DM Mar-Apr 2026

DOCUMENT

M A N A G E R

Dm

www.document-manager.com

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

IMAGING & CAPTURE

WORKFLOW/BPM

CONTENT MANAGEMENT

CASE STUDY:

CUTTING PAPER, NOT TREES

PARTNER INSIGHT:

SOLUTION-LED SELLING

REVIEW:

IBML CORETEX PLATFORM

EVENTS:

IRMS PRE-SHOW GUIDE

OPINIONS • REVIEWS • CASE STUDIES • INTERVIEWS

ISSN 1351-3222 Vol 34 No 2 March/April 2026

You won’t find the best

information management in a

choice between physical or digital files.

Instead, you’ll find it in bespoke solution unique

to you. Which is why we’ll use three decades

experience to help you identify what’s worth

digitising, store what’s not, and create a seamless

phygital library for your organisation.

Demand the best of both worlds for

better access, better security, and

reduced costs. Now that’s complete

information management

you can rely on.

Physical?

Digital?

Phygital

Rely on us to strike

inefficiency from

your records.

COMMENT

Editor:

Sharon Munday

editor@document-manager.com

Sub Editor:

Mark Lyward

mark.lyward@btc.co.uk

Publishing Director:

John Jageurs

john.jageurs@btc.co.uk

Sales Manager:

Abby Penn

abby.penn@btc.co.uk

Lead Designer

Ian Collis

ian.collis@btc.co.uk

Circulation/Subscriptions:

Christina Willis

christina.willis@btc.co.uk

Managing Director:

John Jageurs

john.jageurs@btc.co.uk

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Dm

Editor's Comment

Spring is most definitely in the air,

and we're turning East to Shanghai

for our first blossoming story -

Alibaba's launch in March of its new

'Wukong' agentic platform, the Chinese

giant's push to move from AI assistant to

AI operative provider, rushing to join the

ranks of US big tech providers already in

this space.

Named after the Monkey King of classic

Chinese literature, Wukong is one of the

clearest signals yet that the tech vendors globally no longer expect

AI simply to retrieve documents or summarise content. Instead, they

want us to use AI to coordinate multi-step workflows across

business systems.

What will this mean in practice for us all? Rather than sitting

alongside applications as a chatbot, platforms like Wukong

orchestrate specialist AI agents capable of editing documents,

updating spreadsheets, supporting research and managing meeting

outputs, all within a single operational layer. With this move

Alibaba joins Microsoft, Salesforce and IBM who have already

placed agentic AI directly inside everyday document workflows for

mainstream organisations.

For those of us responsible for capture, classification and

governance of information, that subtle shift is worth paying

attention to. It points to a future where document platforms are

judged less on how efficiently they store content, and more on how

well they support the kind of automated, decision-ready processes

built around it.

We have more on AI in this issue of course - launches, Q&As,

opinions and a rare cautionary tale of wasted productivity time

locating documents in the AI era.

Of course, the Monkey King never stood still so neither should you.

Jump straight into our March/April insights!

Happy Reading,

Sharon Munday, Editor, Document Manager Magazine


March/April 2026

tinyurl.com/DM-AWARDS

3

Dm CONTENTS

C O N T E N T S

MARCH/APRIL

6

8

20

26

32

.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

EDITORS COMMENT................................................................................………….3

PARTNER INSIGHT: UNVEILING CHANNEL OPPORTUNITIES WITH PFU'S NEW

PAPERSTREAM PARTNER PROGRAMME..........................................................6

PFU (EMEA) details why solution-led selling is reshaping the document management market

CASE STUDY: CUTTING PAPER, NOT TREES: HOW BSW TIMBER AUTOMATED

ITS DOCUMENT PROCESSES..................................................................................................8

UK forestry group tells how it has successfully replaced paper-based processes with

automated digital workflows from DocTech

OPINION: WHEN DOCUMENTATION BREAKS, IT BREAKS..........................….12

Document Logistix explains why document management software is becoming

critical to compliance and controlled change management

CASE STUDY: AI IN THE MAILROOM: HOW RESTORE IS TRANSFORMING LIFE

CHANGING LPA PROCESSING…..............................................................…..14

Restore Information Management helped the Office of the Public Guardian modernise

the processing of lasting power of attorney documents

INTERVIEW: THE 2026 DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS JOB LANDSCAPE:

TECHNOLOGY IS CONVERGING, TALENT IS DIFFERENTIATING......................16

REAKT Recruitment define how organisations are radically rethinking the skills, roles and

partnerships needed to stay competitive

PRODUCT LAUNCH: REVIEW OF IBML'S CORETEX PLATFORM - BRINGING AI

BACK BEHIND THE FIREWALL....….............................................................…20

ibml's new intelligent document processing platform reviewed in depth

CASE STUDY: QUANTON DELIVERS 80% FASTER INVOICE PROCESSING WITH

ABBYY DOCUMENT AI AT NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT AGENCY...............................24

From manual bottlenecks to straight-through processing

OPINION: THE 37-MINUTE DAILY SEARCH PROBLEM: SMARTER DOCUMENT

MANAGEMENT CAN ACCELERATE AI PERFORMANCE..................................26

Research from iManage shows workers are losing up to an hour a day searching for

information

OPINION: STREAMLINING THE SHIFT FROM PAPER TO DIGITAL.....................28

OPEX details how the right capture strategy can support mixed documents, mailroom

intake and archive-scale digitisation

EVENTS: IRMS 2026..........................................................................................32

IRMS 2026 is just around the Celtic Corner and here's your 3 page pre-show guide!

4 tinyurl.com/DM-AWARDS March/April 2026 www.document-manager.com

RICOH

Scanning

Solutions

iX100 – Ideal for

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S1100i

iX1300 – Premium

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fi-70F

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fi-8040 – Market-leading image

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Network Scanner

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fi Series

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fi-7160 – Best selling

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For more information please email us at

Streamlining

scannersales@uk.fujitsu.com

processes, delivering

or visit

Organisational

emea.fujitsu.com/scanners

Intelligence

fi-800R

fi-7160 – Best selling

scanner in the NHS

• Automate capture routines; scan, extract and release all at the touch of a button

• Streamline operations by integrating captured data into business workflows

• Easily create searchable PDF‘s, or editable Word, Excel and PowerPoint files

For more information please email us at

• Optimise scanning architecture - use any scanner from scannersales@uk.fujitsu.com any PC

or visit emea.fujitsu.com/s

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S1100i

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Effortlessly scan unexpected items

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Enhanced security and protection

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Easily convert scanned

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Efficiently manage multiple

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innovative admin software

Dm PARTNER INSIGHT: Q&A

From Capture to Commercial Growth: Unveiling

Channel Opportunities with PFU's New

PaperStream Solution Partner Program

Why solution-led selling is reshaping the document management market - a Q&A

with Brian Fortune, GM of Sales, PFU (EMEA)

DM has been writing for several

years about how the pace of

change within the document

management market has accelerated

significantly. Organisations are no longer

investing in standalone technologies, and

hardware has become increasingly

commoditised. Instead, organisations are

turning towards integrated solutions that

deliver efficiency, enable automation and

AI, and provide measurable returns on

investment.

For the channel, this shift has created

both inflection points and new

opportunities. But selecting the right

vendor partner has never been more

critical. Technical capability alone is no

longer enough. Partners must also

evaluate the strength, structure and

commercial value of the programs that sit

behind it.

