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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.b. Document Retention SoftwareAGENDA ITEM: Document Retention Software AGENDA SECTION: Discussion PREPARED BY: Amy Domeier, City Clerk Mike Kasel, GIS Coordinator AGENDA NO. 2.B. ATTACHMENTS: Laserfishe product information with proposed phasing APPROVED BY: 010 RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion only 4 ROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL City Council Work Session: April 15, 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND Based on previous direction to create a more efficient way to access and maintain archived digital documents, staff explored improvements that could be made to the current document retention process. During this investigation, it was discovered that improvements in software and hardware technologies could provide a more streamlined documentation retention system that would increase efficiency within and between City departments. While the newer digital document management systems have many benefits, they are complex undertakings and will require an investment of both capital and staff. Because of those investments, staff has thoroughly evaluated the current document management software and investigated other options. Staff spoke with Lakeville, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington and Apple Valley to find what systems are in place and their experiences. SOFTWARE Staff evaluated current document retention process needs and planned for future City needs in determining a solution for moving forward. To advance the City's current document management system, a number of upgrades would have to be purchased. Staff compared the current vendor, AMI Docuware software provider) and Crabtree (Laserfiche software provider). To achieve the minimum desired level of service from the documentation retention software established by staff, Docuware requires multiple upgrades not covered by its annual software maintenance. Docuware software is not windows based and does not include features that would simplify the scanning portion of the retention process. Further, administration, navigating and retrieving files in Docuware product has been the biggest complaint by staff as the files are not text searchable and the software does not allow staff to cross reference files. Laserfishe software has easier search, navigation, scanning and administration features. Laserfishe will also integrate with current City software that is used by departments and has timesaving features for the retention of electronic files. 1 In addition to providing the minimum requirements staff established for document retention software, Laserfiche, has the ability to integrate with other software systems the City currently owns. Below is a summary of the compatibility with current City software: INTERGRATION WITH CURRENT SOFTWARE LASERFICHE DOCUWARE Permit Works (Building Division) Y N InCode (Finance) Y N Civic (Utility Billing Software) Y N ArcMap (GIS) Y Y Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, etc.) Y N Cartegraph (Public Works /Engineering) Y N LOGIS (Police) Y N Max Solutions (Parks Dept. Software) Y N HARDWARE Currently, Docuware requires that each desktop scanner be connected to a single computer creating a permanently linked scanner station. This set -up does not allow for the flexibility to move scanners to other locations. The Laserfiche software does not tie scanners to computers and allows for portable scanners. It also has the ability to utilize our current scanning equipment from the Large Format Scanner to our Multi- Function Printers. A majority of copier vendors now offer a Laserfishe panel on their equipment. This panel will allow staff to automatically scan in documents during the copying process. DISCUSSION Staff has reviewed the Laserfishe product, which is window based, and has many features that are easy to use at the scanning portion of the process and the retrieval process by end users. The software also has easier search, navigation, scanning and administration features. Laserfishe will also integrate with current City software that is used by departments and has timesaving features for the retention of electronic files. All of the features would be a huge improvement over our current system. Laserfishe also allows for security measures. Staff has been using the Docuware software since 2001. Since that time retention software technology has advanced and is designed to be more compatible with city software and equipment. The cost of the Laserfishe software, five concurrent licenses, one license for quick fields, and maintenance is approximately $26,800, which would include the software, installation and employee training, maintenance for one year and conversion of images from our current system. The annual maintenance agreement for phases one and two would be $3,859.53 compared to the Docuware annual average maintenance costs of $8,000 per year. This software was not budgeted for 2009; however, staff has discussed using funds from the Equipment CIP for "Citywide Software Purchases" along with the encumbered funds available for "Docuware Equipment". Following is a summary of the costs of each software product. 2 ORIGINAL PROPOSED OPERATING CAPITAL CAPITAL COST COST COST Initial capital cost Docuware 5.0 Upgrade GIS Upgrade Annual Maintenance Software (Average) Scanner TOTAL $21,000.00 $3,300.00 $4,100.00 8,000.00 $1,500.00 $21,000.00 $7,400.00 $9,500.00 Purchase amount (Includes data conversion and GIS component) Annual software maintenance TOTAL $23,644.55 $3,140.30 $23,644.55 $3,140.30 RECOMMENDATION Based upon the research conducted by staff, the recommendation is to purchase the Laserfishe software and additional scanners because the system will provide 1) increased productivity in the retention process; 2) overall cost savings; 3) integration with current departmental software; 4) cross referencing of departmental files; and 5) ease of use by all users /administrators and end users of the product. Should the City Council concur with staff's recommendation, staff will present the item at the April 21, 2009 regular meeting a motion authorizing the purchase of the proposed system and hardware. 