Traditional Enterprise Content Management System- Limitations and Risks

Migrating to new and advanced solution seems scary in the beginning, but once it is done, it proves rewarding for the enterprise. The same holds true for enterprise content management approach. But, many entrepreneurs still shy away from switching to new ECM system from outdated and traditional one. Yes, change to a new system is difficult for companies, but it is inevitable to address business complexities and growing competition.
ECM Services keep on updating thanks to evolving technology. Your company can leverage the benefits of advancements of the ECM system in today’s information-driven business environment. On the other hand, traditional or outdated ECM systems can pose a great threat to your company’s success. A research report of AIIM has revealed that the architecture of an outdated ECM software is not much suitable to meet the needs of modern businesses.
Here are some of the big limitations of traditional ECM systems.

Limitations and Risks Associated with Outdated ECM Systems

Delays and setbacks are more frequent with outdated ECM systems. Your enterprise can miss many opportunities and the workflow may fail to evolve due to such limitations. Also, there are risks of cyber-attacks or hacking of critical company data.

• The legacy ECM system may get failed to manage a growing amount of data in a highly challenges business scenario
  Frequent downtime can be a norm with outdated ECM system
• It is difficult to collaborate and coordinate with employees and stakeholders because of the difficulty in data access and sharing
• An outdated enterprise content management system cannot be integrated with core business applications
• An operational cost can increase significantly if there is a difficulty in real-time data access and sharing
• Maintenance and advancement of legacy ECM systems are extremely difficult. What’s more, the value of such systems decreases over the period because of functionality issues
• Software developers and editors no longer support traditional ECM systems, and therefore, you cannot customize or modify it as and when necessary
• You cannot install patches and other security-related features because of discontinued support
• Technological advancements and new features cannot be integrated into an outdated ECM system
• You may not find the developers or technical persons with knowledge of the traditional ECM system because technology advances rapidly and developers tend to stay updated with new technologies.
• It is expensive to hire specialists who have an idea of legacy technology, and it is even more expensive to train your employees to manage the legacy system
• It has a negative impact on workflow, productivity, and efficiency of employees in the long run
• You cannot change the specific IT environment to ensure a smooth functioning of an outdated ECM system

Let’s going through key benefits of a new document management system powered by robust platforms and advancing content management technology.

• Needs a one-time investment on a platform capable of future expansion and upgrades
• Support is easily available and maintenance rates are lower as compared to legacy ECM system
• It can be installed on any existing business network and support the workflow
• It provides an open-source and scalable solution to meet all the complex document-related requirement
• Improved performance, optimized configuration, and futuristic approach are key characteristics of a new ECM system

If an improved data extraction and fast searchability of necessary documents are all you need, it is better to migrate to a new system. A new ECM system is the easiest way to keep pace with advancing technologies. In contrast, the traditional ECM system can do more harm than good to your company.

You should give a second thought to move ahead with outdated systems because most of these systems are proprietary in nature and therefore less customizable as compared to new, open-source ECM systems.

In a Nutshell
It is almost impossible to take your business to the next level through an outdated ECM system. Moreover, the risk of cyber attacks looms large for such a system. Therefore, it is always beneficial to migrate to new ECM software. All you need to spend more time and money on integrating this new system with the existing business system. The integration of a new system or migration from existing to a new one can improve the workflow and data management.

Tridhya Tech is a leading Alfresco ECM Consultants services provider globally. We develop and deploy a customized document management system using Alfresco or Liferay platforms.