| Introduction
Every business operating today uses paper as a means of communication. Since the invention of paper, companies have been challenged with every facet of paper management: creation, distribution, storage, and disposal. Many companies have enormous warehouses holding millions of business-critical, paper-based documents. This is not only expensive, but it is also leaves these document extremely vulnerable.
Today, companies are striving to reduce the amount of paper generated and distributed by using workstations to view information electronically. Companies are finding this solution faster and less costly than distributing stacks of computer output to multiple recipients. Scanning is a very cost-effective method to convert paper-based information into an electronic format as it enters an organization. Scanning can also be used to transform existing paper-based information into electronic information that can be distributed, viewed, stored, searched, edited, and retrieved almost instantly.
Many companies are using scanning devices in their organizations and are seeking ways to expand the functionality of these devices. Axis has responded to this need by developing a new category of office communication device, the Document Server, which is optimized for scanning, distributing, and sharing paper-based information over digital networks. With the release of Cobra Image Router (CIR), Cobra Technologies seamlessly joins the Axis 7000 Document Server with the powerful routing and data store capabilities of Lotus Notes, Domino, and Domino.Doc.
Business Factors Driving the Need for Scanning
Most company documentation today is paper-based. As technology progresses, companies look for other ways to facilitate information viewing but, by and large, paper is still continually generated and stored. Some paper-based documentation must be generated and remain in paper form due to unavoidable legal and validity issues, but having that documentation available by way of a workstation can completely change the way information is handled. There are several factors supporting the use of scanning in the business environment:
- Paper Cost - Paper is a cost for almost every company whether it is reams for copy machines, rolls for facsimile machines, "green bar" for reports, or even legal pads and sticky pads for notations. The cost of a year's worth of paper for a company is usually surprising. Today, the information on a sheet of paper is typically generated and stored on a computer. The printed copy is exactly that, an at-cost copy of what is already available electronically. This is not new information to the business community, though it cannot be understated. Computer technology can reduce paper cost if used effectively.
- Storage - People have filing drawers at their desks. Departments have large filing cabinets throughout the office. These drawers and cabinets are usually filled with paper that needs to be quickly accessible. These papers are excellent candidates for digital sending. The costs associated with storing paper can range from the cost of a filing cabinet (that also consumes valuable productivity space) to the maintenance of a large warehouse that can include power, staff, insurance, security, and storage hardware. Storing and maintaining these documents electronically can vastly reduce the costs associated with traditional paper storage.
- Accessibility - Retrieving paper that is stored in filing cabinets can be time-consuming and unproductive. Even worse, paper stored in a basement or off-site warehouse may need to be requested for retrieval. After the request is processed, it may take a few hours or a few days to locate it and deliver it to the requester's desk. If someone else requests the same paperwork, it will remain unavailable, or checked-out, until the current user is finished with it and returns it to the storage site. In addition, if someone in a different location were to request the document, there would also be shipping costs to send it as well as to return it. With paper, there is only one copy unless duplicate copies are generated. This only adds to the paper problem. If the paperwork is sent electronically using a Document Server, it remains available almost instantly to anyone requesting its retrieval.
- Distribution - Distribution of paper usually begins with duplication. If, for instance, ten employees request a copy of a report, ten paper copies are generated and then distributed. If a recipient is not on-site, it must be shipped, which is an additional cost. If the document was sent electronically using a Document Server, it could be distributed using e-mail or published to an intranet, eliminating the paper cost of duplication and drastically reducing the distribution cost.
- Disposal - Storing and retrieving documents electronically can also significantly reduce the costs associated with paper disposal. Instead of disposing of the paper when a report is out-of-date, its electronic counterpart can be removed from computer storage instead, immediately making that disk space available for other uses.
The Advantages of Scanning
With the known disadvantages of paper-based information and the continual advances in computing technology, businesses are looking to scanning to reduce the flow of paper and to build and strengthen the use of electronic information. The following examples illustrate how scanning technology and CIR can be used to benefit a company or business process.
Human Resources - Resumes that are mailed or faxed to a company can be sent digitally into a central resume tracking database and categorized by department, name, and area of expertise. After built-in optical character recognition (OCR) is performed on the processed resume, the database becomes searchable for any information included in the resume. All hiring managers with appropriate access can then view the database.
Insurance - Paper policies can be processed using the scanning features of the Axis 7000 Document Server for on-line viewing by agents, significantly reducing the time that customers need to wait for files to be retrieved. Claims adjusters can send paperwork, hand-written claim information, and claim photographs to an on-line claim file using a Document Server. These claim files on every insured are available in a format that is viewable and routable to anyone in the company. The Notes document, containing the digital images, could have processing fields in it so that claim progress can easily be tracked. Claim progress can also be published to a web site so that the insured can check the status of a claim using a web browser.
Shipping - Regional offices in shipping ports around the world can scan digital copies of manifest documents to a tracking database that is categorized by equipment or container. The company updates the database as the shipments pass checkpoints. As the database is updated, customers can check the shipment status by looking at the database using a web browser.
Legal - All correspondence can be scanned into an electronic case documentation management binder for each client. Documents can be "checked out" for updates but, even when checked out, other staff members can view a read-only copy, eliminating delays in accessing information. All case documentation can be quickly viewed by anyone with appropriate access.
