Corporate Content Management Systems (ECM-systems) are the types of software technologies that are widely applicable in the management, storage, retrieval and protection of unstructured information that is directly related to the management of business processes in any organization.
Some confuse ECM systems and electronic document management systems (EDMS). The confusion between these definitions arises due to the fact that very often EDMS, in addition to document management modules of an enterprise, includes some ECM features. As, for example, the interaction of employees on the preparation of documents. In such a situation, it is quite possible to discuss the extension of functionality to the ECM system.
The main difference between the ECM system and the EDMS is that in addition to conducting electronic document management of the enterprise, ECM systems create a single information space for all users of the organization, as well as provide automation of business processes.
Thanks to the use of ECM systems, labor resources are optimized and the operational costs of the enterprise are significantly reduced.
Typically, ECM systems include the following subsections (modules), each of which integrates with the rest of the subsections, and can also exist separately.
Below are some of them:
- Enterprise electronic document management module;
- Business Process Support Module;
- Web content management module for a corporate website or portal,
- Media Content Management Module;
- Knowledge management module;
- Content access control module, providing the necessary information regardless of time and place.
Each of the subsections requires certain skills. For example, managing the Web content of a corporate site or portal requires specific knowledge of administering Internet resources, and the enterprise’s electronic document management module requires specifics of the internal movement of documents.
ECM-systems combine the content of documents and managerial aspects of the enterprise, creating a unified environment for document management, and reduces the number of work activities for the implementation of business tasks. Thus, corporate content becomes available for those users who need it for fast and high-quality work.
