Document Archiving and Dynamic Documents

Document Archiving Requirements
More and more firms need to digitize their business files. They may need better searching and retrival. They may have run out of space. They may be beginning to expose those repositories to vendors, customers and staff working off site. New customer processes may be significanlty streamlined when documents are stored online because printing and filing can be eliminated. Both volume and desktop scanners keep getting better, faster and less expensive each year. As digitizing becomes easier, more documentation is kept, and a better "CYA" trail is created.

Dynamic Document Requirements
Similar evolutions have occurred at the document creation end of things. Many firms create custom documents for each client as part of their baseline functions. Attorneys, insurance agents and many kinds of salespeople are all such examples. Firms no longer want to fill out hardcopy templates by hand, but rather want the more professional look of an automatically created document.

Solution Scenarios
Increasingly, it is not necessary to start a new document from scratch, or even from a template. Semi-structured document workflow can often be automated to do similar things as always but in a programatic way. This is not only faster, but more accurate, and immediately lends itself to complementary document archiving. Microsoft's Office suite exposes to developers almost the entire set of menu commands users elect with a mouse. I have developed solutions that programatically use Word, Excel, Visio and Outlook in this way. This further empowers staff and can lead to refinements in workflow job descriptions.