Credit Applications - A customer wanting to purchase a new car could complete a credit application that can immediately be scanned to a financial institution in an electronic format for a rapid decision, reducing wait times for customers and increasing the productivity of the sales force.
Information Distribution - Product literature and advertisements constantly arrive in the mail. It is almost impossible to read all of it as it arrives, and the unread pile continues to grow. In addition, literature and advertisements may not be delivered to people that can make the best use of them. Scanning these articles and advertisements in a digital format not only removes the pile from the desk, but the information can then be categorized by product area and made available to anyone in the company, anywhere in the world.
Cobra Image Router - An Overview
Cobra Technologies has been working comprehensively with Lotus Notes/Domino, the world's leading groupware product, since its early releases. Notes has a compound document structure, allowing it to accept many kinds of data including text, rich text, sound, images, graphics, and video. This aspect of Notes makes it an excellent data store for images processed by a Document Server. Notes also has powerful routing capabilities that ensure quick and secure delivery of an object. In a Lotus Domino environment, Notes documents can be easily and rapidly published to a web site for viewing using a client browser over an intranet or an extranet. Cobra Technologies uses the strong store and forward document capabilities of Notes in conjunction with CIR to rapidly process, route, and deliver paper-based information electronically.
Axis has used its document expertise to take electronic distribution of documents to the next level with its new class of products called Document Servers. CIR is closely integrated with the Axis 7000 Document Server.
Lotus Domino Application Support
CIR supports the following document destinations:
- Any Domino.Doc binder
- Any Lotus Notes database application
- Any web site based on Lotus Domino
- Any Internet mail address using your SMTP/MTA gateway
- Any Lotus Notes mail database using the native mail router, by-passing SMTP
In addition, Xerox TextBridge Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which allows for instantly editable and searchable documents, is built into CIR.
Issues with Scanning in a Business Environment
Transforming paper documents into electronic documents can be extremely beneficial for a company; however, there are important points to consider before implementing a scanning solution using Cobra Image Router.
How will CIR affect my servers? Stored images can consume considerably more disk space than plain text. Image size is also affected by the saturation of information on a page that has been processed using a Document Server. With CIR the processed images will be placed in the Notes environment for storage or routing. Therefore, Notes mail databases and application databases can increase in size depending on the size and quantity of images stored in the databases. If the databases become too large to be used efficiently or if documents are infrequently accessed, a mass storage server would be an alternative for document storage.
How will CIR affect my network? CIR was designed as a workgroup scanning solution. Adding networked Document Servers to an existing network infrastructure would essentially be similar to adding additional network users. There will be increased network traffic. The impact of this increase of traffic depends on the current network conditions and the planned imaging volume. CIR's only network requirements are TCP/IP and FTP.
Is there special or additional client software required to view images that are sent digitally? Lotus ships its 4.x and 5.x releases of Notes with an image viewer that provides basic viewer capability; although, any viewing software that can recognize a TIFF or PDF file type is suitable for viewing images sent with CIR. For image file manipulation, a software package such as Lotus' Domino.Doc Imaging Client can be used for annotations, highlighting, optical character recognition, and redactions in addition to other functionality.
Benefits of Cobra Image Router
The greatest benefit that CIR offers users is the ability to eliminate the issues associated with viewing and storing paper-based documentation using their existing Notes infrastructure.
- Images can be placed directly into the Lotus Notes and Domino.Doc environment.
- Documents can be accessed by anyone with access to a Notes network by using a Notes client or a web browser.
- All users can view one copy of the document image rather than viewing multiple stored copies.
- Multiple sites can view the image eliminating the need for multiple paper-based copies.
- Documents and images can be used and viewed while working remotely.
- Documents can be sent digitally to workflow applications that involve the use of paper-based information.
Summary
Cobra Image Router increases productivity by improving information access. CIR contributes tremendous value to a company planning a networked scanning solution by joining the versatile Axis 7000 Document Server with the proven, productive, and open environment of Lotus Notes.
- Document storage and distribution costs are reduced.
- Document retrieval times are shortened.
- Dedicated scanning workstations are not needed.
These characteristics position Cobra Image Router as a cost-effective paper-to-electronic document routing tool.
System Requirements
Software
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 (or higher)
Lotus Domino Server 4.6x or 5.x
TCP/IP and FTP
Hardware
Intel or compatible systems
Pentium 166MHz or faster CPU (single- or multi- processor)
Minimum 128 MB RAM recommended for the Windows NT Server
Specific Companion Requirements
For Domino.Doc 2.x or 3.x, Domino 4.6x or higher is required
For integrated OCR support, 128 MB of RAM is recommended.
Contacting Cobra Technologies
If you have questions or issues regarding Cobra Image Router, you can contact Cobra Technologies directly:
World Wide Web:
http://www.cobratech.com
Updates relating to CIR issues, bug fixes, and future point releases are available at the Cobra Technologies web site.
Internet:
cirsupport@cobratech.com
Submit CIR comments or support questions
Mailing Address:
Cobra Technologies, Inc.
2930 Wellington Circle, Suite 201
Tallahassee, FL USA 32308
Telephone: 850.553.9393 (8:30am to 5:00pm Eastern Time)
Facsimile: 850.422.1535
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