PFU (EMEA), part of Ricoh, is responding

with the launch of its PaperStream

Solution Partner Program, designed to

help resellers and system integrators move

towards higher-value, solution-led

conversations. We spoke to Brian Fortune,

GM of Sales at PFU (EMEA), to

understand what the new program

means for partners and customers alike.

Q&A: BRIAN FORTUNE, GM OF

SALES, PFU (EMEA)

DM: So first, congratulations on the

launch of your new Partner Program.

Can you outline which major

challenge the program is

designed to solve for the

channel?

Brian Fortune: "We've

listened to our channel

and tested the market,

and the biggest

challenge partners face

today is moving beyond

transactional sales.

Hardware on its own is

increasingly difficult to

differentiate, while

software-only projects can feel

complex, slow to install and high

risk for partners.

What we're doing with the

PaperStream Capture Pro

Solution Partner Program is simplifying

that. We're bringing together scanners,

software and services into bundled

solutions that directly address real

business challenges.

These bundles make it far easier for

partners to sell, and easier for customers

to reap immediate value."

DM: How does the program change the

way partners go to market?

Brian Fortune: "First it fundamentally shifts

the conversation from product feature

comparisons to focus instead on

organisational outcomes.

"Instead of selling a scanner or a piece

of software, partners can now offer a

complete solution, whether that's

invoice processing, HR onboarding or

document archiving.

"These are pre-integrated, use-casedriven

solutions, which means they are

quicker to demonstrate, easier to deploy

and faster to deliver ROI."

DM: Recurring revenue is a big theme

across the channel. How does this

program support that?

Brian Fortune: "Recurring revenue is

absolutely critical for long-term growth

and the ongoing valuation of channel

partners.

"With this program, partners build ARR

through software subscriptions, service

packages and flexible financing models,

so it's not just about the initial sale, it's

about creating ongoing value for the

customer. Through the recurring model,

customers receive continuous

improvement and support while our

partners build predictable, sustainable

revenue streams."

6 March/April 2026 www.document-manager.com

@DMMagAndAwards

PARTNER INSIGHT: Q&A Dm

"WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING OUR PARTNERS PRODUCTS. WE'RE GIVING THEM A FRAMEWORK TO GROW THEIR

BUSINESS." Brian Fortune, PFU (EMEA)

DM: What makes this program different

from traditional partner schemes and

how important is differentiation in

today's market?

Brian Fortune: "The differentiator is the

combination of technology, enablement

and exclusivity. Partners get access to

bundled solutions that aren't available

through standard channels, which helps

them stand out and protect margin. But

just as importantly, they get the support

around that - training, certifications,

innovation labs, marketing campaigns and

co-selling opportunities.

"As a company, we've made a conscious

decision not just to offer our partners

products. Instead, we're giving them a

framework to grow their business. And that

matters because differentiation is now

critical. The channel is more competitive

than ever, and price-based selling simply

isn't sustainable. By offering bundled,

solution-led propositions, partners can

move away from price comparisons and

focus on delivering real value.

"That's where the channel can truly

position themselves as trusted advisors."

DM: And finally, why should partners

act now?

Brian Fortune: "Because the market is

moving quickly driven by the tsunami of

AI and automation. Organisations are

investing in digitisation, automation and

smarter document workflows right now.

Partners that can offer complete solutions

will be in a much stronger position to

capture that demand.

"This program is about equipping

them to do exactly that, to grow faster,

deliver more value and build stronger

customer relationships."

DM VERDICT

A lot of channel initiatives cross our desk,

but PFU's PaperStream Solution Partner

Program stands as a clear signal of where

the market is heading.

For partners, it represents a move towards

higher-value, recurring revenue models and

simplified solution-led selling. This is a big

leap forward.

For customers, it offers a simpler, faster

and more effective way to benefit from

document management solutions that

deliver real business impact.

More Info: For further information, to

watch the launch webinar and to apply to

join the program please visit -

https://partner.imaging-channelprogram.com/prm/English/c/PaperStream_S

olution_Partner_Program

This program is part of PFU's award winning

enablement and incentive platform, sign up

today at - https://partner.imaging-channelprogram.com/prm/English/c/ImagingChann

elProgram

PFU'S PAPERSTREAM SOLUTION PARTNER PROGRAM - BENEFITS AT A GLANCE

Move beyond transactional sales

The program enables partners to transition from one-off hardware deals to solution-led engagements that solve specific

business challenges and deliver measurable outcomes.

Unlock higher margins through bundled solutions

Exclusive combinations of scanners and software reduce price competition and create differentiated offerings that are harder

to commoditise.

Build predictable, recurring revenue

With SaaS licensing, service packages and flexible financing models, partners can generate ongoing income rather than

relying on single-point sales.

Accelerate time to revenue

Pre-configured solutions, ready-to-use marketing campaigns and sales enablement tools help shorten sales cycles and

simplify go-to-market execution.

Strengthen customer relationships

By delivering complete, end-to-end solutions, partners position themselves as trusted advisors rather than suppliers, opening

the door to long-term engagement and upsell opportunities.

Gain a competitive edge

Access to exclusive technology, training, certifications and innovation resources allows partners to stay ahead in a crowded

and rapidly evolving market.


March/April 2026

@DMMagAndAwards

7

Dm CASE STUDY: BSW TIMBER

Cutting Paper, Not Trees: How BSW Timber

Automated Its Document Processes

In a long-term partnership with DocTech that spans over a decade, a leading UK forestry

group tells Document Manager how it has successfully replaced paper-based processes

with automated digital workflows

BSW Timber, one of the UK's

largest integrated forestry and

sawmilling groups, partnered

with DocTech to modernise and

automate its document management

and finance processes. By

implementing DocuWare, BSW Timber

transformed previously manual and

paper-heavy workflows into efficient

digital processes that improved

productivity and reduced

administrative workload.

BACKGROUND

BSW Timber operates across multiple

sites and processes a large volume of

documents every day. Historically,

many of these processes relied heavily

on paper, manual handling, and

physical document storage. This

created several operational challenges

including slow processing times,

limited visibility of documents, and a

high administrative burden.

In 2015, BSW Timber first began

working with DocTech to implement a

digital document management solution

using DocuWare. The goal was to

streamline business operations, reduce

reliance on paper documents, and

ensure that information could be

accessed quickly and securely across

the organisation.

THE CHALLENGE

Before implementing the new system, BSW

Timber's document processes involved:

8


March/April 2026


Dm CASE STUDY: BSW TIMBER

while maintaining accuracy and

compliance.

EXPANDING THE SOLUTION

Following the success of the initial

deployment, BSW Timber expanded its

use of DocuWare in 2021 to automate

the Accounts Payable process.

By digitising invoices and automating

approval workflows, the company

significantly reduced manual processing

and improved the speed of financial

operations.

Additional improvements included:

Automated routing of invoices for

approval

Faster invoice processing times

Reduced manual errors

Improved reporting and visibility

across departments

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

The implementation delivered several

benefits for BSW Timber, including:

Reduced paper usage and physical

document storage

Faster invoice processing and

approvals

Improved accuracy and reduced

manual errors

Centralised document access for

employees across multiple sites

Time savings for finance and

administrative teams

Large volumes of paper documents

Manual data entry into systems

Physical storage and filing of invoic

es and documents

Time-consuming retrieval of

archived records

Limited visibility of document work

flows

These manual processes made it

difficult to maintain efficiency, especially

as the business continued to grow.

THE SOLUTION

DocTech implemented DocuWare to

digitise and automate key processes

within the business. The solution

focused on improving document

capture, storage, and workflow

automation.

