SharePoint is the attention-grabbing diva of today’s enterprise software stage. IT leaders should understand who is implementing SharePoint and why, to determine if it is a good fit for their organization.

Content management system (CMS) implementation success rates are less than 50%, but will improve as the technology matures and as enterprises adapt to using the technology. CMS, a rapidly developing technology, will become as commonplace as ERP, CRM, and other enterprise process driven applications. There will still be those implementations that succeed and those that do not, but the balance will...

Large enterprises are no longer the only ones that can afford a commercial Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. Market trends indicate that small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) now have access to CRM products that are more suitable to their needs and budgets.

The ECM market is in a transition period. New license revenue is stalling and a wave of consolidation has drastically reduced the number of independent vendors. The root of this problem lies in the elusiveness of clients with less that $50 million in annual revenue. ECM vendors must innovate to accommodate for a general lack of IT sophistication in this market segment.

E-mail archiving is rapidly increasing in popularity, particularly among businesses in highly litigated industries. E-mail archiving can also improve the operational efficiencies of typical e-mail infrastructures.

The popularity of portal technology is at an all-time high. The technology is appealing to enterprises of all sizes. To properly establish project expectations, IT managers must be aware of typical project characteristics and constraints.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is experiencing resurgence in popularity. This boom is driven by the replacement of outdated technology. IT managers exploring ERP must understand the new face of ERP in terms of implementation drivers, project scope, and implementation concerns.

BPM is not an exercise in vendor or software selection. Tools and software only support and/or implement the BPM paradigm. Focus instead on what processes and level of processes the enterprise should tackle. Avoid BPM altogether if the enterprise perspective, process documentation, and change management components are missing.

Web-based customer service is a critical component of customer service strategy that both private and public sector organizations and their customers rely on every day. A variety of Web-based customer service technologies are available that provide value in different ways, in different service situations. Apply the attributes of different Web-based customer service technologies together to derive...

Web Content Management (WCM) is an important technology that is infested with a plague of vendor-created buzzwords. Break through vendor marketing hype. Recognize the different WCM components to effectively compare different products and negotiate with vendors.

To derive value from both first and second generation collaboration technologies, organizations must look beyond simply applying Internet collaboration technologies from outside the firewall to inside the firewall. Organizations must also consider the derivative impact that collaboration technologies and trends have on the enterprise, especially Web 2.0 technologies and trends.

Teamware is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, buoyed by many “Web 2.0” trends. As a result, companies can expect traditional teamware vendors to add more Web 2.0 features. However, companies should proceed cautiously with large deployments of new teamware market entrants.

Different enterprise problems may be solved by different levels of forms automation. Forms automation can enable simplistic department routing or mission-critical enterprise processes. Use this tool to determine the appropriate level of forms automation needed to satisfy project requirements.

Business forms are the windows through which process participants provide and receive information concerning process execution. Understanding the basics of forms automation technology architecture and the constituent technology components will help IT professionals understand when formal systems are appropriate and how to leverage forms automation tools in solution design and process automation...

Help desk software offerings range from simple ticketing tools to comprehensive IT service management suites. Follow Info-Tech’s appropriateness guidelines to ensure the solution is a good fit for the enterprise.

E-mail archiving is a valuable tool to respond to litigation. But it also drives tactical benefits through improved storage utilization and an increased ability to restore lost or accidentally deleted messages. These benefits must not be underestimated.

Portals are gaining popularity with enterprises. But the ever-growing product feature lists obscure the very basic functionality of portals and frustrate technology buyers. Portals are not complicated. Don't confuse native portal functionality with the applications that run within it. A portal is not a product; it's a platform.

Sustained by many Web 2.0 trends, teamware is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Employ this downloadable tool to determine if teamware is appropriate for your organization.

Web-based customer service is a critical component of customer service strategy that both private and public sector organizations and their customers rely on every day. Use this tool to understand the strengths and weaknesses of available web-based customer service technologies.

