thyssenkrupp Elevator Automates Document And Information Discovery With M-Files

Single scalable platform helps thyssenkrupp save $1.5 million by digitizing and tracking every document across 100-plus branches in North America

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) - M-Files, the intelligent information management company, today announced that thyssenkrupp Elevator leverages the M-Files Intelligent Information Management solution to digitize its paper-based systems and automate document and information discovery.

thyssenkrupp, one of the world’s leading elevator companies, began the transition with a focus on digitizing the 700-plus documents that are created in the manufacturing and installation of a single elevator. The company produces more than 2,100 elevators per year and also manufactures escalators and moving walks, passenger-boarding bridges, and stair and platform lifts – each requiring hundreds of documents.

"We faced several ongoing challenges, as the cost and time to manage our document-heavy processes increased continually,” said Mike Fuller, developer/analyst at thyssenkrupp. “The combination of configurability, scalability, ease-of-use and low implementation cost made M-Files a clear fit for our next stage of digital transformation."

The M-Files platform is designed to optimize classification and management of content and unstructured information, using metadata to tag key attributes of a document’s contents, such as location, customer, document type, date and more. Using this approach to manage thousands of pages of documentation for each elevator reduces physical documentation costs, including that of shipping documents to other offices. To date, thyssenkrupp has used M-Files to reduce its document discovery and information management costs by $1.5 million.

Designing Workflows to Streamline Manufacturing Process

After solving long-standing issues in tracking paper-based content with the support of M-Files partner Unstoppable Software, thyssenkrupp deployed M-Files for tracking communications among team members that related to common project questions. As the primary vehicle for internal communications, emails carried vital documents as attachments, which were difficult to manage. Since emails were virtually impossible to track, these documents could be lost.

thyssenkrupp found that the workflow capability of M-Files provided a solution and crafted workflows that notify specific team members who can respond to common questions in the elevator manufacturing process. These workflows automate a process that might involve dozens of emails and records before each question is resolved.

"thyssenkrupp has become a model for effective digital transformation," said Miika Mäkitalo, CEO of M-Files. "Today, its formerly paper-based processes are streamlined and enriched with metadata, resulting in significant cost savings. The company’s use of workflows to manage the complex process of designing and manufacturing elevators places them in the top echelon of M-Files users that are innovating with the platform and seeing real business impact."

To date, thyssenkrupp has used M-Files to manage almost one million documents. As part of its roadmap, thyssenkrupp plans to integrate the open M-Files platform with its CRM, CPQ and ERP systems to further streamline communications across its operations.

To learn more about thyssenkrupp’s story, please read the case study.

About M-Files Corporation
M-Files provides a next generation intelligent information management platform that improves business performance by helping people find and use information more effectively. Unlike traditional enterprise content management (ECM) systems or content services platforms, M-Files unifies systems, data and content across the organization without disturbing existing systems and processes or requiring data migration. With the Intelligent Metadata Layer, M-Files breaks down silos by delivering an in-context experience for accessing and leveraging information that resides in any system and repository, including network folders, SharePoint, file sharing services, ECM systems, CRM, ERP and other business systems and repositories. Thousands of organizations in over 100 countries use M-Files for managing their business information and processes, including NBC Universal, Rovio and SAS.

For more information, visit http://www.m-files.com.

M-Files is a registered trademark of M-Files Corporation. All other registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.