Don’t call it an Automated Document Factory (ADF)

For the second time in the past week, I have been on calls with prospective clients who previously invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in an Automated Document Factory (ADF), only to use it as a glorified job management tool.  In these cases, the “big iron” suppliers seem to be taking advantage of the closed, proprietary nature of their “solution” to enhance their revenue stream, rather than enhancing their client’s business.  

Automation, by definition, is requiring no or little control.  There is nothing automated (or beneficial to the user) about requiring a check from a client every time they want to access their own data or closing off access to production metrics. 

I don’t like the term “Automated Document Factory” anyways because it does not address the two most important things an ADF is supposed to do:

1)      Ensure the integrity and privacy of printed information [compliance/privacy protection]

2)      Provide business owners with the useable information to better manage their business [workflow automation]

It is difficult for me to understand how document processing operations, so reliant on data to produce their jobs, would expect anything less than 100% real time access to their own production information from their vendor.  Any information management technology which is based on current technology should be capable of sharing information and communicating with other software packages without significant additional investment. 

In an era of increased competition for print & mail volume, print tracking, mail tracking & workflow automation software must be about helping our clients improve their business (on their terms). Whatever happened to the concept of making it easy for your customer to do business?

By Pat Hoskins, pat.hoskins@ironsidestech.com, PH (585) 953-3013