Web Content Management (WCM) is an effective technology for maintaining large and growing Web sites. WCM products involve a variety of different features and are offered by a myriad of vendors of all size. Project success ultimately depends more on internal constraints rather than technology features. Ignoring project basics like the business case and requirements is a quick road to failure.

Large and small enterprises require more than basic payroll and benefits administration from Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS). Automated HR management applications provide cost savings, increase operational efficiencies, and manage human capital. The HR management Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery model is being increasingly accepted in the mid-market while employee self-service...

Many companies consider the term enterprise search to be a standalone technology application. However, enterprise search should be a strategy that implements and optimizes search services to enhance the execution of business processes. Single-product enterprise search initiatives that try to index all enterprise content and enable searching through a single query interface by all users are...

A number of competitive help desk solutions are offered as on-premise software as well as on a hosted (Software-as-a-Service) basis. Use this total cost of ownership comparison tool to determine which of the two options is more cost-effective.

With the increase in demand for data for strategic decision making, companies are forced to collect information about customers, customer behaviors, and markets for use in decision making. Storing and managing this data in an easily accessible location is critical. IT leaders must build an Information Architecture Roadmap (IAR) to ensure that data is optimally stored and leveraged across the...

Data volumes are growing exponentially as more companies capture information about customers, customer behaviors, and markets for use in decision making. Managing this data can be a challenge. IT leaders must build an Information Architecture Roadmap (IAR) to ensure that data is optimally stored and leveraged across the organization at the lowest cost possible.

Web Content Management (WCM) presents a blizzard of acronyms and functionality. This worksheet helps IT managers to determine the WCM components that are essential to their enterprise. It also provides guidance on the vendors that are most capable of meeting their WCM needs.

The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software market is growing once again, especially those solutions focused on increasing demand in the mid-market. The high-end of the market underwent consolidation (i.e. Siebel, PeopleSoft, and Oracle) and many other vendors have been acquired by mid-market software firms (e.g. Epiphany, SalesLogix, Pivotal). New market trends, such as Software as a...

The help desk is an integral part of the IT department. When properly staffed, trained, and managed, a strong help desk can drive up productivity throughout the enterprise. Help desk software is a key resource for a successful service desk in an IT department well aligned with the business units’ needs.

Web Content Management (WCM) solutions are regaining popularity and the market is changing due to the evolution of specialist vendors and the entrance of stalwarts like EMC, Oracle, and Microsoft. Products will be increasingly differentiated by unique features and functions, and by the vendor-supported availability of professional services for implementation and support.

Infor Epiphany CRM remains a viable option for mid-market Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Epiphany CRM provides a broad range of functionality across sales, service, and marketing and is especially strong in CRM analytics. While the product’s long term viability was secured when it was acquired by Infor Systems, product development has since been lagging behind that of competing...

Pivotal CRM, a division of CDC Software, is an integrated CRM suite that includes sales, service and marketing automation as well as customer analytics. The product line includes vertical market solutions, especially in financial services. Its breadth of functionality, longevity in the CRM marketplace and large customer base make it a viable solution for mid-market CRM.

RightNow Technologies has steadfastly stayed committed to its strategy to evolve from a best-of-class vendor of electronic customer service and customer knowledge management tools to become a full spectrum mid-market CRM software vendor. The company’s current portfolio includes a broad array of tools across sales, service, and marketing domains that mid-market companies will find to be a viable...

Sage SalesLogix maintains its leadership position in sales process automation. A new analytical dashboard adds welcomed improvements in tracking and monitoring of sales pipleline and process performance. Planned integration with the Sage MAS line of ERP products will eventually make Sage SalesLogix the top Customer Relationship Management (CRM) choice for existing MAS 500 customers.

Salesforce.com has become a major vendor in the mid CRM market and is the reputable pioneer of the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery model. Initially focused on sales force automation, the company now offers customer service tools and basic marketing functionality. Partner additions to the platform and acquisitions are moving the company towards a broader business applications capability that...

