Scalable Package Makes Imaging & COLD Affordable For Small Analyst Business

Who says document management solutions are only for huge businesses employing hundreds of workers? Just ask Capital Analysts Incorporated (CAI), a subsidiary of the Western-Southern Enterprise, with only 34 employees. "We have experienced tremendous growth over the past two years and we were having trouble storing, filing and retrieving in a timely manner," explains John Crosby, assistant v.p. of information systems for CAI. "Given that we are a very customer-oriented firm, this was a problem."

Small Businesses Can Use Imaging
Any organization that stores and frequently accesses large amounts of paper or microfiche is a candidate for a document management solution. For CAI's technological transformation, Optical Image Technology, Inc.'s (OptiTECH) OptiFICHE® (COLD) and OptiIMAGE® (Document Imaging) were selected from its Total Solution for Document Management. The open architecture of these modules permitted CAI to use its existing hardware with minimal upgrades, allowing for rapid installation.

Imaging: In An Affordable Version
CAI had been looking at imaging for several years, but the price tag of solutions had always been out of reach. Finally the company was introduced to OptiTECH's "Starter Lite" software package, which provides a price point that smaller organizations can justify and afford. Because OptiTECH has fully-functional and enterprise-wide versions for larger businesses, CAI will have no problem upgrading and expanding its system as it continues to grow.

Components In The System
During the first half of 1996, necessary upgrades to the Netware servers and Sybase database were installed and new desktop PCs were purchased. Also installed were Cornerstone 21" monitors, a Panasonic scanner and a CD-ROM writer. In August 1996, COLD and document imaging modules were implemented.

Faster Response With New System
Based on employee feedback, Crosby says the users are benefitting from the document management system. It saves them time finding documents and reports, and they can copy the information into other Windows applications (Word, Excel, Winfax). This in turn lets them respond faster to the financial adviser (whether by phone or fax) and helps them solve problems faster, while at the same time continuing to learn ways in which the system can help them perform their jobs better.

Handling A High Volume Of Documents
CAI is scanning and indexing an average of 175 documents daily, nonstop. In less than three months, the company has scanned over 13,167 pages. In that same time frame, OptiFICHE has imported many pages of COLD reports into magnetic storage. CAI's COLD reports consist of back-office reports that include commissions and pending commissions, all of which used to be printed on green bar.