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May 31, 2011

Throw the first pitch!

Have you ever wanted to stand up on the mound in front of the stadium full of spectators and unleash your finest fastball? How would you like to be the fan who throws out the first pitch at the ValleyCats game, July 20th? Now you can have your chance. Since we’re hosting the Lunch ‘n Learn from the Visitor Box, we’re giving away the opening pitch.

Fill out the form below and we’ll pick one lucky winner to dig his or her feet into the dirt, check the bases, and open the game for play.

If you are not a qualified registrant attending our Lunch and Learn, you can still enter to throw the first pitch, but you will be responsible for purchasing your own ticket. But if you want to attend the event, go to http://ebz.me/ballgame to register and make sure to complete the form below to be in the running for the first pitch!

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Are you nominating someone else?

Why should you (or this person) throw the first pitch?

Do you have an image to go with this?

May 24, 2011

PDF/A-1 1A and 1B: A Difference Without a Distinction

Bill Lipner, President at Discovery Partners, Inc.

By Bill Lipner, LawyerPDF.blogspot.com

It turns out that the following information about PDF/A may be more than you need to know, but forewarned is fore-armed!

There has been a great deal of discussion about PDF/A as a specific PDF file format and some confusion about the two flavors of PDF/A.  PDF/A is subdivided into 1A and 1B – these are each referred to as a “Compliance Level”.   For legal practice the question at hand is whether a specific Compliance Level will be required by the Federal Courts under new rules for PDF/A format.  As you may recall, the Federal Courts will begin requiring that ECF documents be submitted in PDF/A format in 2011.  By the way, there is nothing preventing you from voluntarily filing in PDF/A format today.

PDF/A Compliance Levels:

The short description is:  PDF/A 1A is considered a “minimal” level of compliance with 1A including additional features for accessibility for reading disabilities.  PDF/A-1b (basic) is easier to generate and guarantees the visual reproducibility of content. (1)

Our friends at AIIM have very succinctly described the two Levels of Compliance as:

A few other key points are discussed at PDFA.org which I won’t recite here but are well worth perusing.

And Docs Corp has published a paper on the topic.

Which one should I use for ECF?

NARA
Perhaps a place to start is guidance from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) which sets records standards for the federal government.  From NARA FAQs:

4. Does NARA require a specific PDF/A-1 conformance level?
No. NARA does not require a specific conformance level for permanent PDF/A-1 records. Agencies should use the conformance level that best suits their business needs.  (3)

PACER
Perhaps PACER can give us some guidance as to which Compliance Level to use.  But alas,  Pacer doesn’t discuss PDF/A 1A or 1B – see this PACER announcement.  And from PACER personnel came the comment “We have been told either format will be accepted. There will be more information made available at each court’s ECF website when they begin to require the PDF/A format.”.

CONCLUSION
Short of specific instructions from your Federal District Court administrator, it seems that the distinction between PDFA 1A and 1B is moot.  1B Level Conformance is easier to accomplish and seems to win by default.

May 17, 2011

The challenges of using paper

Are you relying too heavily on paper to support your business process? 

Let’s give credit where credit is due and say that paper has served businesses and individuals well for many centuries. And while there will probably be a limited and controlled presence of paper for years to come, its dominance in the business market for transferring data is over.

A hit to floorspace

Simply by virtue of being a physical item, the fact is that as it multiplies, it becomes more unwieldy and burdensome. Storage rooms are overflowing with archived documents and wall-to-wall filing cabinets, desks are continually cluttered with a scattered mess of paper, and business is suffering because of it.

A hit to efficiency

Pulling documents hour after hour presents a number of concerns. The first and most obvious is the time it takes you or your employees to interrupt their tasks to physically go to another room to retrieve a document. And because most business move into existing buildings, they have to make use of the floor plan rather than being able to design it to best suit their needs. Oftentimes the result is a storage room down a hall or in another building.

But pulling the document is only half of the problem. It still has to be returned to the proper place in the file, doubling the time required to access information.

A hit to security

Beyond a lock and key, there is no security built in to paper documents. You can have levels of access by locking a records room and each filing cabinet individually, but the practical complications are obvious. Lost or stolen keys and temporary access become a records-management nightmare, and what you’re left with is either complete access or no access.