3 LASERFISHE PRODUCT INFORMATION Overview The proposed Laserfiche solution is a carefully conceived suite of applications configured to provide the functionality and benefits requested in the implementation cases. The solution should be seen as a group of flexible tools that make it easy to address the City of Rosemount's needs in ways that other solutions cannot. As off -the- shelf software with a design focus on local government needs, the proposed solution can be rapidly implemented and configured with very little customization. Laserfiche utilizes non proprietary file formats and an open, flexible architecture. The logical table structure of the back -end database makes data sharing with legacy systems very straightforward. Proposed Phasing and implementation Staff has planned a phasing process to introduce the new features to departments. The biggest feature that Laserfishe provides, Quick Fields, is the capture platform developed specifically for Laserfiche. Quick Fields will be used to capture, process, index and file scanned documents. Because Quick Fields is tightly integrated with Laserfiche, it can actually extract documents from the repository, allowing the City to distribute scanning, but centralize processing. Additionally, Quick Fields will be configured to dynamically build the file folder structure of the City's repository and set document level security when appropriate. In addition to scanning and processing images, Quick Fields provides a great deal of functionality that will prove useful to the City as the system is expanded. For example, Quick Fields can automatically collate and label documentation for document requests or auto redact police reports provided in response to a FOIA request. Furthermore, Quick Fields will be utilized to convert documents in the various department software systems. Using data from the databases, Quick fields will be configured to name, index and file documents based on the existing system or following a different schema as appropriate. Based upon usage and cross departmental demand, the following schedule is proposed: Phase 1 /Immediately: Engineering /Public Works /GIS The Engineering Division currently scans all project related data and correspondence. The documents are indexed by project number, project name, document type and date. Crabtree has recommended using the existing file structure. Full text search and the maintenance of a GIS layer of engineering project numbers will make searching data easier. Public Works currently does not scan into Docuware, but with Laserfiche they can enter issues, requests and work orders by address, type and name from their asset management software CarteGraph. These files could then be searched on by address from other departments using Laserfiche or via a GIS map application. A GIS application will be created that will allow for any department that maintains a GIS layer of their scanning files based on address, departmental project number, PID or development specific, could be searched in Laserfiche via a map interface. This would enable cross departmental querying of achieved documents. Community Development (Planning, Building, Code Enforcement and Fire Marshal) The Planning Division currently scans planning project related files, Planning Commission packets and Port Authority packets and materials. Under the current structure, files were indexed by number, project name, date and document type. The new system would allow staff to automatically build a folder structure based on the current indexes. Full text search and adding projects to a community development project number GIS layer will bring the process to a new leveL The Building Division (including Code Enforcement and Fire Marshal files) currently scans property files as one document and any new additions to the front of the multi-page document. Crabtree representatives suggested enabling the bar coding feature within the building department software, Permit Works, application. With the bar- coding feature, documents will be scanned into batches and Laserfishe Quickfields will automatically add the file into the correct location and index the files. Any files that just need to be added to the file will be scanned directly into the existing file through the Laserfishe scanning module. Staff will also add this information to the current parcel GIS dataset to allow cross departmental file retrieval. Parks and Recreation The Parks Department currently scans rental permits, Parks Commission packets, annual reports and grant application information. Crabtree will work with staff to redesign the indexing and folder structure to simplify and emulate current file procedures. With Laserfishe, the full-text search feature will greatly improve the current search ability for information. In addition, staff will be adding projects to a parks and recreation specific GIS layer to allow for cross- department file retrieval between Engineering, Public Works, Community Development and Parks. Administration The Administration Department currently scans agreements, minutes, resolutions, licensing files, City Council packets, election files, oaths of office, weekly updates, City Council backgrounder updates, misc. project files and correspondence. When the WebLink feature (described later in the staff report) is added to the system, City staff, residents