The last thing an organization wants is to invest in a system that’s supposed to make their lives easier but find it’s terribly challenging to implement and deploy. ECM deployment is simplified if the system can be implemented in phases, if required, to ensure that the process does not become a massive IT project for the organization right from the get-go.

On-Premises, Cloud or Hybrid?

As with many software solutions, intelligent information management systems can be on-premises, cloud-based or a hybrid of those two.

The popularity of cloud services today is based on ease of use: the latest versions of software are available immediately, updates take place automatically, and using a mobile application of the platform is simple and easy. This holds true for ECM systems as well.

A hybrid approach enables companies to combine the reliability of on-premises with the flexibility of the cloud. Sometimes organizations are required to store certain types of data on-premises — either for compliance or security reasons. Hybrid deployment offers them the flexibility to store data wherever it needs to be — on-site or in the cloud — without being restricted to one or the other. It is also easy to transition to the cloud entirely if this becomes necessary later. Choosing a hybrid solution offers a way to retain cost efficiency regarding investments that have already been made.