SAP Business One CRM is part of an all-in-one enterprise applications suite targeted at the mid-market. While not considered best in class, SAP Business One CRM’s sales and service tools are a compelling CRM option for companies that already use SAP Business One for ERP. Non-SAP customers should consider other vendors for mid-market CRM.

The Info-Tech Research Group recently completed a comparison of six competitive help desk software solutions. One of the offerings that achieves Competitor Zone placement is Altiris Helpdesk Solution. This evaluation examines the product’s strengths and weaknesses, and provides key points of consideration for the enterprise’s help desk software decision.

The Info-Tech Research Group recently completed a comparison of six competitive help desk software solutions. One of the offerings that achieves Leader Zone placement is BMC Service Desk Express. This evaluation examines the product’s strengths and weaknesses, providing key points of consideration for the enterprise’s help desk software decision.

The Info-Tech Research Group recently completed a comparison of six competitive help desk software solutions. One of the offerings that achieves Leader Zone placement is FrontRange HEAT. This evaluation examines the product’s strengths and weaknesses, and provides key points of consideration for the enterprise’s help desk software decision.

The Info-Tech Research Group recently completed a comparison of six competitive help desk software solutions. One of the offerings that achieves Competitor Zone placement is Numara’s FootPrints. This evaluation examines the product’s strengths and weaknesses, and provides key points of consideration for the enterprise’s help desk software decision.

The EMC/Documentum Web Content Management (WCM) offering lags competitive offerings in functionality. It is appropriate only for enterprises that currently have other Documentum applications and that currently maintain an instance of the Documentum content repository.

FatWire is a Web Content Management (WCM) leader. FatWire's Content Server provides strong analytics capabilities for delivering dynamic content to targeted and profiled site visitors.

Interwoven is a Web Content Management (WCM) challenger. Its product functionality lags that of smaller and nimbler vendors. Interwoven's strong network of integrators and consultants make it an attractive option for many enterprises.

The Web Content Management (WCM) capabilities of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 are a welcome replacement to Microsoft Content Management Server 2002. Microsoft presents a strong product vision and attractive price point. The capabilities of the product are still unproven given its youth.

RedDot is a robust Web Content Management (WCM) platform that is particularly successful in supporting the requirements of authors. RedDot will continue to benefit from the document and process rigor introduced by Hummingbird and Open Text but will suffer from Open Text's own uncertain future.

Stellent Web Content Manager (WCM) is a viable option for existing Stellent customers that want to extend their applications to the Web. Recent product releases have greatly modernized the WCM offering. These advances are offset by uncertainty surrounding Stellent's acquisition by Oracle.

Tridion R5 is a robust Web Content Management (WCM) solution that is particularly appropriate for multi-site WCM implementations. Tridion presents the best combination of functionality and vendor ability for today's WCM market.

As one of the oldest specialists in the field, Vignette offers a mature and full-featured Web Content Management (WCM) platform. Vignette’s growth opportunities among large companies are limited as its innovation lead is eroded. Small and mid-sized companies will balk at Vignette’s prices.

Use this introductory research note to gain knowledge about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) vendors Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP. Learn about each vendor’s history, their current enterprise offerings, recent developments, and where they are heading next.

Use this introductory research note to gain knowledge about industry Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) vendors IFS, Infor, Lawson, and Sage. Learn about their history, current offerings, recent developments, and where they are heading next.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is experiencing a resurgence in enterprises of all sizes, following market consolidation over the last five years. New market trends, such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and application development trends (e. g. Web 2.0, community-based development), are reshaping CRM software delivery models, functional choices, and complicating buyers’ choices.

Acquiring a commercial CRM package is a difficult proposition, especially for companies that don’t have extensive experience in dealing with enterprise applications vendors. This tool addresses the essential aspects of CRM vendor selection and will help IT managers create a CRM vendor selection strategy that will enable them to get past the vendor hype and choose the best solution for their...