I’ll reiterate that last point because it’s important: complete access or no access. In an electronic system, you can set levels of access, even to the point where no one person can entirely and irreversibly destroy your data, but no such guarantee exists in a paper-based system. If you give an employee access to a records room, you have to accept the potential liability of a disgruntled or misinformed worker.

CNG 7 adds scheduling

Cabinet NG (CNG), provider of document management and workflow management software, today announced the latest version of CNG-SAFE 7.0. The new version aligns document and contact management through its breakthrough scheduling capability making it an industry first with scheduling, workflow and document management in one core package. Until release 7.0, organizations were challenged by having to manage scheduling items/tasks in a separate system without having direct access to the supporting documents. CNG-SAFE 7.0 bridges that divide by assigning schedules directly at the cabinet, folder, and document level. The result delivers a seamless process flow for completing tasks with complete visibility to time and content.

“CNG with this new single release created a product with the functionality of a ECM solution that costs 10 times the investment in CNG” said Howard Gross, President of E-BizDocs the local reseller.  “CNG has always been responsive and proactive to the needs of the user community.  This just proves that  this is a product and company that continuously sets the bar.”

Scheduling is an embedded component of CNG-SAFE as opposed to a standalone module or plug-in. This provides tighter integration across the entire system. Its scheduling functionality incorporates several individual features, making it a perfect fit for all organizations needing to complete tasks more successfully and on time.

Features Include:

“CNG-SAFE’s roots started in document management for small-to-midsized businesses; today, it is a complete business tool that provides a strong competitive advantage over any business still operating based on paper,” said Andrew Bailey, CNG President. “Our clients were the driving force behind taking CNG’s document management workflow solution into this breakthrough territory. By combining scheduling, workflow and document management in one core package, we have further simplified click thru processes, allowing users to meet deadlines and take more control of their day-to-day business activities.”

CNG-SAFE also includes a number of other features relating to:

May 16, 2011

E-BizDocs sponsors a team for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk

E-BizDocs will be participating in the upcoming Best Buddies Friendship Walk. Manager Michelle Wheet is taking up the reins on assembling the team, completing the registrations, and outfitting the group with T-shirts to promote the event.

On Sunday, May 22, Schermerhorn Rd. will be crowded with individuals hoping to bring forth a more inclusive and accepting future for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Wheet, who commented that this was her first time participating in the event, said “Doing all the legwork is a lot of fun, and the walk is something I’m really looking forward to.”

The Dinner with a Twist Follow-up

From left, Chris Kajano, Steve Crabb, Howard Gross, Janet Hewitt, Jason Abare, Benedict Dabrowski, Chris Ginart, and Edward Canary

Now that we’ve had the weekend to rest up and clean up from the Rensselaer Chamber Dinner with a Twist, it’s time to reflect and evaluate. As with any show we do, we need to decide if the outcome was worth the effort, and we can say without a doubt, we’re going back next year.

Under the tent

We joined about forty vendors, three of which were co-sponsors of the event, to showcase our products and services, and to give attendees a chance to learn how E-BizDocs can help their company better manage their documents. We saw lots of good displays from other vendors and certainly some interesting giveaways.

If you were low on pens, coffee mugs, magnets, notepads, or golf tees, you would have found more than a few here. Of course, the freebies on the tables are a way to open the business conversation with some of the most well-spoken and qualified professionals in the region. The Chamber stands out for their ingenuity and eagerness to do business, and their membership follows suit. All in all, we’re sure lots of solid connections were made and many new relationships will be forged as a result of the evening.

The tent was amazing and the logos emblazoned across it set the tone for the night, promising a spectacular and flashy proceeding.

Live-tweeting #dinnerwithatwist

The table cards suggested that those present live-tweet the event, make observations and comments about the goings-on, post pictures or video, or whatever else interested them. By looking at the Twitter hashtag #dinnerwithatwist, you can see the activity, too. There were some great testimonials showing the effectiveness and all-around great time the dinner provided.

We did a little “Meet the Team” in a series of posts, introducing you to our representatives, so you’ll want to check those out. And several of the other vendors were kind enough to let us send out a tweet on their behalf, so thanks to everyone who participated.

Drinks, dinner, and dessert.

So as you know, the whole thing centered around a few focal points to encourage some business socializing, namely the drinks and mixer portion, the dinner, and the dessert. The Franklin Plaza served as a classy and elegant venue, and what better place could there be to do business than that?