and City Council will have access to minutes, agenda, and City Council packets. City Council and Commission Packets would be available in a paperless format for staff, commissioners and residents. Phase 2 /October 2009: Finance The Finance Department currently scans employee timesheets and imports miscellaneous accounting reports. During pre implementation meetings with Crabtree representatives discussion was held regarding a barcode feature to the accounts payable check stubs. Crabtree has significant experience with integrating with Incode, the City's accounting software. Current procedures would not change considerably other than after a check run the invoices and supporting paperwork would be attached to the check stub and scanned into batches. By using the Laserfishe Quickfields feature the system will read the barcodes and automatically file the documents into the correct filing structure and index by check number, vendor name and check date. Finance staff will continue to scan timesheets and other accounting reports, but will work on ways to automate this in the future. Further integration between payroll and human resource personnel files is projected in the future. Phase 3 /April 2010: Police The Police Department currently uses LOGIS to track and store its information. The department also keeps a paper copy of information not located within LOGIS. Crabtree representatives suggested turning on the bar coding within the LOGIS software application. With the bar coding feature, the documents not created in LOGIS will be scanned into batches and Laserfishe Quickfields will automatically add the file into the correct location and index the files. Any files that just need to be added to the file will be scanned directly into the existing file through the Laserfishe scanning module. Laserfishe WebLink WebT is a web -based interface to the Laserfiche repository. However, WebT.ink is browser and platform independent and is highly customizable. WebT is particularly suited for making documents available to the public. Because it is so customizable, it can be configured to fit into the City's existing web site. Anyone with an Internet connection can access public documentation. WebLink provides a read -only connection to the repository and dynamically converts images to PNG files with are smaller than TIFF images by a factor of 10, so even citizens with dial up internet connections will be able to access public documents quickly and easily. Staff recommends visiting the website for the City of Redwing, Minnesota to learn more about the feature. Phase 4 /TBD: Human Resources Human Resource files are not currently scanned. Crabtree recommends using the Quickfields feature so that cover pages can be created for each employee. The cover pages will be used to separate employee files by general, medical, protected health information, drug testing and worker's compensation. The slip cover pages will automatically index and build the folder for each employee so security can be applied to the subsections allowing only approved access with appropriate rights to each section. Further integration between Human Resources and Finance (Payroll) will be implemented through the Incode software. Laserfishe System Security The Laserfiche access control system provides fine control of user actions within the repository and what level of information they can access. Users can be authenticated to Laserfiche through usemame and password or through Windows Authentication. Laserfiche provides the ability to assign security rights to Windows users and /or groups through integration with Active Directory. To make security rights management most efficient, it is recommended that security profiles be created at the group level and all groups be tied to Windows groups through Active Directory. This strategy will automatically provide appropriate access to new users who are added to the domain and will remove access from users as soon as their network login is deactivated. Laserfiche security can be divided into Feature Rights, Access Rights, privileges and tags. Feature rights make up the actions a user can take as part of their global security profiles, while Access Rights allow those actions to be fine tuned based on the type of object to which rights are assigned. Access Rights control user access to folder structures, documents, document annotations, volumes and metadata. Permissions provide the ability to distribute administrative functions without providing system- administrator level access. For example, the network administrator can be given the ability to create user accounts and assign access rights, but not be able to open any documents in the system. Security tags are a way of dynamically assigning security to documents. Tags are user definable and represent the sensitivity level of the documents to which they are assigned. The access level of users is determined by the tags to which they have been granted access. For example, if a document has been assigned a "Medical Record" tag, a user without access to the "Medical Record" tag cannot view the document even if they have rights to the location where the document is stored. Laserfiche security has undergone rigorous testing and has been proven in the field. The proposed solution has been tested and certified by the Department of Defense and has also been certified for use over the extremely secure Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). Furthermore, Laserfiche is trusted to protect the records of the most security conscious organizations in the world, including all five branches of the United States Military, the US Treasury Department, CIA and FBI. We are confident that the comprehensive security options provided by Laserfiche will meet the specific needs of the Unified Government.