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What is Workflow?

All too often, we hear and even use terms assuming others know exactly what we mean. One term used in the document industry is workflow- but what does it mean?

According to WikipediaiStock_000002328740Small

A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations...

The flow being described often refers to a document that is being transferred from one step to another.

A workflow is a model to represent real work for further assessment, e.g., for describing a reliably repeatable sequence of operations. More abstractly, a workflow is a pattern of activity enabled by a systematic organization of resources, defined roles and mass, energy and information flows, into a work process that can be documented and learned. Workflows are designed to achieve processing intents of some sort, such as physical transformation, service provision, or information processing. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workflow ) continue reading...

HP Strengthens Security Capabilities to Help Customers Protect Data and Combat Business Threats

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HP today introduced a security services portfolio and new solutions that offer increased vulnerability assessment, enhanced data protection and improved compliance controls, enabling customers to reduce infrastructure risks.

The addition of new services and solutions to the HP Secure Advantage portfolio helps customers establish a comprehensive security strategy encompassing key areas of the technology infrastructure – from the data center to desktops and printers – across the enterprise and via the cloud. continue reading...

Why Automation Should be Your Company’s New Year’s Resolution.

Everyone knows how bad the economy was this past year and this downturn caused many companies to put their IT strategies on hold. Others however, saw this as an opportunity to be proactive and begin implementing automation and moving forward with new ways of getting the job done. As we head into the New Year, look at these strategies to think about re-organizing and working smarter. continue reading...

  1. Be proactive! While companies need to react quickly to industry trends and changing economic and world Business Presentationenvironments, they also need to formulate strategies for the future. Think about creating a team who will think ahead and make sure the company will get where it wants to go in the next few years.
  2. Follow a business strategy roadmap. Don’t just jump blindly expecting the technology to magically work for you. Build a business strategy that will clarify and outline the issues you’re trying to solve. Be sure that your company is starting with a good foundation for their infrastructure that can be further built upon.
  3. You don’t have to implement everything at once. In fact, it is much more practical automate your business according to a strategic plan—focus on what needs attention first. Look at your industry specific government regulations to see how they expect a company to handle information management.
  4. Don’t wait to “play it safe” and have other companies experiment with new technology. If you stand back and wait for another company to make the first step and prove automation as a valuable investment, the next generation of technology will already have hit the business world. Your company will remain one step behind other innovating companies and will lose competitive edge.
  5. Think about your return on investment (ROI). If you’re worried about staffing and hiring issues, realize that once automation is implemented, people used to working manually with documents can be re-deployed to other valuable tasks. While automation still needs staff to run it, the amount of personnel can be greatly reduced. This feeds right into the ROI. Create a flowchart and see how much faster your product can hit the market with new technology. That’s savings.

Sharp Takes Printing To New Frontiers: Introducing the Sharp MX Series Color and Monochrome Office Laser Printers

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Mahwah, NJ, January 21, 2010 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) today introduced the new MX-C400P and MX-B400P color and monochrome laser printers. Augmenting Sharp’s Frontier Series, these new workgroup printers provide dealers and end-users with an easy-to-use printer that provides a low total cost of ownership and a robust feature set. Based on the award-winning engine of its MFP counterparts, the MX-C400P and MX-B400P deliver speed and functionality in a single function product that can meet the output needs of mid-volume business workgroups with integration and networking features that make them extremely versatile.

The new MX Series printers are an extension of the award-winning A4 Frontier Series from Sharp. Engineered using a common architecture, the MX-C400P and MX-B400P employ the same engine, print controller, supplies and maintenance items, paper drawers and finishing items. These printers have been designed for workgroups with a monthly print volume of 5,000 to 8,000 pages and can yield up to four times more pages than traditional stand-alone units that employ mono-unit consumables, which are, ultimately, limited by toner yield.

“Because these new printers utilize the same engine as our Frontier MFPs, end-users who don’t need scanning and copying capabilities will still get the same powerful controller, output quality, throughput, paper handling, connectivity and security features, but at a fraction of the cost,” said Gary Bailer, Associate Director A4 MFPs, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “These products provide our dealers with the ability to provide a full, end-to-end Frontier solution that will greatly reduce an end-user’s cost of ownership. By blending the cost per copy between fully-networked MFPs and printers, offices operate more efficiently and manage their document processing more effectively.” continue reading...

Canon U.S.A., Honored As One of the Best Channel Vendors By Business Solutions Magazine

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Lake Success, N.Y., January 20, 2010 – For the second consecutive year, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging and advanced office solutions, has been selected by Business Solutions Magazine (BSM) as one of the best channel vendors for the upcoming year. Working with Penn State University, BSM conducted a Web-based survey of their Value-Added-Reseller (VAR) subscribers to rate and rank their vendor partners in the following categories: Service/Support, Channel Friendly, Channel Program, Product Features, Product Reliability, Product Innovation, and Adequate VAR Margins.

