global continuity as employees move around. For the first time, with OpenText, we have a single source of the information we need.
We needed a common platform that would eliminate information silos while still providing the users what they wanted. We needed it to be scalable, tightly integrated with SAP, and with the ability to enforce document retention and disposition rules. We needed to have all of this in one product. OpenText Extended ECM came through for us—it is the answer to all our prayers.
Because of the great integration point with OpenText, Microsoft and SAP, it was a perfect roadmap for us. It was a perfect experience and we've had great success with all three of these companies to date.
ECM integration benefits
-
Improved process efficiency
Accelerates cycle time by automating manual tasks, simplifying access and improving content collaboration. Gain efficiency from both the lead application and the enterprise content management tools.
-
Better productivity
Offers users a 360-degree view of both structured and unstructured business content from a single interface, providing content in context without the need to switch between different applications.
-
Streamlined innovation and time-to-revenue
Transforms business models and digitizes value chains with an integrated approach to ECM that extends content services into the organization’s foundational technology environment.
-
Intelligent insight
Delivers deeper insight into product, customer, supplier or asset performance through integrated data and content analytics for improved decision-making.
-
Mitigate compliance risk
Automatically applies metadata and classifications transparently in the background, without end-user intervention.
-
One version of the truth
Centralized repository for all business content regardless of the origin or source ensures that all stakeholders are working with the most current and relevant content.
Extended ECM solutions
Read the ECM integration guide
Resources
Infographics
- A Day in the Life of a Customer
- A Day in the Life of an HR Professional
- A Day in the Life of a Procurement Professional
Blog
- OpenText Extended ECM for Salesforce: The missing piece of the jigsaw
- OpenText Business Workspaces, a single source of truth