In the interview with Dr. Tobias Cohrs, Senior Account Manager at EASY SOFTWARE

EASY SOFTWARE, one of the leading German ECM software providers, stands for automated, flexible and audit-proof processes and data. For more than 30 years, EASY has been optimizing and digitalizing document-based processes for customers worldwide. With EASY Archive, the provider is considered a pioneer in digital archiving technologies. The archive, as the core product, remains the central pivot point for the most diverse process and data transformations, helping companies achieve greater efficiency in their daily business and facilitating business processes within the digital ecosystem.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: In conversation with Dr. Tobias Cohrs, we ask what it really means to digitally address an entire company ecosystem. What happens when companies open their internal processes to external parties? What are the challenges, and what are the tangible benefits? Dr. Tobias Cohrs is an expert in digital optimization in process and data management. He already explored the improvement of inherent business communication processes in his dissertation. With more than twenty years of sales experience, he serves as the first point of contact in many projects for the design of new digitalization strategies.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Hello Mr. Dr. Cohrs, first of all: In the context of a document management system (DMS), what do you understand by an ecosystem?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: A company’s ecosystem encompasses the entire business environment, including all stakeholders who are part of the operational business. Managing documents and data must not only take place within the organization but must also include the external environment that is part of the operational ecosystem. External stakeholders such as customers or suppliers must be seamlessly integrated into digital processes. Only then can they also benefit from the efficiency and transparency gains that come with digitalization.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: When you say that companies must open their DMS to their entire ecosystem, does that mean, conversely, that many still don’t do this today? What do these cases typically look like?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: When people think of digitalization, many—especially here in Germany—still picture the classic step from paper to digital documents. But that alone is not digitalization. For example: Mr. Müller has worked in the accounting department of the same company for 30 years. The company now decides to “finally go digital” and asks Mr. Müller what his requirements are for the new digital processes. Since Mr. Müller is satisfied and familiar with his routine, he suggests transferring the same proven process into the digital infrastructure. This wish is then passed on as a task to the DMS provider. At this point, it is the responsibility of a forward-thinking DMS provider to broaden the customer’s perspective and provide the right advice. Digitalization often begins gradually or in a single department, but ideally, it should ultimately encompass the entire ecosystem. Companies are well advised to trust a provider that not only offers the right software but also brings extensive digitalization expertise. In addition, it is important to involve not only the process owners but also IT, the departments involved in the process, and the most important cooperation partners from the ecosystem. Because a paper process that is structurally digitized one-to-one is not digitalization—it is merely a shift in the medium, from paper to pixels. And this is often still costly due to the high level of customization. A process implemented in this way ignores the many opportunities that digitalization and the use of digital media and processes—properly conceived in everyday work—truly offer: hybrid, seamless collaboration at any time and from anywhere, electronic signatures, automated workflows—for example, in authorization processes—connections to a wide variety of additional data sources, dark bookings that no longer require human interaction—the list goes on. To fully leverage these immense advantages, companies must let go of learned process thinking and ideally become a little visionary. This includes bringing external parties into the digital system and not waiting until the internal points A to Z have been handled. Such linear process thinking is outdated in a fully digitalized ecosystem.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What does the current situation in the DMS market look like in this regard? How are companies using their DMS?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: Unlike many believe, even in 2022 there are still countless companies that rely entirely on paper-based processes or are only just taking their first steps toward digitalization. A few steps further, there are companies that have been working with at least internally digitalized processes for years and are asking themselves: “What is the next step?” The idea of “How do I involve external stakeholders in my digital data processes?” has only occurred to a few so far. How far companies have come in digitalizing their ecosystem also depends on industry trends. The best example is public authorities, which have a reputation for being digital laggards. Overall, companies at the lower end of the digital progress spectrum still dominate. Providers of digital solutions share some of the blame for this. After all, it is their job to show customers right from the start of their digitalization journey that there is more to it. The digital target vision in 2022 goes far beyond simply removing filing cabinets from offices. Companies must open up their DMS to their entire ecosystem in order to remain competitive in the long term.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: How can this be achieved in concrete terms? How do companies integrate external parties into their processes, and what do they need to consider?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: To seamlessly design processes across the entire ecosystem, appropriate interfaces, clearly defined permission management, and additional technologies such as e-signatures are required—technologies that DMS providers like EASY offer as part of their solution portfolio. The greater challenge, however, is to familiarize all users from the different parties in the ecosystem with the solutions and processes being used. Only solutions that are easy to use and even easier to learn will gain long-term acceptance. Ideally, the learning phase takes place on-the-fly during implementation—or the new solution is seamlessly integrated via an interface into existing legacy systems that users are already familiar with. Another issue that concerns many companies is data protection. What happens to my data when I open up my DMS to my entire ecosystem? How can I protect it securely while also working in a networked way? The good news is that experienced DMS providers know exactly what precautions they need to take to ensure that data is securely protected, stored, and anonymized where necessary. Nevertheless, this aspect must be prioritized in the project and is not something that happens automatically.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What are the immediate benefits? Why should companies open up their DMS to their entire ecosystem as soon as possible?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: Ultimately, every successful project of this kind leads to immense time savings, cost reductions, and greater satisfaction among all those involved. Companies operating in a globalized market must be accessible to their contacts around the clock. Digitalized processes are available 24/7—even regardless of location. The latter advantage proved to be a lifesaver for many companies during the pandemic.

Moreover, every further reduction in paper usage within the company enhances data quality. In other words: if I replicate data and documents less frequently – print them out, scan them, pass copies across desks, and send them by post – the complexity of the process automatically decreases. Through tighter integration and when everyone always works with the same digital original documents, less is lost – there is less additional effort, and all those involved reach their goal more quickly. When it becomes easier in this way to work with companies, their customers, suppliers, and employees are happy to collaborate with them. And more than ever before, companies today depend on their ecosystem and cooperative networks – whether they are a customer, supplier, or in other positions within the network. This applies not only to the B2C environment but also to B2B. Today, not only customers evaluate their suppliers, but suppliers also evaluate their customers. That is why it is not only fair but also an operational must for every successful company to digitally extend a helping hand to the entire ecosystem.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: In your opinion, what are the most important steps companies need to take on this path?

Dr. Tobias Cohrs: The most important thing is to find a provider with experience who brings this expertise into the project and proactively offers perspectives. Providers, customers, but above all the users within the customer’s ecosystem must be willing to rethink all processes from the ground up and embrace change. The project team must gradually expand the scope of implementation: first across departmental boundaries and then beyond company boundaries. It is important to always plan the next steps in advance. With targeted quick wins at each stage, understanding and enthusiasm for the new digital working world grow even during the project.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Thank you very much, Mr. Dr. Cohrs, for this exciting contribution!