M-Files for NetSuite Showcased at SuiteWorld 2012 and on SuiteApp.com

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

Last week in San Francisco, we partnered with goVirtualOffice.com to showcase M-Files for NetSuite at SuiteWorld 2012, the NetSuite Annual Conference. Check out our announcement about our presence at the event.

We received a great response from show attendees about how M-Files enhances NetSuite, the leading ERP and financial software suite, with purpose-built ECM capabilities for managing financial/accounting, CRM, inventory, eCommerce and compliance information.

While NetSuite is great for managing business operations, it wasn’t necessarily designed with content management in mind, yet content, including office documents, emails, scanned paper, etc., are crucial to the information and processes managed with NetSuite. With M-Files for NetSuite, invoices, purchase orders, inventory sheets, compliance certification documentation, bills of materials, and shipping and fulfillment documents can all be instantly retrieved when needed directly within the NetSuite interface.

We’ve found that we can help organizations maximize their investments in NetSuite by augmenting it with tightly-integrated, purpose-built ECM that links all documents and information directly to related transactions in NetSuite. The resulting solution drives productivity and quality by reducing or eliminating paper-based processes, improving reporting accuracy and providing a permanent electronic record for any ERP, CRM or financial event.

M-Files for NetSuite on SuiteApp.com
We’d also like to point out that the integration of M-Files and NetSuite was led by goVirtualOffice.com, an M-Files and NetSuite Solution Provider. In addition to leading the M-Files for NetSuite integration, goVirtualOffice.com has also listed M-Files for NetSuite on SuiteApp.com.

NetSuite defines SuiteApps as applications that extend NetSuite for industry and business needs. Most SuiteApps run completely inside NetSuite, hosted on the same servers and living in the same database as an organization’s NetSuite data, while other SuiteApps are integrations with other SaaS systems in use by NetSuite customers.

Keep an eye out for more NetSuite-related information and posts from both M-Files and goVirtualOffice.com!

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M-Files Struts its Stuff at the Texas Technology Summit in Houston

Posted on April 16, 2012 by


M-Files will be joining other technology companies from the Texas region at the 3rd annual Texas Technology Summit being held at the Reliant Center (Room 300) located in Houston, Texas on April 18th, 2012 from 8am-5pm. M-Files will be exhibiting with our Houston-based partner 3i international in booth #400.

Topics to be addressed during this year’s Texas Technology Summit include Cloud Computing Implementation, Managing and Securing Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD), Mobility Security and Uses, Virtualization, Data Security, IT Risk and Management Assessment, Effective Governance, and others.

If you’re attending the 3rd annual Texas Technology Summit, stop by our booth (#400) to discuss any of the topics mentioned above, see M-Files in action live, and learn firsthand how enterprise content management solutions can transform your business by improving the way you organize, manage and track documents, information and processes!

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The Demands of Regulatory Information Management in a Global Environment

Posted on April 5, 2012 by

Today’s global companies produce immense amounts of data – so much so that their disparate systems often struggle to adequately store and organize all of it. This dilemma becomes more complex and challenging for organizations that must adhere to industry regulations and standards, or if they operate in audit-intensive and quality-driven environments.

Most companies know they need a better approach to regulatory information management – what they often don’t know is where to start and how to weave this vital capability across the enterprise’s diverse business applications.

Data is generated by the day-to-day activities that take place in each department. In most cases, data gathering is conducted locally, with responsible departments drawing on the minimal amount of information needed to adhere to regulatory requirements or to track commitments. However, what is often missing is the ability to aggregate information across the enterprise so that it can be used to conduct more predictive work, such as project planning across the portfolio, resource planning, and pre- and post-sales activities.

Accurate and up-to-date information is needed to establish quality management principles, describe specific processes and procedures, and maintain records that demonstrate such processes and procedures were followed. In so doing, companies can manage their activities more holistically and better equip themselves to recognize and act upon information that can impact quality and operations.

With a formal enterprise content management (ECM) solution in place, companies can simplify compliance procedures, streamline processes, automate information exchange and reduce administrative overhead. As a result, teams can work together in a more effective and efficient manner by keeping personnel connected, informed and on task – providing access to the right information to everyone at any time, from anywhere.