When considering vendors for a large internal portal implementation, the evaluation process can be long and arduous. This editable template includes all the critical areas to consider when selecting a portal solution – it will allow you to spend less time preparing the document and more time evaluating the options.

The selection process for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an involved one. A crucial step in the process is the scripted demo. IT managers can use this editable template to create a scripted demo that is appropriate for their enterprise.

One of the most important steps in selecting an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution is the RFP. Use this editable template to craft an RFP that matches the needs of the enterprise.

The selection process for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is very involved. It requires constant communication with different vendors. Info-Tech’s standard letters provide a starting point for soliciting vendor RFPs and setting up a scripted demo.

Determining a list of potential ERP vendors is a daunting task. Many IT managers may be aware of one or two appropriate vendors but are tasked with creating a much longer list. Use Info-Tech’s ERP Vendor Shortlist Topology to find similar solutions and grow the candidate list.

Creating an RFP for help desk software can be time consuming. An RFP provides vendors with relevant operational, performance, application and architectural requirements of the system. This editable template includes all the critical aspects to consider when selecting help desk software. Use it to save significant time in the RFP creation process.

Organizations that have vigilantly shortlisted a long list of application vendors into a few serious contenders should plan the demonstration day with the same level of care. Build a well-defined demo agenda, pick a cross-section of important stakeholders to participate, and develop a sound scoring strategy. Turn a vendor demo day into a valuable selection aid for choosing the best software...

Microsoft’s SharePoint is gaining a lot of attention from both the media and prospects. But it’s not the only option. There is a lot of choice within the portal marketplace. Align final product selection with the overall development strategy of the enterprise. This consideration will become increasingly important as portals continue to evolve from products to platforms.

Selecting a software package to manage IT’s help desk support involves much more than simply picking one that looks good. A well-chosen help desk management application can accelerate resolution efforts, streamline the escalation path, and help identify process improvement opportunities.

Selecting the best HR software requires IT leaders to effectively manage, optimize, and expedite the vendor/product purchasing and procurement process. Cut through the vendor hype by focusing on key features and functions to choose the best HR solution for your enterprise.

IT decision makers often struggle to establish an appropriate shortlist of Web Content Management (WCM) vendors. This worksheet enables users to profile their enterprise WCM needs and generate a rank-ordered vendor shortlist.

A help desk knowledgebase tool can improve both quality of service and efficiency of IT service operations. This editable template includes all the key areas to consider when selecting a solution – it will allow you to spend less time preparing the document and more time evaluating the options.

Many enterprises are overwhelmed by the prospect of implementing an ERP solution. Info-Tech’s project plan outlines the 20 steps of a typical implementation. Use the plan as a starting point for aligning internal resources and, if needed, getting outside assistance.

The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery model is impacting the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) project lifecycle. Understanding the impact that SaaS has on CRM is necessary to achieve successful on-demand CRM implementations.

Avoid common portal pitfalls. Consider the common issues related to technology, cost, and ROI before embarking on a portal project.

Enterprises have addressed information glut and compliance concerns by instituting document management and archiving solutions. They now face a growing threat from many discrete and unintegrated repositories. The reality of managing these data silos negates many of the promised benefits of archiving and document management. After-market indexing and search products address repository sprawl and...

A records retention schedule is a crucial input to document management and Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) initiatives. Developing a schedule requires contributions from various stakeholders and a dedicated project plan.

A well-chosen help desk management tool is only the first step toward improving IT service quality. Elevate your help desk to the next level with a complementary knowledgebase solution.

Sufficient levels of ERP security are lacking in many ERP implementations, which can cause severe financial losses due to fraud and non-compliance. Mitigate these risks through effective security processes.

The retention schedule template provides a first step for enterprises in the early stages of records management or Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) projects.