The Client
This Houston-based independent oil and natural gas company is engaged in the development, exploration, acquisition, and operation of oil and gas properties primarily on the onshore and inland water area of the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast.
The Problem
The company needed to rethink its electronic information management systems and end-user tools in light of recently revised electronic records retention policies and procedures. There were no companywide standards for electronic records management and document management, and the bulk of its electronic content was stored on network drives and employees’ personal computers. In addition, there was no universal search capability.
Compounding the problem from a business standpoint, the company’s corporate intranet environment was in need of a major upgrade. The company had four different intranet sites, each dedicated to a separate business group or functional department – but even this was incomplete. The company’s ultimate goal was to reorganize its existing intranet environment around a portal-based “knowledge network” or community-based model, supported by an enterprise content management (ECM) system which would meet the information management needs of its records management, legal, business, and IT groups.
The Solution
Stonebridge designed and implemented an ECM and portal solution based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Specifically, Stonebridge performed the base technical implementation of the SharePoint system and the functional design of the new intranet. Stonebridge also created a defined and repeatable process by which departments would be brought on board the new system in a consistent fashion.
Stonebridge provided both advisory and technical support of the ECM and portal implementation, including:
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Development of core “knowledge network” intranet pages
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Development of department intranet pages and templates
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Establishment of secure core electronic content repository
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Configuration of SharePoint Record Center for records management
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Development of enterprise taxonomy and metadata model
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Custom document search capability
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Workflow automations and forms
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Performance testing and tuning
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Complete user training program and system maintenance documentation
The Benefits
Stonebridge’s SharePoint-powered ECM and portal solution provides the client with the following key benefits:
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Secure Electronic Content Repository - Centrally store, manage, and access documents across the enterprise. The company can store and organize all business documents and content in one central location, and users have a consistent mechanism to navigate and find relevant information. Default repository settings can be modified to add workflow, define retention policies, and add new templates and content types.
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Robust Search - Enterprise search in SharePoint incorporates structured business data (databases) along with documents and Web pages to provide more comprehensive results. The Search Center provides a single location for employees to find content, processes, and business data relevant to their specific needs.
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Support for Interactive Workflow - Workflows automate, streamline and help manage common business activities such as document review and approval, issue tracking, and signature collection. Integration with familiar Microsoft Office client applications, e-mail, and Web browsers simplifies the user experience.
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Unified Portal Interface – The SharePoint platform supports intranet, extranet, and Web applications across an enterprise within one location, instead of relying on separate fragmented systems.