In the M-Files white paper, Leveraging Information Management to Improve Quality Systems and Processes, we raise the point that regulatory information management involves far more than just tracking submissions, and that the processes and technologies employed to enable successful regulatory content management can also help companies consolidate their disparate systems and produce meaningful information that leads to better decision-making.

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Classifying Information in a QMS provides the Foundation for Practical Quality Management

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

Manufacturing organizations produce an overwhelming amount of information associated with a variety of processes. Adequately managing processes and the associated information and documents that relate to them (such as inspection sheets, audit reports, nonconformance documents, corrective and preventative actions (CAPA), customer complaints and inquiries) can be daunting and resource-draining tasks, but doing so is mandatory to ensure quality objectives are met.

Organizations that effectively manage their mission-critical quality-related processes and information do so by proactively classifying the information and documentation they develop and manage during the course of business.

Classifying information associated with manufacturing and related quality processes ensures that important information is easy to locate, manage and track. The classification structure paints a comprehensive picture of the information and documentation that, for instance, can impact quality, standard operating procedures (SOP) and related instructions, what decisions were made during various processes (including why certain alternatives were rejected), how processes and resulting products were validated and/or tested, as well as why that testing was reasonable and adequate. Another important objective is to show how a company responsibly processes and responds to errors, deviations, mishaps and complaints.

Below are examples of process categories companies typically established in a quality management system (QMS):

  1. Document control
  2. Personnel
  3. Audits and findings follow-up
  4. Deviations and CAPA processing
  5. Customer feedback processing
  6. Repetitive quality control tasks
  7. Inventories and database listings

Furthermore,  sub-categories under “Document Control” may include specific documents such as:

  1. Quality manuals
  2. Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) and instructions
  3. Personnel files
  4. Training documents
  5. Quality control task-specific documents (e.g., audit certificates, deviation specific files or photos, customer feedback-related email, etc.)
  6. Item -specific documents (i.e., product documentation or other files associated with equipment such as a user guide, technical specifications or maintenance manual)
  7. Product documents, files linked to equipment, etc….

Quality management systems can be divided into two broad categories: those that simply create and maintain electronic quality manuals, and those that actually manage daily quality-related processes and information. A QMS that organizes, manages and tracks processes and information is fundamentally different from those that focus simply on creating and maintaining an electronic quality manual. In contrast to those systems that focus on the quality manual alone, systems that actually classify, manage and track information and processes make quality management a practical part of daily business operations that ensures quality processes are actually being followed.

In the M-Files white paper, Leveraging Information Management to Improve Quality Systems and Processes, we discuss the importance of classifying content and processes in a quality management system, as well as a variety of other important factors related to practical, day-to-day quality management.

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The Challenges of “Old School” Manual Quality Processes

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

Manual approaches to document and data control are rife with flaws that can negatively impact the integrity of an organization’s quality management system.

For many organizations, information control processes are managed separately by different departments. This proves ineffective as individuals in one department lack visibility into important data control procedures implemented within other departments. In addition to the challenge of coordinating disparate electronic data management methods, the problem is frequently exacerbated by the use of archaic, manual processes for storing and organizing critical documentation in physical file folders.

If the questions below are frequently being asked at your organization, it’s time to consider incorporating a formal electronic information control solution into your quality management system:

  • Who is the gatekeeper? A manual quality process often revolves around one person who manages all essential quality-related documentation. What happens if this person is sick, on vacation or if he/she leaves the company?
  • Did you get that email? It’s often difficult to get up-to-date information about the state of quality documentation and processes because related information and communications are often dispersed among unrelated collections of paper documents, electronic data, emails and other content. Are you unable to get a quick answer to a simple question such as “have the required people read the new instructions we approved two weeks ago?”
  • How are quality processes managed? Many companies have instituted quality policies featuring specific repetitive tasks such as weekly system health checks, periodic maintenance, monthly data recovery tests, or regular SOP reviews. Do you find it challenging to ensure these tasks are completed on time and according to policy guidelines?
  • Where does our documentation reside? Quality management is information-intensive, and the number of associated documents can grow exponentially over time. Many quality-related records require approval by signature, which traditionally has meant storing paper-based documents in physical file cabinets. If you operate in a manual paper-based quality environment, do you find it difficult to locate documents and verify the existence of back-up files of signed records?
  • Have quality issues been resolved? Audits, inspections and normal daily operations all produce different kinds of issues — non-conformities, audit findings, protocol deviations, etc… Manual quality issue management is not only tedious, but also error-prone and tends to deteriorate over time. Does your issues management process consist of sending endless email reminders and making follow-up phone calls about pending corrective actions?


