Selecting an Enterprise Output Management System

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Selecting an Enterprise Output Management System

• for Xplor Chicagoland Chapter

Richard Huff September 16, 2005
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Agenda

• Madison Advisors Background
• EOMS Background
• EOMS Selection Strategy
• EOMS Selection Criteria
• Questions

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Madison Advisors Background

• Specialization in the enterprise output market
  print and electronic communications
• Assist organizations with selection and
  evaluation decisions
• Ongoing research across a variety of markets
• Objective expertise we do NOT sell hardware,
  software, or integration services

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Madison Advisors Research

• Publish 2-3 Market Studies per year
• Objectively assess technology segments of
  interest to our customers
• Recent Market Studies
• Transactional EOMS August 2005
• Document Composition Tools December 2005

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Enterprise Output Management Systems

• EOMS Definition
• EOMS Segments
• EOMS Vendors

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EOMS Definition

• Centrally manage and control print and electronic
  output from multiple sources to multiple
  destinations

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EOMS Segments

• Manage batch and ad-hoc transaction-driven output
  on production printers
• Manage static or variable documents on production
  printers
• Manage desktop-created documents on office
  printers

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Transactional EOMS Vendors

• ASG-Cypress
• Emtex
• Esker Software
• IBM

• Levi, Ray, Shoup
• Macro 4
• Océ
• Solimar Systems

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EOMS Selection Strategy

• Develop enterprise output strategy first
• Prioritize requirements
• Research
• Assess both product and vendor

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Enterprise Output Strategy

• What is the future direction of output within the
  organization?
• What are your critical applications?
• What output channels are planned for in the near
  future?
• Are print volumes shifting to other channels?

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Prioritize Requirements

• Invite everyone to the table
• Objectively evaluate requirements
• Primary requirements are tied to business drivers
  such as cost reduction or regulatory compliance
• Secondary requirements identify required
  functionality

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EOMS Selection Criteria

• Functionality
• Application Interfaces
• Architecture
• Vendor

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Functionality

• Input capabilities
• Transformations
• Print management
• Workflow capabilities
• Output capabilities

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Functionality Considerations

• Where is the data stream coming from?
• Does the data stream always match the printer
  capabilities?
• Do all the data streams follow the same workflow
  process?
• Is there a need to drive fax or web channels?

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Application Interfaces

• Administrator
• Operator
• Job submission
• Remote user

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Application Interface Considerations

• Is the product managed through a single interface
  or multiple interfaces?
• Is the print operator interface drag-and-drop?
• How easy is it to define job tickets?

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Architecture

• Platform support
• Packaged integration
• Application programming interfaces (APIs)
• Scalability
• Reliability

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Architectural Considerations

• Which operating systems are supported or
  required?
• How much of the product functionality is exposed
  through the API?
• How many printers can the product manage from one
  server?

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Vendor

• Product stability
• Product support
• Product maintenance
• Financial stability
• Market share
• Market presence

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Vendor Considerations

• What is the product history?
• How is product support provided?
• How often is the product updated?
• Is the product core to the vendors business?
• Is the vendor investing in RD?

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Product Lifecycle
Application Interfaces
Functionality
Vendor Support
Architecture
Life Time of Product
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Questions?
PO Box 369 Colleyville, TX 76034 817.684.7545 www.
madison-advisors.com
richhuff_at_madison-advisors.com