IDC RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF THE WEB BROWSER
to Document Management Solutions
From zero to 93,850 web-based document management users in one year
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Users of document management software were quick to adopt the browser as a full client in 1996, based on a report from International Data Corporation. The number of users turning to a browser as their primary client for access to a document management repository grew from zero at the end of 1995 to over 93,000 by the end of 1996. Livelink Intranet from Open Text of Waterloo Canada led the market for full-functioned web-enabled document management systems with over 64 percent of new users turning to its product.
"Internet technology is broadening the reach of information, and document management solutions are quickly embracing the web browser as an alternative to traditional client software," said Ian Campbell, director for IDC's Collaborative and Intranet Computing program. "IDC believes the use of the browser as a full-featured document management client will become will become increasingly attractive in corporations where large numbers of users need access to document repositories."
"The Intranet is becoming an essential component to the enterprise communications strategy for many firms, and joining corporate database and document use with widespread access necessitates EDM," said Amie White, senior analyst for IDC's Collaborative and Intranet Computing program. "EDM vendors are moving rapidly to develop products that adapt document management and collaborative capabilities to intranet requirements."
Current EDM vendors' Web offerings appear in various levels of functionality, from view-only access to full access through a Web browser-as- client and active participation in the document evolution cycle. The report segments the functionality into two categories: Web-enabled, those with full browser functionality; and Web-accessible, those who provide limited EDM function access to a Web browser client. While the report segments the Web EDM offerings based on their functionality at the end of 1996, IDC expects that a number of vendors in the Web-accessible category will move to make their products fully Web-enabled in the near future.
Highlights
-- The market for electronic document management solutions grew to 208,025 users by the end of 1996.
-- Again, Open Text Livelink Intranet captured the number one position among Web-enabled document management solutions with 64 percent of the market for document management solutions that provide full functionality through a web browser.
-- Interleaf BusinessWeb captured the number one position among Web- accessible document management solutions with 61 percent of the market for this segment
Expectations
-- The availability of huge documents available via the Web and the desire of firms to make more document-based information available on the Internet and intranets have propelled the need for electronic document management products with Web document management capabilities.
-- Document management will increasingly take on collaborative and groupware aspects as users demand greater flexibility in managing the work process by integrating collaboration, workflow, and document management.
-- The costs associated with deploying an electronic document management solution have forced CIOs to critically consider the costs and benefits of an electronic document management technology investment. The ease of Web client use and ability to link cross-platform environments with a single Web-based electronic document management solution can reduce deployment and training costs.
-- The market for electronic document management solutions will continue to expand as vendors develop mature sales operations to exploit international sales and marketing opportunities.
-- Sales of electronic document management solutions to European and Asian countries will grow as firms in information-intensive industries look for means to increase productivity and foster collaboration across geographically distant sites.
-- Because document management can have significant effects on basic functions of the work environment, matching electronic document management capabilities to existing work processes and recognizing disparate needs for training and adaptation time will improve the potential for successful electronic document management deployment.
Web-based Electronic Document Management Year-End Market Review, 1996 (#B12915) can be purchased by contacting Cheryl Toffel at (800) 343-4952.
About IDC
Headquartered in Framingham, Mass., International Data Corporation provides IT market research and consulting to more than 3,900 high-technology customers around the world. With a global network of 300 analysts in more than 40 countries, IDC is the industry's most comprehensive resource on worldwide IT markets, products, vendors, and geographies.
IDC/LINK, an IDC subsidiary, researches and analyzes the home computing market, leading-edge technologies in telecommunications and new media, and the convergence of computing and consumer electronics.
IDC's World Wide Web site (http://www.idcresearch.com) contains additional company information and recent news releases, and offers full-text searching of recent research.
IDC is owned by International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading IT media and research company.
NOTE: All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
SOURCE International Data Corporation
-0- 2/11/97 /CONTACT: Ian Campbell, 508-935-4010 or icampbell@idcresearch.com, or Amie White, 508-935-4202 or awhite@idcresearch.com, or Hillary DeMello, 508-935-4282 or hdemello@idcresearch.com, all of IDC/ |
