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A Look at Managed Automated Document Factory Services Powered by the Cloud

  

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An OutputLinks Two-Part Q&A with: Don Dew, ADF Solutions Manager at InfoPrint Solutions and John Hankins Worldwide Offering Manager - Managed Print Services at InfoPrint Solutions

Segment 1: An industry-first Workflow Services Offering

Interview by Aaron Kiel

Focused on connecting various discrete technologies in the document production lifecycle, Automated Document Factory (ADF) technologies make the customer communication process more efficient and more compliant with regulations and business rules. In light of InfoPrint Solutions’ recent http://outputlinks.com/html/news/infoprint_Managed_Workflow_032111.aspx with the cloud, OutputLinks chats with the company to learn more. Don Dew, InfoPrint’s Automated Document Factory solutions manager, and John Hankins, the company’s worldwide offering executive for managed print services, share their views and insights.

Question: InfoPrint Solutions Company just launched its new Managed ADF Services. Tell us about that announcement.

Don Dew: Managed ADF Services is an industry-first workflow services offering powered by the cloud. This fully managed, turnkey production print workflow solution is based on InfoPrint’s robust ADF 2.0 solution and is configured and managed as a service by InfoPrint. This enables mid-market customers to achieve high document integrity and efficiency in their production environment with minimal capital budget outlays and low IT overhead.

Question: What’s InfoPrint’s history or background in ADF?

Don Dew: InfoPrint Solutions is a leading supplier of ADF solutions and has received top honors from leading analyst firms IDC and Gartner. A 2010 IDC survey found that 68 percent of respondents receive their ADF solutions from InfoPrint Solutions.* InfoPrint Solutions also received a “Strong Positive” rating (the highest possible) in Gartner’s most recent “MarketScope for Automated Document Factory 2.0 Software” report.**

As a former division of IBM, InfoPrint Solutions has a long history of proven expertise in production print workflow.  From the development of our first ADF solution in the late 90’s to the launch of market-leading InfoPrint ProcessDirector in 2007 – this new services approach is a natural evolution for us as the value of ADF continues to be recognized across different market segments.

Question: What makes this a leading ADF platform for transactional printers?

John Hankins: InfoPrint’s ADF solution is an integrated platform, rather than a collection of technologies. By connecting the various types of hardware and software found in most production environments, organizations can establish robust process controls and automation, which in turn dramatically improves integrity and efficiency.

This is critically important in many transaction environments, such as financial services and healthcare, which are compliance-driven. An ADF from InfoPrint can track an entire process from beginning to end, reducing errors, and enable more robust logging and reporting.

It does this so well, in fact that InfoPrint recently won Xplor’s Technology Innovation Award for a high integrity solution that has now printed millions of highly customized HIPAA regulated healthcare enrollment kits with a zero defect rate.

Transactional printers also benefit from InfoPrint Solutions’ long history in ADF technology, leveraging more than 50 years of IBM expertise in professional services, production printing and solutions enablement.  Formerly IBM’s Printing Systems Division, InfoPrint Solutions is an industry-recognized leader in ADF and has hundreds of global in-house experts available to help customers better understand the benefits of ADF technology and the new Managed ADF Services solution.

Question: How’s this a game changer?

John Hankins: This solution is the first of its kind in the transactional printing industry and provides companies in compliance-driven industries with the ability to create a secure, highly auditable print production environment that can be managed anytime, anywhere via the cloud, while still maintaining operational control.  Leveraging the cloud functionality, these companies can also realize cost savings through minimal IT overhead requirements and up-front investment.

As a subscription-based cloud offering, this solution also enables access to a large set of software capabilities that can augment the production environment, as well as enhanced business continuity options.

It is worth noting that while there are some wholly managed transaction print services available they are focused on operational outsourcing, not workflow management. Managed ADF Services concentrates on transaction printing workflow and provides reduced dependence on scarce IT skills and the enhanced reporting and audit readiness capabilities desired by compliance officers. This offering leverages InfoPrint Solutions' decades of ADF experience optimizing print-to-mail environments.

Question: Who are the potential users of this solution?

John Hankins: This solution’s reach extends to a number of different mid-market businesses, which must enable a high integrity printing environment, improve operational efficiency, increase productivity and implement a more reliable business continuity and disaster recovery strategy. Markets especially expected to benefit from this solution are local and regional organizations such as banks, service providers, insurers, utilities, telcos and state and local government.

Service providers can also leverage this solution to enable new solution offerings to their customers with low up-front investment.

* “Intelligent Mail and ADF Adoption Trends by Print Volume and Vertical Industry,” February 2010, IDC Report 221835
** Gartner “MarketScope for Automated Document Factory 2.0 Software” by Pete Basiliere. December 2, 2008