As we mingled and discussed our needs, wants, and desires (and the products and solutions to suit), there was never a moment that felt uncomfortable or contrived. A little food and fun goes a long way to calm the business nerve endings.

So where will E-BizDocs be around this time next year? You can bet you’ll see us at the 112th Annual Dinner, {with a twist}.

May 11, 2011

Pictures and Documents Found After the April Tornadoes

Pictures and Documents Found After the April Tornadoes

As the old adage goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” giving us a life-rule that can be applied to many varied circumstances. Applying that to the recent tornadoes that broke out in the Southern, Midwestern, and Eastern United States is a little bit harder to translate.

A violent tornado outbreak from April 25 – 28, 2011, leaving catastrophic destruction in its wake, especially across the state of Alabama. Widespread and destructive tornadoes occurred on each day of the outbreak, with April 27 being the most prolific and destructive tornado day in United States history.

Our own partner, CNG, is headquartered in Alabama.

Loss Prevention

Kodak document scanners are in continual use, converting important pictures and business documents to digital format so that they can be preserved or restored. And sites like Facebook make it easy to upload pictures to their robust network, making sure that there is always a copy of those important memories.

But due to the volume of data, oftentimes it must be approached in an incremental manner, taking the most important first, and digitizing batch by batch or, if you will, ounce by ounce.

What happens when the tornado rips through your town and wipes your home or business, and you’ve only begun to protect your documents?

A massive amount of cure

A Facebook user has set up a page to collect documents and photos which are blowing freely in the aftermath of the devastation. Uploaders are encouraged to post whatever they find along with some information on how to collect it.

What is the pound of cure, in this case? It could be looked at a number of ways. It could be the 100,000-strong group of users who “Liked” the page. It could be the nearly 3,500 images that have been uploaded. It could be the thousands of comments shared on the wall, brimming with offers to help reunite people with their belongings as well as gratitude of those who have had items returned to them.

Whatever the quantity and unit of measurement, I submit that “cure” be regarded as “care.” Even though it may require minimal effort, it takes a lot of heart to go out of your way to help another who has suffered a loss.

Moving Forward

My thoughts are with the families and victims of the tornadoes, and I hope the best for their recovery. But lastly, I appeal to them, that when order is restored and time’s healing power has had its chance to take effect, that we all take a more thorough look at what we have and how to prevent it from ever becoming entirely lost.

May 10, 2011

What’s new in the latest version of CNG document management software?

Huntsville, AL – May 9, 2011 – Cabinet NG (CNG), provider of document management and workflow management software, today announced the latest version of CNG-SAFE 7.0. The new version aligns document and contact management through its breakthrough scheduling capability making it an industry first with scheduling, workflow and document management in one core package. Until release 7.0, organizations were challenged by having to manage scheduling items/tasks in a separate system without having direct access to the supporting documents. CNG-SAFE 7.0 bridges that divide by assigning schedules directly at the cabinet, folder, and document level. The result delivers a seamless process flow for completing tasks with complete visibility to time and content.

“CNG stepped up to the plate with its latest version of CNG-SAFE. Not only has it simplified my daily activities, but it’s created an element of time, where I can finish my daily tasks in a more efficient manner, leaving more time to concentrate on high priority items,” said Claudia Sardo, office manager of the leading full-service baseball representation agency in the world, SFX Baseball. “One look at the dashboard lets me view my scheduled items and I know my complete game plan. Everything is there – my schedule, documents, priorities, even my notes.”

Scheduling is an embedded component of CNG-SAFE as opposed to a standalone module or plug-in. This provides tighter integration across the entire system. Its scheduling functionality incorporates several individual features, making it a perfect fit for all organizations needing to complete tasks more successfully and on time.

Features include:

“CNG-SAFE’s roots started in document management for small-to-midsized businesses; today, it is a complete business tool that provides a strong competitive advantage over any business still operating based on paper,” said Andrew Bailey, CNG President. “Our clients were the driving force behind taking CNG’s document management workflow solution into this breakthrough territory. By combining scheduling, workflow and document management in one core package, we have further simplified click thru processes, allowing users to meet deadlines and take more control of their day-to-day business activities.”

CNG-SAFE also includes a number of other features relating to:

Availability

CNG-SAFE 7.0 is available to new clients. Existing clients with software maintenance can download their upgrade from the CNG support site.