"To be honored by BSM as one of the Best Channel Vendors for the second year in a row is a testament to Canon's commitment and dedication of meeting the diversified needs of our channel partners by providing them with the best in office solutions, services and support," said Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "We are very proud to receive this prestigious accolade and we look forward to continuing our tradition in excellence into 2010."

During the nearly month-long survey, more than 12,000 votes were cast, resulting in one of the largest and most detailed surveys of its kind. Scores were calculated by BSM editorial staff and Penn State University, with overall vendor scores determined by adding the cumulative scores of the seven categories and dividing that score by the number of VAR subscribers who rated them. Vendors were broken down into a variety of technology categories for the survey and those who received too few votes were excluded from consideration. VAR subscribers rated its vendor partners in a scale of 0 (worst) to 5 (best) in seven different categories. This year's results show Canon received higher ratings in every category compared to last year. continue reading...

The Power Punch of ITEX 2010

Each year ITEX brings in the big guns, unleashing an arsenal of new information and product to help the office channel. The ITEX strike force is again in motion with its tenth show to address the current state of the “office economy.” Each year they find and deliver red hot information to industry providers that’s aimed at ramping up their arsenal of business tools. The annual tradition of arming the evolving Dealer, VAR, ISV, CTO and other providers in the channel has ITEX delivering key information to help organizations widen their knowledge on new innovations for product and supplies, service and IT, on document solutions or emerging programs such as MPS. Bottom line?  ITEX assists providers in repositioning their business models to magnify profits.

Professionals in office technology have found that the environment has shifted due to the “new economy” and are looking for answers; to address the changes along with their customers’ demands for cost-efficient and conveniently acquired product and services. Within this transformation, providers see the need to integrate & merge offerings of hardware, software and services to become better, single-source providers to their customers in order capture and retain market share

As providers evolve into “hybrids,” ITEX breaks it down and provides an actionable tool kit. continue reading...

Reduce Costs, Boost Profits DocuWare’s ROI Calculator Finds Revenue Opportunities

Newburgh NY, January 19, 2010 – With a new online tool from DocuWare, users can calculate how much their own organizations can save by implementing a DocuWare Document Management System (DMS). This appropriately named ROI Calculator also demonstrates on an individual basis how costs are reduced and profits enhanced through space and time savings.

Return on Investment (ROI) is a critical factor when making a significant acquisition. DocuWare recently developed a ROI Calculator to help companies better estimate an investment in a DMS - with just a few mouse clicks. This free online tool provides companies with a custom profile that demonstrates how much savings and profit potential can be unlocked with a DMS. For example, users can calculate exactly how much time, space or copying costs can be saved on a monthly basis.
Another special feature of the tool is that users review specific departments to receive concrete suggestions on how to turn time saved into an increase in revenue. For an Accounting department, savings from improved cash flow or early payment discounts can be calculated. In Purchasing, the ROI Calculator shows how DocuWare lowers costs by helping to negotiate better terms and conditions. In Sales, it calculates how much revenue can be increased by streamlining processes. DocuWare users interested in expanding their DMS into other departments can specifically see where the hidden profits are. The ROI Calculator also makes it simple to calculate how quickly a DMS will be amortized within a certain budget. continue reading...

Stop your Office from Becoming the Next Bermuda Triangle

When a company wants to go paperless and begins to scan the contents of their filing cabinets into a document management system many are surprised to find many files previously thought to be lost.

When it comes to document storage, filing cabinets are simple things with no brain. We’re provided a drawer and a key and the rest of the work is left up to us. There’s no advice on where to put documents, we’re not told exactly where certain documents can be found, documents aren’t automatically routed to the right people in workflow, and our key certainly can’t be taken away to stop our access to the files.

Filing cabinets have gained the reputation as the office “Bermuda Triangle” of lost documents. Over the years multiple people in the office file, misplace and not return documents to the filing cabinets. As people organize to their own standards and methods, documents are inevitably filed in the wrong places and the next time a file is needed, it can’t be found. continue reading...

HP Company Foundation Donates $500,000 to Haiti Earthquake Relief

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The Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation today announced that it has committed $500,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund to support relief efforts in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the country this week.

The HP Company Foundation also announced that it has committed up to $250,000 to match eligible contributions by employees of HP in support of the earthquake relief efforts.

The earthquake is reported to have been the worst to hit Haiti in 200 years, and the United Nations estimates that tens of thousands of people may have been killed. The funds committed by the HP Company Foundation will, through the American Red Cross, go toward supporting short-term relief as well as helping the long-term reconstruction work needed to rebuild the country. continue reading...

Canon Group Donates $200,000 To Haiti Relief Efforts

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(Lake Success, NY) - The Canon Group, including Canon Inc., Canon U.S.A., Inc and Canon Latin America, Inc., today announced that they have pledged approximately $220,000 (20 million yen) to the Haiti relief and recovery efforts, following the devastating earthquake that struck the region, causing extensive destruction and loss of life.

The Canon Group is contributing to the relief efforts for victims of the earthquake through donations to Red Cross Organizations which will help to provide the people of Haiti with necessary supplies and services including food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. continue reading...