New Xythos Document Management Suite Offers Easier Access

By adhering to the WebDAV open standard, Xythos has maintained ease of Web-based application integration, while still offering a simple Web-based interface. The product helps to automate many Windows tasks, furthering ease of use and deployment. What&'s more, the new interface proves easier to use than those provided by Xythos&' key competitors Documentum and FileNet.

The product also eases file access and its scheduler adheres to HIPAA regulations. In addition to its Web interface, a new Xythos drive provides a native Windows interface that allows users to access their network files from Windows and provides offline content from a Xythos server. The native connection can be reached through Windows Explorer, and content can be viewed using productivity applications installed in a client.

Users can integrate content with e-mail clients from the Xythos drive. In addition, the drive allows file sharing, user administration and subscriptions. All of this can be done without having to go to the Web UI. Once users connect to a Xythos server after working offline, the content is synchronized automatically with the server. Other users working on the same documents are notified.

The suite stores document-related metadata in addition to a document&'s intrinsic metadata. It also provides some collaboration features that allow users to share files and control their own sessions by managing various file permissions. By opening or closing files, the software will lock and unlock files automatically. Users also can lock files manually. By default, every time a file is opened, a lock is removed. Each time a user saves a document, the other collaborating users are notified of any changes via e-mail. Xythos&' access permissions provide single access per file, so once a file is locked, users can read files but cannot modify them simultaneously.

Xythos&' enterprise document versioning system maintains file-tracking metadata such as names of users and time of last access, and even stores multiple versions whenever files are modified. Versioning is applied automatically to every file in a Xythos system once an IT manager turns it on. Xythos&' versioning mechanism follows HIPAA privacy requirements. The software uses a unique ticketing system that allows users to share sensitive medical information over the Internet. Users can send tickets as encrypted links to other users via e-mail. Tickets embedded in e-mails provide better security because they bypass e-mail systems, allowing users to access files only through a secured site.

A ticket will only take a user to a single document. Since the ticketing system works via e-mail gateways, it integrates directly with most popular e-mail clients. Through the ticketing interface, users can control access time and read and write permissions and can even assign separate passwords that can be sent in the same e-mail message with a ticket link or in a separate e-mail for dual-level authentication. Xythos Enterprise Suite 5.0 now includes a workflow component and a Developer Studio to create custom workflows. When developing workflows, users can set work paths in serial or parallel and assign e-mail notifications to one or many users at once.

Xythos Enterprise Suite 5.0 now includes a classification component to automate the document storing process and manage metadata associated with files. Users can classify documents based on predetermined taxonomies, set expiration times and determine whether a document is printed.

The Enterprise Document Management Suite starts at $45,000. Xythos partners typically achieve between 25 percent and 50 percent margins on system deliveries. The company provides partners with round-the-clock telephone and online support, as well as language-translation services for its international distribution partners.

Xythos provides on-site technical and sales training. Support is also available through Xythos&' online developer network.