This is the name given to a large type of content management system which is especially designed to meet the needs of a business or organisation, e.g. a government department.
The main feature of these systems is that they are able to handle large amounts of content which are directly related to the company, for example records, employee information, assets etc. This information comprises the procedures and hierarchy of that company.
An enterprise CMS uses a variety of tools, workflows and methods to manage the lifecycle of the content. This includes web content management (WCMS) but also includes media management and content organisation.
Streamlining CMS
The aim of this type of system is to streamline access for employees to company information so that they can access this content quickly and easily instead of forcing them to search through multiple software applications. This also has the effect of simplifying business processes which saves both time and money.
Security is an issue for any system such as ECMS, and in particular for organisations such as government departments who handle large amounts of sensitive or top secret data. Security measures are implemented at different levels within this CMS, e.g. user level, which enables all forms of interaction to be monitored and audited.
Advantages of an enterprise CMS
These include enabling visitors (or members of the public) to interact with the site without affecting its content and structure. They can download a document or complete a questionnaire without altering the fundamental structure of the site. Other advantages of an enterprise CMS include:
- Reduced paperwork which also reduces the need for storage facilities.
- Reduces the risk of missing paperwork, especially important corporate documents.
- Ability to track the lifecycle of a document as it undergoes a series of processes, for example, capture, edit, maintain and deliver.
- A set of metrics which enable a company to assess its effectiveness and productivity.
- Instant access to information which may have previously been unavailable or only accessible in an older format, e.g. microfiche.
- Ability to control information across all departments, for example human resources (HR), accounts, customer services etc. This is particularly important for the accounting department which is not only charged with looking after the accounts but also has to safeguard the company against internal and external fraud. Integration between different departments through this CMS means that it is possible to assess the performance of the company and how it compares to its competitors. This is a useful means of checking if the company is achieving its business goals.
A plus factor of an ECMS is its ability to store information until it is no longer necessary or out of date. This type of CMS determines when a piece of content has expired and will remove this smoothly and unobtrusively. This means that all the content is timely, up to date and useful.
Compare this to old style filing systems –both paper and electronic, which stored large amounts on information for an indefinite period of time. This often resulted in awkward, unwieldy systems which were a nightmare to deal with.
An ECMS can be adapted to whatever the company’s needs and requirements are. The content can remain ‘in house’which may be a better option for some companies and their security measures and delivered it in whatever way is appropriate.