Key features of the implementation

included:

Intelligent data capture for incoming

invoices and documents

User validation to ensure accuracy

before documents enter workflows

Automated approval processes to

enforce internal business rules

Integration with the company's ERP

and finance systems to remove

duplicate data entry

Digital archiving of documents to

reduce physical storage requirements

This integration ensured that

documents could be processed faster

The automation of previously manual

tasks has saved significant staff time

each month and improved overall

operational efficiency.

ONGOING DIGITAL

TRANSFORMATION

BSW Timber continues to develop and

enhance its digital document

management capabilities. The

organisation has gradually expanded

the use of DocuWare to support

additional processes, including digital

forms and paperless agreements.

This ongoing digital transformation

has helped BSW Timber modernise its

operations while supporting continued

business growth.

More Info: www.doctech.co.uk


PROUD TO WIN

THESE GREAT

AWARDS.

Thanks to the

efforts of the entire

Document

Logistix team.

Discover more about

document management

innovation on our website.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

WWW.DOCUMENT-LOGISTIX.COM

T +44 (0)1908 366 388 E info@document-logistix.com

8 Copperhouse Court, Caldecotte, Milton Keynes MK7 8NL

Dm OPINION: RESILIENCE

When Documentation Breaks, IT Breaks

Document Logistix Senior Consultant Josh Baterip explains why document management

software is becoming critical to operational resilience, compliance and controlled change

management in modern IT environments

Ask most people what keeps an IT

department running smoothly and

they'll probably mention

infrastructure, cloud platforms,

cybersecurity tools or DevOps pipelines. Few

will say "documentation."

Yet behind every stable production

environment there sits a bank of policies,

configuration notes, change logs, access

records and process documents. They

don't attract attention, until something

goes wrong.

For IT production managers, maintaining

that layer of information is not optional. It

is what keeps systems stable when

complexity increases.

In my experience, operational risk in IT

rarely comes from a lack of technical skill.

It usually stems from fragmented

information, outdated procedures,

uncontrolled versions or missing audit

trails. When information is scattered,

control slips.

THE EXPANDING RESPONSIBILITIES OF

THE IT PRODUCTION MANAGER

In practice, the title "Production Manager"

barely reflects the breadth of responsibility

involved. On any given day a Production

Manager may be overseeing release

schedules, reviewing access permissions,

preparing evidence for auditors,

coordinating with security teams and

troubleshooting a live incident.

Production Managers are expected to

maintain uptime, enforce change discipline,

safeguard data, support compliance

frameworks and still look ahead to process

optimisation opportunities. That's a big job,

and every part of it depends on reliable

documentation.

When information is easy to find and

clearly governed, decisions can be made

faster. When it isn't, even small uncertainties

can slow down progress significantly.

HOW SMALL GAPS TURN INTO BIG

RISKS

Documentation rarely fails in dramatic

fashion. It erodes gradually.

A system configuration guide is updated

but not shared. An access spreadsheet

isn't revised after someone leaves the

business. A policy sits in a shared drive,

but no one is entirely sure whether it is still

the approved version.

Individually, these issues seem minor.

Together, they create significant risk.

Security is often where cracks appear first.

Without centralised control, sensitive

documents may be accessible to more

people than necessary. There may be no

clear record of who viewed or edited a file.



CASE STUDY: OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN Dm

In the event of an investigation or data

breach, reconstructing document access

history becomes extremely difficult.

Quality management can suffer too.

Production environments depend on

consistency. If engineers refer to outdated

deployment instructions or conflicting

runbooks, mistakes happen, sometimes

with costly consequences.

And then there's the increasingly critical

issue of compliance. Auditors increasingly

expect structured evidence: clear document

histories, defined retention periods,

demonstrable approval workflows.

Gathering that evidence manually is not just

inefficient; it is stressful and prone to gaps.

THE TURNING POINT: INTRODUCING

STRUCTURE AND CONTROL

This is where structured document

management starts to make a real

difference. Not by adding layers of

bureaucracy, but by bringing coherence to

what already exists.

A centralised repository creates a single,

trusted location for operational documents.

Search becomes reliable. Retrieval becomes

quick. The frustration of hunting through

shared folders disappears.

Access controls can be assigned to roles,

which means people see what they need

to carry out their work and no more. Every

interaction is logged automatically to

create an audit trail without extra

administrative effort.

Version control becomes structured.

Updates pass through defined approval

stages. Previous versions remain accessible

for reference but cannot be confused with

the current document version. In highpressure

situations, having that level of

clarity matters.

Retention policies can also be automated.

Documents are kept for the correct amount

of time and securely removed when

appropriate to reduce regulatory exposure

and unnecessary storage.

BEYOND RISK MANAGEMENT:

SUPPORTING SMARTER OPERATIONS

The benefits of document management

software extend beyond compliance.

IT environments evolve constantly.

Systems are upgraded, integrations are

added, processes are refined. Without

visibility into how documentation and

processes have changed over time,

optimisation becomes guesswork.

With structured document

management, Production Managers can

trace patterns across incidents and

releases. They can see what was changed,

when and why. That historical visibility

provides actionable insight.

There is also a productivity dimension.

Numerous industry studies suggest that

knowledge workers waste a significant

portion of their time searching for

information.

Even small efficiency gains in information

retrieval can free up meaningful capacity.

For high-value IT teams, reclaimed hours

translate directly into improved system

resilience and faster innovation cycles.

STRENGTHENING AUDIT READINESS

AND GOVERNANCE

Audit preparation has a reputation for

business disruption. When documents are

scattered, teams have to scramble. Focus

shifts from daily duties and strategic work

to last-minute evidence gathering.

In contrast, organisations with structured

document control experience audits

differently. Evidence already exists in a

coherent form. Access logs, approval

records and document histories are

available on demand.

From my perspective, the difference

between organisations that struggle with

audits and those that pass them

comfortably usually comes down to one

thing: document control embedded into

everyday operations.

That shift in attitude to audits from

defensive to assured should not be

underestimated.

A FOUNDATION FOR SCALABLE

GROWTH

As organisations expand through digital

transformation, acquisition or new service

offerings, complexity increases. New

systems mean new documentation

requirements. New teams introduce new

processes. Without a coherent framework,

integration becomes chaotic.

Document management software

provides a scalable backbone. Standardised

templates, controlled workflows and

unified governance models ensure that

growth does not weaken oversight.

Knowledge transfer becomes smoother,

particularly when onboarding new

technical staff. Instead of inheriting a maze

of disconnected folders, they enter a

structured environment with clear logic.

Production Managers can focus on

strategic improvement rather than

administrative firefighting.

THE HUMAN SIDE OF CONTROL

It is easy to frame this conversation purely

in terms of governance KPIs. But there is a

human dimension to consider. Production

Managers operate under sustained

pressure. They are accountable for

preventing downtime that can cost millions

and damage company reputation.

When documentation is unreliable, doubt

creeps in at the worst moment. Is this the

latest version? Has this change been

approved? Who has access to that file?

Reliable document management

removes ambiguity, answers those

questions, and generates confidence. In

high-stakes operational environments,

confidence is essential.

CONCLUSION: FROM FILING SYSTEM

TO STRATEGIC SAFEGUARD

Document management software is

sometimes underestimated because it lacks

the glamour of emerging technologies. Yet

within IT departments it functions as a

strategic safeguard.