May 09, 2011

Kodak Showcases Automated, Digitized Solutions For Government

If you followed the recent Government IT Leadership Forum for 2011 on Twitter, you would have found a few interesting tweets using the hashtag #govit2011, highlighting some of the more important points mentioned by the speakers.

Kodak spoke recently with attendees of Information Week’s Government IT Leadership Forum 2011 about the importance of implementing innovative, strategic document management solutions for agencies and cross-department collaboration. IT decision makers—including CIOs in local, state and federal government—attended the Forum to learn about burgeoning trends, including the benefits of using document capture to produce more accurate, reliable data to meet rapidly changing records management and compliance needs. Kodak is a gold sponsor of the event, which was held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Kodak’s comprehensive range of document capture equipment and capture software—all backed by KODAK Service and Support—enables agencies and other organizations to focus on speed, accuracy and durability to drive down costs of their paper-based tasks. Kodak provides a host of offerings to help customers better manage IT-driven tasks with timely return on investment as government agencies face increasing budgetary challenges and mandates for greater service deliveries.

Streamlining the Public Sector

“More than ever, the public sector is charged with streamlining best practices to lower operating costs and achieve greater efficiency across their information and document management practices,” said Mark Neff, Director of Marketing, United States and Canada, Document Imaging, Kodak’s Business Solutions and Services Group. “Kodak works with an extensive network of industry partners in the government sector—including Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Authorized Resellers, and certified Service Bureaus—to customize solutions that meet records management priorities across the entire customer value chain: from the strategic decision maker to the system operator or integrator.”

Kodak integration

KODAK Scanners and KODAK Capture Pro Software provide direct, easy integration into commonly used platforms, including the Microsoft SharePoint platform. Federal mandates, like the Open Government Directive of 2009, have directed government agencies to focus on best practices of transparency, participation and collaboration. Subsequently, many agencies have increased adoption of SharePoint to better connect and engage employees in cross-department records-management collaboration.

KODAK Scanners provide customers market leading image quality, efficient operation and ease-of-use. For example, Kodak desktop scanners include KODAK Smart Touch Technology (video demo below) feature, which offers one-touch scan-to destination for up to nine locations. Additionally, KODAK Perfect Page Image Processing Technology Feature makes image enhancement quick and convenient for users through providing automatic image enhancements for greater accuracy in capturing information and efficiency in locating it. Kodak provides upgrades to existing hardware investments via its website to help lower the total cost of ownership, increase usefulness and extend the life of equipment.

KODAK Service and Support provides public-sector customers a single point of contact to manage costs associated with installations and repairs for scanners, software and storage solutions. Government agency customers benefit from a responsive, worldwide service team with 24×7 support and multi-vendor service expertise across more than 100 different manufacturers. The service team helps to minimize costs and make the most out of document capture investments.

May 05, 2011

Never lose another PDF

If you send, receive, or use PDFs in your business, chances are, you have had occasions where you couldn’t find one you were looking for. With the ease of saving files to your hard drive, it’s common to just “right click and save,” oftentimes putting the PDF wherever the default download folder resides, or worse, to some unrelated folder that you most recently saved to.

To open it, you may look in to one or two of the most likely folders to see if it’s there. Sometimes you have to right click again, just to see where it saved. If this is happening, trouble is brewing.

Memories don’t last forever

Having just saved a file within moments usually guarantees that you can find it immediately, whether by a method defined above or maybe you saw it pop up in the folder you were browsing. But after a few weeks pass, don’t count on remembering where that document was filed if it wasn’t properly placed or named.

Easily store PDFs in the document management system

The demo video in this post shows how easy it is to drag a PDF file into your electronic repository system. Not only to get it in there, keep in mind, but to drag it directly to the cabinet, folder, and tab it belongs in. In our example, we’re showing an employment application that needs to go into the HR cabinet, in a particular employees folder.

Finally, within the folder, there are separators for the different document types that are specific to the type of folder. So the application for employment gets filed under that tab.

Why tabs?

Take a look at your HR files. Within each employee’s folder, you might have job applications, tax filing information, insurance forms, vacation or time-off requests, disciplinary forms, and hopefully notices of accommodation. Tabs are like tabbed separators in your files that keep everything in order.

A number that follows the tab label shows how many documents are in that particular tab.