The Emerging Role of SharePoint in ECM
Recent discussions with CIOs and system architects in the pharmaceutical industry confirm that SharePoint 2007 has gained significant mindshare as a platform for enterprise content management (ECM). The most pressing questions on their minds are not "if" or "when" SharePoint will become a major factor in enterprise content architectures — those answers are fairly settled as "yes" and "now" respectively. The biggest question is "how," as in how will SharePoint be incorporated into content management architectures, and what role will it play.
SharePoint’s Emergence as an ECM Platform
SharePoint, already appreciated as a user-friendly, simple platform for collaboration and content sharing, received a major upgrade in the SharePoint 2007 iteration. This version, released in January of last year, incorporates many of the elements expected in an enterprise content management platform, such as sophisticated document versioning; doctypes with attached, predefined templates; and robust enterprise search capabilities.
At the same time, Microsoft has clearly ramped up its marketing of SharePoint, positioning it as "enterprise-ready" and touting its tight integration with Microsoft Office. Based on traditional Microsoft history, the combination of the maturation of a product and a determined marketing push signals the imminent arrival of an important platform we all need to consider as we build our IT strategies. Think Exchange and SQL Server.
As SharePoint has come into the spotlight, its proper role on the ECM stage has emerged as the central question, at least in the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, some see SharePoint as best cast in a small supporting role while others see it as a leading player. Some would even suggest that SharePoint is ideal for a solo ECM performance.
In a supporting role, SharePoint is usually envisioned as a front-end for an ECM architecture that includes a more robust back-end ECM repository. This approach takes into account the ease-of-use of SharePoint for end users, and the effective integration with Microsoft Office. There are a number of connectors and conduits on the market to facilitate data exchange between SharePoint and traditional ECM platforms, such as Documentum, to facilitate this type of design.
Use of SharePoint as a front-end can make a lot of sense, especially in cases where there are a large number of users of the content who simply need to search and access documents. While some would challenge the view that SharePoint is appropriate for users requiring complex approval workflows, few would disagree that it is ideal for basic search and retrieval.
The key to a successful mixed-technology architecture using SharePoint as the front end is being careful to address the needs of the "power users" who need to create, edit and approve content as part of complex workflows. If the SharePoint application is burdened with these functions for all users, it will result in excess complexity and (probably) degraded performance. If the power users’ requirements can be met separately, however, a SharePoint application can shine as the access mechanism for the bulk of users.
SharePoint as a Primary Platform for ECM
Of course, SharePoint can also be incorporated into an enterprise architecture as the solution for both user and content-repository requirements. SharePoint plays that role in many websites today, from company intranets to large-scale public websites.
The pharmaceutical industry operates in an intensely regulated environment, however, and that often results in application requirements that go beyond what is easily addressed by SharePoint. Examples include complex electronic signature requirements, dynamic role assignments and controlled printing configurations. To address these types of additional requirements, system designers may find they either have to extend the platform with customized functionality or supplement SharePoint with additional tools, which, of course, add both cost and risk to the design.
Recognizing both the potential and the remaining gaps in SharePoint for pharmaceutical content management applications, software vendors have emerged with application suites to address typical ECM application areas, such as managing standard operating procedures and submission content. Two of the leading contenders in this space are First Consulting Group, with its FirstPoint product suite, and NextDocs, a young Pennsylvania company with a competing set of applications.
These systems offer the great advantage of having all the required functionality to address typical requirements as well as being preconfigured with appropriate document types and workflows. They can add substantial cost to an ECM application project, however, since they each bring additional license and maintenance fees on top of the baseline SharePoint costs.
So, given the alternatives, where should SharePoint fit into your IT strategy for enterprise content? The answer is, for most companies, that the role of SharePoint should be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on specific application needs.
The parameters driving the architecture are primarily the application requirements, risk and, of course, cost. For many existing applications, bolting on a SharePoint front-end makes very good sense, providing improved usability without exceptional cost or risk. When application requirements are deeper, however, out-of-the-box solutions from companies like NextDocs and FCG may warrant the additional costs since they reduce the risks associated with custom application development.
The most important steps at this point are to build expertise with SharePoint, and to initiate projects that incorporate SharePoint in some manner. Ultimately, while the role of SharePoint may vary from situation to situation, it is not likely to leave the stage.
Glemser Technologies, located in Bethlehem, PA, designs and implements structured content solutions for pharmaceutical companies. Glemser delivers full lifecycle projects for its clients, and has proven, off-the-shelf solutions for pharmaceutical labeling, SOP management, clinical data management and promotional materials management. Find out more at
www.glemser.com.