By strengthening security, enforcing

quality standards, supporting

compliance, preserving version integrity

and enabling process optimisation, it

transforms documentation from a liability

into an asset.

Technology will continue to evolve at pace

and systems will grow more complex.

Ultimately, the organisations that manage

complexity best are not always those with

the newest tools, but those with the

clearest control over their information.

Stability comes from control. Effective

document management gives IT teams that

control consistently and measurably.

More Info: www.document-logistix.com


March/April 2026


13

Dm CASE STUDY: OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN

AI in the Mailroom: How Restore is Transforming

Life Changing LPA Processing for the Office of

the Public Guardian

How Restore Information Management helped the

Office of the Public Guardian modernise the processing

of lasting power of attorney documents using cloudbased

automation

Established in 2007, the Office of

the Public Guardian (OPG) in

England and Wales is a

government body responsible, in part,

for registering lasting powers of

attorney (LPA). An LPA is a legal

document that allows trusted

individuals to make decisions on behalf

of someone who no longer has the

mental capacity to do so themselves.

Processing the LPAs that arrive every

day by post is an intensive and timeconsuming

task. When the OPG's

previous contract came to an end, the

organisation put the work out to

tender, seeking a new partner that

could improve working practices and

reduce the time it takes to process

LPAs without sacrificing quality.

That partner became Restore

Information Management.

THE CHALLENGE

An LPA document typically runs to

more than 20 pages and contains

between 50 and 90 fields, including

both check boxes and free text. The

OPG digitises these paper documents

to make them quicker and easier to

process, but the sheer volume of LPAs

received, combined with the amount

of data within each one, makes this a

significant operational challenge.

The OPG wanted to keep the

mailroom within its own offices, so it

needed a partner capable of supplying

the technology, systems and training

required for its internal team to

succeed.

At the same time, the organisation

was keen to reduce the physical

footprint of the mailroom operation.

Any proposed solution would

therefore need to minimise on-site

hardware while integrating seamlessly



CASE STUDY: OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN Dm

with the OPG's home-grown case

management system.

Processing more documents,

improving quality, reducing space

requirements and integrating with

custom software presented a complex

set of requirements.

THE SOLUTION

Restore Information Management

deployed two types of scanners within

the OPG mailroom.

The first was designed for highvolume

processing, capable of

scanning large batches of forms at

speed. The second handled supporting

documents, such as correspondence

that may accompany an LPA

submission.

Because these scanners generate

large volumes of data in a short period

of time, Restore implemented cloudbased

AI processing to extract

information from the documents.

Moving processing to the cloud

delivered several advantages for OPG:-

Continuous improvement: With the

technology now in place, Restore and

the OPG can continually test and

refine the system to improve accuracy

and efficiency.

Improved business continuity: If the

OPG office experiences disruption,

such as a power outage, cloud

processing ensures data extraction

continues. It also enables hybrid staff

to validate extracted data remotely.

Reduced infrastructure footprint:

Cloud processing significantly reduced

the amount of hardware required onsite.

Restore also provided extensive

training and ongoing support to

ensure OPG staff could make the most

of the new system.

MANAGING DEPLOYMENT

CHALLENGES

Because the OPG chose to retain its

mailroom on-site, the deployment of

the technology and the introduction

of new workflows required careful

integration with existing processes.

As with any large transformation

project, there were challenges along

the way. Restore mitigated many of

these through rigorous testing before

full deployment, allowing potential

issues to be identified and resolved

early.

Close collaboration between both

teams ensured that the final system

delivered reliable and consistent

results.

THE RESULTS

The outcome of the project is clear:

faster digitisation and improved

processing quality.

The OPG is also benefiting from

significantly improved management

information (MI). The organisation can

now track operational metrics in far

greater detail, including scanner

performance, downtime and

throughput, providing valuable insight

into how the mailroom is operating.

More Info: www.restore.co.uk


March/April 2026


15

Dm INTERVIEW: REAKT

The 2026 Document Solutions Job Landscape:

Technology Is Converging, Talent Is Differentiating

Karen Edwards & Victoria Coleman, Directors at REAKT Recruitment, on how AI,

governance and workflow orchestration mean that organisations are radically rethinking

the skills, roles and partnerships needed to stay competitive

The document solutions industry is

going through a genuine shift. Not

the kind that gets talked up in

vendor briefings and then quietly

disappears, but a structural one. A sector

that was built around hardware and

technology has become something far

more complex: cloud platforms,

intelligent automation, AI-driven

capture, workflow orchestration,

compliance-first governance. The whole

stack has changed.

At REAKT we sit right in the middle of

this, working with organisations across

EMEA and the US as they figure out what

it means for their teams, their hiring and

their competitive position. We see where

the technology is heading, but we also

see how organisations are responding.

That combination gives us a clear picture

of what's working and what isn't.

Here's what's shaping the DM talent

market right now.

1. Nobody is just managing documents

anymore

The industry has moved well beyond

scanning, indexing and archiving. What

organisations want today are end-to-end

information ecosystems, ones that bring

together intelligent document processing,

AI-driven classification, workflow

automation, cloud-native ECM, digital

mailrooms, records governance and API

integration with ERP, CRM and line-ofbusiness

systems.



UK‐Compliant

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17–19 May, Stand #18

or many UK organisations, certain documents

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something SharePoint cannot reliably guarantee due

to its global infrastructure. At this year’s IRMS

Conference, we will demonstrate how ELO provides

a secure, UK‐based storage and archiving layer for

sensitive information, while remaining fully integrated

with SharePoint through ELO for Microsoft 365.

We will explore typical use cases and show how

organisations can eliminate compliance risks without

changing the way employees work in Microsoft 365.

Book your on-site demo: elo.com/irms-booking

Dm INTERVIEW: REAKT

That shift has changed what customers

expect from vendors. Technical capability is

still the entry ticket, but what wins deals is

consultative value. Customers want

partners who understand their business

processes, their regulatory environment and

where they are on the digital maturity

curve, not just their document volumes.

What this means for talent: the most

sought-after people right now are hybrid

professionals. Part technologist, part

consultant, part problem solver. Pre-sales

engineers, solution architects and

implementation specialists who can hold a

business conversation as confidently as a

technical one.

2. AI is no longer the differentiator. It's

the baseline.

Customers now assume AI is in the

product. Machine learning classification,

generative AI for metadata enrichment,

predictive analytics for workflow

optimisation, these are expected, not

impressive. What differentiates vendors

today is how responsibly and transparently

they deploy it.

There's real and growing caution around

data privacy, model training and

auditability, particularly in finance,

insurance, healthcare and government.

Organisations are asking harder questions

and they want credible answers.

What this means for talent: demand is

rising fast for people who understand AIenabled

workflows alongside governance

and risk. Pre-sales, product management

and compliance-aligned roles are where

we're seeing the most activity.

3. Governance has moved to the top table

Regulatory pressure has fundamentally

changed buying decisions. GDPR, ISO

standards, FOI requirements and sectorspecific

regulation have turned information

governance from a back-office concern into

a boardroom priority.

Customers now expect full audit trails,

automated retention and disposition,

secure access controls, zero trust

architecture and genuine vendor

transparency on cloud sovereignty. This isn't

a wishlist, it's a shortlist qualifier.

What this means for talent: complianceaware

administrators, governance

specialists and security-aligned technical

staff are becoming essential hires, even for

vendors who have traditionally focused

purely on software and services.

4. Digital mailrooms went from niche to

mainstream

Hybrid working changed how organisations

handle inbound information permanently.

