Johannesburg, 21 Jun 2010
There is a growing need for companies to accurately manage hardcopy document production by tracking the number of copies, faxes, and prints. Companies can gain significant cost reduction from better document output management by lowering waste, improving device deployment, and enhancing supplies management. This is according to Document Accounting Solutions managing director Russel Roth.
In a recent IDC end-user study, more than half of all respondents indicated that their companies have put together a strategy - formal or informal - for document production, management, and distribution. The significance of this activity is the realisation that companies are increasing their document consumption and that these costs are relatively unmanaged, unknown, and uncontrolled.
The research found that companies spend approximately 10% of their revenue on document production, management, and distribution. It also estimates that using a DAS will reduce a company's document costs between 5% and 15% by lowering waste, better device deployment and improved supplies management.
As the office equipment market is transitioning from standalone, analogue technology to network-connected digital products, the Document Accounting System (DAS) market is also making a transition. Although many hardware control terminals tracking copy, print, and fax volume are still in use, there is a growing opportunity to more efficiently manage hardware peripherals on the network.
Not only does DAS track the volume of documents produced by office equipment at a company site, modern systems can generate reports that detail the page volume by any number of criteria, such as named project, date, client, user or department.
Tracking page output volumes can be used for the purposes of maintaining a charge-back or cost-recovery-based system. To this end, many professional services organisations (eg, architectural, legal and engineering firms) are already using cost-recovery systems to provide specific information on hardcopy document costs that are charged back to clients.
More importantly, these systems allow professional services organisations to give their customers the most accurate information on the volume of copies, faxes, and prints made on a per-project basis. The information is then used to accurately charge clients for document services rendered on a per-page basis, resulting in significant revenue and accurately invoiced customers.
IDC has also conducted several total cost of ownership (TCO) studies for office equipment, and one of the significant findings of the TCO studies is that under-utilising office equipment can significantly raise the cost of ownership of these machines. DAS can assist in finding out the optimal deployment of a company's office equipment resources by examining cost of ownership levels.
Roth says while this application has been immensely popular for establishing the market for cost-recovery tools, it only addresses a small part of the total market opportunity. “We view the benefit of tracking hardcopy document activity beyond the scope of cost recovery for client projects. Document Accounting Systems (DAS) can be used to address information recovery and the benefits gained by managing office equipment and its output more efficiently.”
Benefits include the ability to track waste and unauthorised use of office equipment, discovering the optimal deployment of office equipment and the management of the associated supplies for this equipment, like toner and ink. In these applications, the role of a DAS expands into the general office market by providing a vehicle to reduce substantial document output costs.
He points to the IT manager, who now plays a more visible role in his or her company's document activity and workflow. “The IT manager is already responsible for printer and scanner products, because these devices are usually connected to the network. However, it is the goal of every copier and fax vendor to have its products be part of the network infrastructure as multifunction devices.”
IDC believes that DAS can greatly assist the IT manager in managing the company's flow of information. The DAS is an effective tool for IT managers to identify which office equipment devices are used at peak efficiency (eg, lowest cost) and which devices should be redeployed in order to achieve a higher level of efficiency.
By carefully monitoring and managing document activity, IT managers can use the DAS to better control all document input and output issues at the company. In addition, a DAS could also be used to determine what type of device is appropriate, based on the document workflow in a particular workgroup or department.
“In the past, IT managers did not play any role in copier and fax acquisitions. These acquisitions were handled by purchasing, facilities, or office management personnel. Now that IT managers are faced with increased responsibilities in the document activity of their companies, tools such as DAS are more crucial in making good decisions for peripheral purchases,” he adds.
DAS can provide an IT manager with information on the optimal deployment of devices and the ability to track any unusual usage or waste patterns for each and every device on the network. By implementing such a system, companies can gain considerable document cost reductions.
For more information, contact Document Accounting Solutions on (011) 656-5000.
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