In our recently-release white paper, Leveraging Information Management to Improve Quality Systems and Processes, we discuss how manual information control procedures are error-prone, and may inadvertently compromise an organization’s ability to comply with regulations and standards such as cGMP and ISO 9000/9001 while increasing operational risk.

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M-Files Cloud Vault Showcased at Convergence 2012

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

It’s that time of year again when the Dynamics community comes together to talk shop, rub elbows and make deals. We’re referring, of course, to Convergence 2012 — the premier event for the Microsoft Dynamics® Customer and Partner business community that takes place on March 18th to 21st at the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

As a Microsoft Gold Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Partner, and with our M-Files for Dynamics CRM offering, you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be there again this year. With our broad support for the entire Dynamics platform (including their ERP solutions such as Dynamics GP, AX and NAV) we’re bringing best-in-class ECM to other key enterprise systems by unifying the management of company content that drives nearly all business processes.

If you’re attending Convergence 2012, stop by the M-Files Booth (#1105) for a Starbucks Gift Card. Watch a quick demo on how M-Files can transform your organization with a compelling document management solution and we will trade your time for a Starbucks Gift Card.

BTW- We’ll be making an important announcement regarding M-Files Cloud Vault on the first day of the show so make sure to visit our website on March 19th or see us at the show to get the scoop!

M-Files Throws THE Party to be at during Convergence (just like last year!)
Some of you may remember us from our Paintjam event at Convergence 2011 in Atlanta, where speed painter Dan Dunn created three improvisational paintings during his exciting improvisational painting performance (check out the video of Dan’s painting performance on YouTube). Two of the paintings were auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warriors Project. Nearly 300 people attended the event, and the local Atlanta CBS affiliate covered it too!

Since our Convergence soiree last year was such a hit, we knew we had to do something again this year, so… we’re sponsoring the SpOt Party @ House of Blues!

The SpOt Party, hosted by the Dynamics community, will take place on Tuesday, March 20th at 8pm at the House of Blues. We hope you will join us for the 7th annual bash complete of drinks, music, dancing, and prizes. Don’t miss out, RSVP for the SpOt Party today!

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Content Control Enhances Quality Management

Posted on March 13, 2012 by

Effective information and content management is a critical component of quality management systems. Good manufacturing practices, FDA regulations, ISO standards and other regulations and standards require that companies manage file versions, document and execute standard operating procedures (SOP), control employee access, facilitate training initiatives and implement appropriate change control procedures for important organizational information.

To be competitive in today’s global marketplace, it’s paramount to have a tightly integrated and comprehensive solution for centrally managing and controlling information across the enterprise. When documents and data can be searched, viewed and managed across multiple, integrated systems, efficiency is optimized as organizations significantly streamline workflow processes and reduce costs.

With an effective approach to information management integrated within a quality management framework, companies can control and regulate document access, improve visibility and control revisions across multiple departments, while also providing the necessary level of automated notifications and communication to those people who are affected by the changes. Furthermore, all of these benefits can be realized while ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards.

Does your organization need to integrate information management into its quality management platform? To help answer this question, here are a few thoughts to consider:

  • Are you able to efficiently route files, obtain approval signatures, and access records for fast responses to manufacturing and quality related issues?
  • If your organization must comply with regulatory standards or mandates, how much time does your staff spend compiling, organizing and managing the documentation for this effort?
  • How many regulatory or compliance related files and records does your company misfile or lose on a regular basis?

In the new M-Files white paper, Leveraging Information Management to Improve Quality Systems and Processes, we talk about how more and more firms have realized that in order to mitigate risk associated with production processes and procedures, an effective document and data management system must be put in place. Modern information management solutions deliver a high level of control, empowering organizations to improve productivity, reduce production costs, ensure compliance, and reduce risk.

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