Digital mailrooms, which not long ago

were a specialist offering, are now central

to enterprise transformation programmes.

Investment is flowing into remote-first

capture, distributed scanning, cloud-based

mail automation, workflow routing and

integration with HR, finance and customer

service systems. Organisations that delayed

these conversations are catching up fast.

What this means for talent: operational

and technical roles supporting onboarding,

configuration and customer training are in

real demand. These roles need precision,

communication skills and a genuine

understanding of digital processes. That

combination is rarer than you' would think.

5. Channel is becoming a serious

growth engine

As the market gets more complex, vendors

are leaning harder on channel partners,

integrators and specialist consultancies.

Regional expertise and vertical knowledge

matter more than they used to, and

partnership ecosystems are becoming a

genuine competitive advantage, but only

when they're managed properly.

What this means for talent: partner

managers, alliance leads and channelfocused

pre-sales professionals are among

the hardest people to find right now.

Commercial intelligence, technical fluency

and the ability to build real relationships, all

three in the same person. We get asked for

this profile constantly.

6. The talent shortage is real, and the cost

of getting hiring wrong has gone up

The pace of change has created gaps in

some specific areas: pre-sales and solutions

engineering, ECM and IDP implementation,

technical project management, customer

success, governance and compliance, and

channel management. These aren't easy

roles to fill at the best of times.

At the same time, candidates have more

choices and they know it. They're looking

for clear progression, flexible working,

organisations with a genuine purpose,

investment in their development and

technology worth working with.

Companies that run slow, opaque hiring

processes are losing good people to

competitors who move faster and

communicate better.

7. Recruitment strategy matters as much as

technology strategy now

When technology is converging and

product differentiation is narrowing, the

real advantage is people. The organisations

doing well right now are hiring for

potential alongside experience, building

teams that blend technical and commercial

skills, investing in onboarding and learning,

and working with recruiters who

understand what the roles involve.

That last point is where REAKT adds the

most value. Our network covers the full

document solutions and ECM ecosystem,

from global vendors to niche automation

specialists. The conversations we have with

leaders across EMEA and the US give us a

live read on where the market is moving

and where the skills gaps are opening.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The industry is no longer defined by

hardware or software. It's defined by

intelligence, integration, governance

and the people who can make those

things work together. As organisations

continue to modernise, demand for

hybrid talent, technical, commercial,

consultative and compliance-aware, is

only going in one direction.

The organisations that invest in the

right people now will be the ones

setting the pace through the next phase

of transformation.

If you're scaling your team and want a

recruitment partner who knows this

market properly, we'd like to talk. Whether

you're planning growth, replacing key

talent or just want a clearer read on where

things stand, get in touch. We would be

happy to discuss!

More Info: www.reaktltd.com



Comply with data protection laws

Reduce data breach risk

Enhance customer/public trust

Retrospective & real-time discovery

www.ezescan.co.uk Call 020 3535 0645

Dm PRODUCT REVIEW: IBML CORTEX PLATFORM

Review: The ibml Coretex Platform

Artificial intelligence has

transformed expectations across

the document processing

landscape, but despite widespread

testing, many enterprise organisations are

still searching for ways to achieve

widespread adoption of AI in production

environments without the accompanying

risk, complexity or compliance exposure.

So it was with great excitement that

Document Manager Magazine was

invited to conduct the first UK review of

ibml's new Coretex platform, launched in

March 2026 as their next-generation

foundation for intelligent document

processing (IDP).

ibml CMO Susheel John sets out the

context behind the launch: "We saw

many reports saying organisations were

experimenting with AI, but very few who

were actively deploying it in real

production use cases. The question for

us was how to make practical use of

large language models inside real

document workflows."

ibml's key differentiator here is that AI

isn't an overlay bolted on after the fact.

It's been designed from the ground up

and specifically for highly regulated,

document-intensive environments where

practical enterprise implementation of AI

had, until now, simply not kept pace.

BACKGROUND: CAPTURE SUITE

EVOLVES TO AN AI-NATIVE

PLATFORM

Coretex is the next evolution of ibml's

long-established Capture Suite

environment and will become the primary

software platform for new deployments

going forward. Rather than introducing a

separate architecture, ibml has rebuilt its

Capture Suite environment but with an AI

foundation designed to extend existing

installations without disruption and,

reassuringly, meaning that existing

Capture Suite users can transition through

the normal upgrade cycle.

"There is zero migration in the traditional

sense," says Susheel. "Customers

upgrading to Coretex see no downtime,

no interface change and no disruption to

existing jobs. They simply gain access to

additional AI capabilities."

This matters a lot. Organisations

running enterprise capture infrastructures

are understandably cautious about

platform-level change. By preserving

workflow familiarity while expanding

automation capability, ibml is positioning

Coretex as an incremental step forward

rather than a replacement requiring

retraining or redevelopment.

Under the hood though the processing

model is fundamentally different between

Capture Suite and Coretex. Instead of

relying on traditional machine learning

pipelines that required large training

datasets cycles, Coretex uses containerised

Large Language Models (LLM) and

Domain Specific Language Models

(DSLM) that adapt far more quickly to

new document types.

DIFFERENTIATORS: AI THAT STAYS

INSIDE ORGANISATION

INFRASTRUCTURE

One of the most distinctive aspects of

Coretex is architectural rather than

functional. ibml has built the platform so

that AI processing stays inside the

customer's own infrastructure, rather than

routing data through external cloud

inference services. For ibml's existing and

target customer base (which includes

government agencies, insurers, banks,

healthcare providers and business process

outsourcers) this makes total sense.

"The moment regulated organisations

hear the word AI, the first concern is that

their data is leaving their environment,"

says Susheel. "Our approach ensures

documents, extracted data and even

training models all remain within the

customer infrastructure."

Rather than relying on externally

hosted models, ibml containerises

selected language and domain-specific

AI models for deployment inside

enterprise environments. For

organisations operating under financial

regulation, healthcare confidentiality

rules or public-sector data controls, that

architecture significantly lowers the

barrier to AI adoption.

DIFFERENTIATORS: A PLATFORM

SHAPED BY ENTERPRISE FEEDBACK

Coretex was not developed in isolation.

More than fifty enterprise customers

participated in structured voice-ofcustomer

interviews during the

platform's design phase, and that

feedback has shaped both the technical

architecture and the prioritisation of

capabilities and it shows.

"Our product direction continues to be

completely customer-driven," explains

Susheel. "We worked closely with

organisations already running largescale

capture environments to

understand where AI could improve

accuracy and productivity without

increasing risk factors."

One of the most consistent concerns

raised was the complexity of traditional

machine-learning deployment. Earlier IDP

systems often required extensive dataset

preparation and repeated retraining

whenever document structures changed.

Large Language Models offered a way to

simplify that process but feedback

showed that the real challenge was

making them usable inside productiongrade

capture environments.

WHAT'S INSIDE: MODULAR AI

DESIGNED FOR REAL-WORLD

WORKFLOWS

The Coretex platform introduces three

primary AI modules: AutoclassifyAI,

AutoindexAI and AutoformsAI.

As a platform together these address

document classification, indexing and



PRODUCT REVIEW: IBML CORTEX PLATFORM Dm

document separation.

Traditional scanning workflows often rely

on barcode separator sheets to distinguish

individual records during ingestion.

Coretex removes that requirement entirely.

"Customers no longer need to insert

separator sheets between documents,"

Susheel explains. "The system can

automatically identify the beginning

and end of each document as part of

the classification process. That's a

significant throughput win to high

volume environments especially in

mailrooms and BPOs." Besides

document separation the module also

classifies documents by document type

and labels them automatically.

complex extraction within a unified

capture workflow that also verifies

beginning and ends of documents.

ibml note they are also selling

individual modules on a subscription

basis depending on document

complexity, processing volumes and

operational priorities.

CORETEX AUTOCLASSIFYAI:

ACHIEVING DOCUMENT

TRANSPARENCY AND HANDLING

For organisations managing large inbound

document streams, one of the most

immediate practical gains comes from

AutoclassifyAI's ability to identify

document boundaries automatically, i.e.

THE CORETEX WORKFLOW &

MODULE BREAKDOWN

In a typical deployment, AutoclassifyAI

handles the first stage of processing,

identifying document types and

separating multi-document batches

automatically. Documents are then routed

to either AutoindexAI or AutoformsAI

depending on their structure and

extraction requirements.

AutoindexAI is designed for structured

and unstructured documents where a

limited number of key fields need to be

captured: names, dates, identifiers and

similar. For many everyday workflows, this

level of extraction is sufficient to automate

indexing entirely.

AutoformsAI extends automation into

more complex territory. Documents

containing tables, checkboxes or large

numbers of indexed fields can be

processed without traditional

template-based configuration, in fact,

over 200 fields.

What we like with this structured

approach is that the Coretex combination

allows organisations to apply lightweight

automation where it's sufficient and to

scale up to more demanding document

types where it isn't.


March/April 2026


21

Dm PRODUCT REVIEW: IBML CORTEX PLATFORM

REDUCING DEPLOYMENT

OVERHEAD WITH LANGUAGE-

BASED CONFIGURATION

One of the more significant operational

differences between this and earlier IDP

platforms is how Cortex's extraction

models are configured. Traditional

capture systems frequently relied on

templates or extensive training datasets,

both of which introduced

implementation delays and required

ongoing maintenance whenever

document layouts changed. Coretex

replaces much of that with naturallanguage

configuration which shortens

deployment timelines significantly.

"There is no coding required to define

fields," says Susheel. "Administrators can

describe what they want extracted

using natural language prompts rather

than building template logic."

MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE

THRESHOLDS WITH SOME HUMAN

VALIDATION POINTS

Accuracy remains a critical

requirement in regulated document

environments, and Coretex addresses

this by embedding confidence scoring

directly into its processing pipeline.

Rather than presenting automated

results as final, the platform allows

validation thresholds to be defined

according to organisational

requirements. Documents that fall

below those thresholds are routed for

human review.

"All AI systems want to give an

answer," says Susheel. "Our approach is

to measure how confident the system is

in that answer and bring a human into

the loop when confidence drops below

the required level."

ibml reports that automation through

Coretex can reduce manual keying

requirements by up to 90 percent, with

accuracy levels reaching as high as 95

percent even on unstructured

document sets.

DESIGNED TO INTEGRATE WITH

THE WIDER AUTOMATION STACK

ibml is keen to highlight that it is not

positioning Coretex as a standalone

process automation platform. Instead,

the company sees its role as

strengthening the capture and

ingestion layer within broader

enterprise information architectures.

"Our focus remains high-speed, highly

reliable capture and extraction," says

Susheel. "Coretex makes that

information available to whatever

downstream system customers are

already using."

That includes integration with

document management platforms, ECM

environments, ERP systems and robotic

process automation frameworks.

CORETEX USE CASES

ibml currently supports approximately

500 enterprise customers across

government, financial services, insurance,

healthcare and business process

outsourcing environments globally.

Although only launched in March, ibml

tells us that Coretex is already being

deployed heavily within insurance claims

and mortgage processing, with

applications often running to hundreds

of fields across multiple document types,

making these workflows a natural fit for

AutoformsAI's extraction capabilities.

Digital mailroom environments provide

the company with a third strong initial

use case. Coretex can ingest documents

from scanners, email, fax and watched

folders within a single workflow,

extending capture automation well

beyond traditional paper-based intake.

"These are document-intensive,

compliance-intensive and regulatoryintensive

industries," concludes Susheel.

"That is exactly where our technology

has always been strongest and

continues to gather even greater

momentum with Coretex."

More Info: ibml Coretex - AI-Powered

Intelligent Document Processing Software

VERDICT

Combining modular AI components, containerised deployment and human-in-the-loop validation, Coretex reflects

a transition that is visible across the wider document management sector: from template-driven capture systems

towards adaptive processing environments capable of handling complex enterprise workflows securely.

For organisations that need AI in production but can't afford to let sensitive information leave their own

infrastructure, the timing of this exciting launch looks well judged.


Dm CASE STUDY: QUANTON

Quanton Delivers 80% Faster

Invoice Processing with ABBYY

Document AI at New Zealand

Government Agency

From manual bottlenecks to straight-through processing:

enabling smarter, faster public sector finance operations

with intelligent document AI

As organisations across Australia and

New Zealand look to modernise

finance operations without increasing

headcount, intelligent automation is

becoming a critical enabler of scalable

efficiency. Quanton, a business improvement

consultancy specialising in technologyenabled

transformation, supports

organisations in translating digital

transformation strategies into practical,

measurable operational improvements.

By deploying solutions such as ABBYY

Document AI to automate complex invoice

processing workflows, Quanton has enabled

clients to accelerate processing speeds by up

to 80 percent while improving accuracy,

reducing manual effort, and supporting

sustainable operational growth. The

following case study outlines how these

performance gains were achieved.

CHALLENGE

Manual invoice processing left little

room for strategic financial tasks, the

existing process couldn't support

additional departments, and



CASE STUDY: QUANTON Dm

hiring more staff wasn't an option.

Ursula Riemer, Strategic Engagement

Director, Quanton, says: "Working with

ABBYY across a variety of continents has

truly been a delightful and rewarding

journey. Their technological prowess in

AI-driven solutions, especially in

document and process intelligence, is

impressive. Their commitment to

selecting the right representatives globally

ensured smooth and productive

engagements."

"Witnessing the positive impact on

customers' business processes left me

genuinely proud and satisfied. The whole

experience has enriched our

understanding and broadened our

perspective tremendously," she adds.

Quanton's client, one of New Zealand's

largest government agencies, was

struggling with slow, manual accounts

payable (AP) processes. Staff were tied up

with repetitive tasks, leaving little room

for higher-value work. To solve this, the

agency needed to scale and onboard

more departments onto a shared AP

platform-with more automation, but

without adding headcount. Quanton was

brought in to help implement an

intelligent and scalable way to process

THE IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE. THE AGENCY AUTOMATED INVOICE

PROCESSING AND ELIMINATED MANUAL BOTTLENECKS, RESULTING IN AN

80% IMPROVEMENT IN DOCUMENT PROCESSING EFFICIENCY AND

SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED TURNAROUND TIMES. ACCURACY ALSO

IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY: AUTOMATION REDUCED ERRORS BY OVER 60%.

invoices faster with less manual effort.

SOLUTION

The Quanton team launched a project to

modernise the agency's accounts payable

operations. From the outset, they knew

the solution needed to equip the agency

with substantial, measurable gains.

Quanton turned to ABBYY's intelligent

document processing (IDP) solution, a

purpose-built platform designed to

automate and accelerate documentheavy

workflows to enable straightthrough

processing.

The impact was immediate. The agency

automated invoice processing and

eliminated manual bottlenecks, resulting

in an 80% improvement in document

processing efficiency and significantly

reduced turnaround times. Accuracy also

improved significantly: automation

reduced errors by over 60%.

CONCLUSION

With less time spent on repetitive tasks,

the AP team could manage higher

volumes and dedicate more time to

financial reporting, data analysis, and

other higher-value tasks. Other

government agencies saw the benefits

and chose to adopt or join the same

centralised AP platform.

In total, Quanton helped reduce the

agency's costs by an impressive 55%

creating a scalable foundation for further

shared services expansion and wider

public sector finance modernisation.

Riemer adds: "ABBYY respects and values

us as a partner and heavily invests in its

product to ensure customers get a

scalable, secure solution to support their

business. The whole experience has

enriched our understanding and

broadened our perspective tremendously."

More Info: www.abbyy.com


March/April 2026


25

Dm OPINION: IMANAGE

The 37-Minute Daily Search Problem:

Smarter Document Management Can

Accelerate AI Performance

Despite rising investment, new research shows knowledge workers

are losing up to an hour a day searching for information. Laura

Wenzel, Global Marketing and Insights Director, iManage tells us

why fixing data foundations, not just deploying AI, is now critical

End users spend an average of 37

minutes a day searching for information,

and nearly half of organisations report

that between 30 minutes and 2 hours are

needed. This represents a significant

cumulative drag on performance.

This gap between a high level of

confidence in finding information versus

the lived reality of spending 30+ minutes

finding it points to underlying structural

issues. At the same time, it helps identify

next steps that organisations can take to

shore things up and make tangible

productivity gains with AI-enabled

platforms that provide document and

email management.

Document and email management

has long been a workhorse of

knowledge work organisations

everywhere - and in today's AI-enabled

landscape, it's never been more important

for those capabilities to be part of an

integrated platform and a holistic

approach to technology.

According to the latest global research,

72% of organisations are expecting to

implement document and email

management capabilities in the next two

years. However, are they positioned to get

the most out of this investment,

particularly in the age of AI?

The path forward isn't as straightforward

as it may seem, because the data shows

that alongside the growing importance of

document and email management, there

are growing cracks in the foundation -

especially search friction - that will only

become more problematic as AI takes on

a larger share of daily workflows.

Effectively addressing these foundational

weaknesses is the key to ensuring that

document and email management

powered by an AI-enabled platform can

deliver the productivity gains that

organisations seek.

SEARCH FRICTION PROVIDES A

WARNING SIGN

A closer look at the data from the recent

global research reveals "two realities"

around document management.

While 86 percent of organisations - and

more than 90 percent of the survey

respondents designated as having the

highest level of knowledge work maturity

- are extremely or very confident that they

can find the knowledge they need, they

do not necessarily find it quickly.

CLEAN DATA DOESN'T HAPPEN BY

ACCIDENT

As a first step, organisations should

realise that adopting a single repository

is only one part of a larger endeavour -

one that depends just as much on the

people, processes, and culture

surrounding the technology.

For example, you can purchase a

platform with document and email

management capabilities - but are your

users actually leveraging it as intended

and using it as the primary system of

record? As a best practice, over 90% of

users should be using the platform as the

primary repository for their content. After

all, users can't find important pieces of

knowledge - nor can AI leverage it

effectively or successfully - if it's not in the

platform to begin with.

High usage is one part of the equation,

but the platform also needs to be



OPINION: IMANAGE Dm

"CONFIDENCE IN FINDING INFORMATION IS HIGH. EFFICIENCY IS NOT. THAT GAP IS WHERE PRODUCTIVITY IS

BEING LOST." Laura Wenzel, iManage

managed and governed properly. Beyond

access permissions and other nonnegotiable

security requirements, the

platform must manage the full data

lifecycle - because AI is only as effective

as the information it draws from.

When rules-based disposition policies

are built into the platform across emails,

documents, and chats, the burden of

having to manually remove ROT

(redundant, obsolete, or trivial data) is

lifted off of the end users. The result? A

repository with clean, rich data for both

end users and AI to work with, solving

the "garbage in, garbage out" problem.

UNDERSTAND WORKFLOWS BEFORE

YOU CHANGE THEM

As a further step, organisations need to

take the time to understand their

professionals' workflows to make sure that

the document and email management

capabilities being provided through an

integrated platform fit with the way people

are working. One of the biggest reasons

people don't adopt new technology that's

been "thrown at them" is because no one

took the time to really understand the

workflow and how the technology can

best fit into their daily work.

The advice here is to take a step back,

really understand how your people

work, and document the workflows.

From there, the organisation is in a

good position to set KPIs for the

platform and define how users should

leverage its document and email

management capabilities to maintain

consistent compliance.

This might look like: "Six months after

adopting a platform that provides

document and email management, we

expect X percent compliance from X

number of users, and we expect X

number of documents and emails stored

within the platform." The goal is to

understand how people work and then

define what success truly looks like.

This type of groundwork is, ultimately,

more valuable than a "nuts and bolts"

review of what other systems the

platform needs to integrate with. Doing

this work ahead of time is the best way

to ensure that collaboration, information

sharing, and reuse of work product

become standard practice - simply part of

the culture.

THE VIRTUOUS CYCLE

Once organisations have taken these

steps around their document and email

management approach, what AI-enabled

productivity gains can they expect on the

other side?

Most notably, they will gain automatic

curation and tagging of their crucial

documents and emails, including

metadata classification and data

enrichment that occurs "behind the

scenes" and at scale. This is a use case that

is high repetition but low risk - making it

a perfect use case to leverage AI.

When AI handles this work

automatically, it not only frees

professionals from a repetitive task - it

also strengthens every downstream AI

tool by feeding them cleaner, betterstructured

data.

In this way, the productivity gains are

part of a virtuous cycle that sets the

organisation up for AI success - and

not just internally. The research shows

that the more mature organisations are

heavily encouraged by their clients and

customers to use AI and rarely

restricted in their AI usage - translating

into a direct competitive differentiator

with clients.

The capabilities that AI bring to

document and email management are

genuinely transformative. And, critically,

they're transformative without forcing a

huge transformation on the business. In

the end, the organisations that

holistically bring platform-delivered

document and email management

together with AI - and invest in the

necessary groundwork to set themselves

up for success, will be the ones to turn

that investment into an enduring

performance advantage.

More Info: imanage.com


March/April 2026


27

Dm OPINION: OPEX

Streamlining the Shift from Paper to Digital

OPEX explains how

selecting the right capture

strategy supports mixed

documents, mailroom

intake and archive-scale

digitisation

Despite the expansion of digital

tools across the workplace,

many organisations still depend

on manual document processes. In

practice, that often means higher

administrative burden, inconsistent

workflows, slower access to

information, and greater operational

cost. Staff spend significant time

locating documents, managing paper

movement, or waiting for information

to be updated - all of which can affect

productivity and service levels.

Paper-based processes also bring

practical and financial challenges.

Printing, filing, storage, and document

distribution all require time, space, and

ongoing expense. When information is

difficult to retrieve or workflows rely

too heavily on manual intervention, the

risk of delays and errors increases

along with potential compliance

concerns in more heavily regulated

environments.

The discussion around document

modernisation has moved on. It's no

longer about simply replacing paper

with digital files but rather choosing

the right capture approach for each

workflow. Different scanning

environments have different

requirements, and the most effective

solution will depend on document

type, volume, workflow design, and

the level of preparation involved.

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Dm OPINION: OPEX

handling, and speed up access to

information across the organisation. It

can also support better auditability,

strengthen security, and help

operations scale more effectively as

document volumes grow.

However, scanning requirements vary

widely. Some organisations need

flexibility to process a wide variety of

incoming documents, often in mixed

sizes and conditions, with as little

preparation as possible. Others need

sustained throughput to focus on highvolume

production environments, such

as archive conversion projects or

centralised scanning operations.

This is where choosing the right

scanning approach makes all the

difference. OPEX's award-winning

Gemini and Falcon+ series are

associated with one-touch scanning for

mixed documents, designed to reduce

handling and support workflows where

document preparation needs to be

minimised. This is often particularly

relevant in mailroom, intake, and other

operational settings where documents

arrive in unpredictable formats.

OPEX now also offers high-speed

production scanning through the OPEX

Velo Scanner Series powered by InoTec.

This broadens the company's scanning

portfolio to include environments

where large backfile conversions,

archive digitisation, or other volumeintensive

applications require a

different type of scanner. In those

cases, the priority may be less about

one-touch exception handling and

more about maintaining speed,

consistency, and efficiency across large

batches of documents.

For many organisations, the decision

is therefore less about identifying a

single "best" scanner and more about

matching the right technology to the

right workflow. One-touch scanning

may be the better fit for mixed inbound

documents and processes that benefit

from reduced prep, whereas highspeed

production scanning may be

better aligned with centralised

digitisation and archive projects. In

some cases, both approaches may work

in parallel within the same operation.

As organisations across legal, financial

services, healthcare, insurance,

government, and other sectors

continue to move away from paperheavy

processes, scanner selection

becomes a more workflow-led decision.

The closer the alignment between the

technology and the operational

requirement, the more likely

organisations are to see gains in

efficiency, access to information, and

process control.

More Info: opex.com



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Dm EVENTS

The Conversations That Shape

Information Management

Deborah Ward-Johnstone, who works with the

Information and Records Management Society on

its annual conference, explains why the show's

Information Marketplace has become one of the

profession's most important meeting points for

fresh ideas, innovation and new technology

Let's Be Honest: Information

Managers Need Vendors More Than

They'd Like to Admit.

Let's start with a slightly

uncomfortable truth.Information

managers love to roll their eyes at

vendors - until they need them.

Too many sales calls. Too many

buzzwords. Too many product demos

that promise to solve everything from

data governance to the meaning of life.

But here's the real confession:

information managers rely on vendors

far more than they might admit.

In fact, the relationship between

practitioners and technology providers

has never been more important than it

32 tinyurl.com/DM-AWARDS

March/April 2026 www.document-manager.com

EVENTS Dm

is right now.

The information management

landscape is changing at a remarkable

pace. AI is reshaping how organisations

think about data. Regulations continue

to evolve. The sheer volume of

information organisations generate

grows every year.

And somewhere in the middle of all of

that sits the information professional,

trying to ensure that everything is

governed, accessible, secure and

compliant.

It's a big job. And increasingly, it's one

that requires the right technology

partners. The days when information

management could be handled purely

through policy and process are long

gone. Today's organisations rely on

sophisticated systems for archiving,

classification, governance, discovery

and long-term digital preservation.

But successful technology adoption

doesn't come from buying software

alone. It comes from conversations.

The best vendor relationships are

rarely transactional. They develop

through dialogue, collaboration and

mutual understanding. Information and

record managers need suppliers who

genuinely understand the pressures

they face, while vendors need insight

into the real challenges organisations

are dealing with on the ground. For

those serious about aligning their

roadmap with real world needs,

conversations at IRMS often spark

product features, redesigns or entirely

new service lines.

This is where industry events like IRMS

Conference in May 2026 play an

important role.

Because while webinars and virtual

meetings have their place, nothing

quite replaces the conversations that

happen when practitioners and

suppliers meet face-to-face.

Ask any experienced information

professional about the conferences they

attend regularly, and you will hear the

same thing: the best insights often

come from informal discussions rather

than formal presentations.

A chance conversation over coffee. A

discussion that starts at an exhibition

stand and continues over dinner. A new

idea sparked by hearing how another

organisation approached a similar

challenge.

These moments are where learning

really happens.

Years ago we introduced a simple idea

at IRMS: giving every supplier one

minute on the main stage to introduce

themselves to the entire conference. It is

something I now see appearing at many

events across the industry, which is

genuinely great to see. When something

works and helps practitioners discover

new solutions, it deserves to spread.

Those quick introductions bring out

the human behind every vendor name,

and that creates a powerful start to the

remaining two days of conference

conversations.

It's one of the reasons IRMS Conference

is often credited with reshaping how

events engage suppliers

Events like IRMS Conference are also

where vendors gain the insight that

helps them refine their products and

services to better support the profession,

and we are delighted to have long

provided one of the key meeting points

for these conversations.

Each year the event brings together

information professionals from across a

wide range of sectors alongside the

vendors who develop the technologies

that support them. The programme

combines strategic keynote sessions with

practical case studies, while the

Information Market exhibition provides a

space where practitioners can explore

new solutions and discuss their

challenges directly with suppliers.

For delegates, this offers an

opportunity to see what innovation

looks like in practice.

For vendors, it provides something

even more valuable: the chance to listen.

It is no surprise that many of the

organisations shaping the future of

information management choose to be

present each year - not simply to

showcase technology, but to listen, learn


March/April 2026


33

Dm EVENTS

and be part of the wider professional

conversation.

Understanding what practitioners

actually need - rather than what vendors

think they need - is essential if technology

is going to evolve in ways that genuinely

support the profession.

And as information management

continues to move higher up the

organisational agenda, those

conversations become even more

important.

AI governance, digital preservation,

regulatory compliance and data strategy

are all areas where technology will play a

major role. But the success of these

initiatives will depend not just on the

tools organisations use, but on the

relationships between the people

implementing them and the organisations

developing them.

So perhaps it is time for information

managers to admit something.

Vendors are not the enemy.

In fact, when the relationship works

well, they can be some of the profession's

most valuable partners. And the best

place to start building those partnerships

is often simply by being in the same room

as partnerships don't start in inboxes. They

start in conversations - real ones. And the

industry's most important conversations

are happening at IRMS Conference.

More Info & Registration:

https://irmsconference.org.uk/2026-

programme-wales/

SEE US IN THE INFORMATION MARKET:

OASIS Group - Information Secured

Act Now Training / Crown Information Management / Dastra / DeepStore / ELO

Digital Office - International / Epiq / Freevacy Ltd / Geoff Smith Associates Ltd /

ibml / Iron Mountain / Leadership Through Data / Objective Corporation / O'Neil

Software / Orinoco 365 / Oyster IMS - Information Management Solutions / PFU

(EMEA) Limited - A RICOH Company / Preservica / Restore Information

Management / Tkm Consulting & Associates / UK Software Limited / Wales Accord

on the Sharing of Personal Information


DATE FOR YOUR

DIARY!

COMING SOON!

www.dmawards.com

IRMS CONFERENCE

17–19 May 2026

The Celtic Manor Resort, Wales

www.irmsconference.org.uk

The Celtic Collection:

Curating the Past, Navigating the Future

The annual IRMS Conference is *the* go-to event in the information

management calendar, bringing together over 400 practitioners,

compliance managers, senior executives and others from a range of

organisations across all industry sectors in the UK and beyond.

Headline sponsor:

#IRMS26

@IRMSConference

IRMS Conference

DM Mar-Apr 2026

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