March 20, 2006 Content Management Made Easy With Xerox By Mario Morejon Courtesy of Xerox today announced the release of DocuShare 5.0 and DocuShare CPX. CRN Test Center engineers were permitted prerelease access, and at first glance, DocuShare CPX’s user interface is well organized, easy to learn and users can easily drag and drop folders from either Mac or Windows XP PC desktops. After installing DocuShare CPX, the software creates a home page for new users and a collection of objects that speeds up usage, including the ability to create new workspaces. All of these features are available out of the box without administrators having to activate anything. However, the new components that can be created within workspaces are limited, although solution providers can extend the number of components by customizing templates. CPX provides a single view for its content, regardless of where files reside. In fact, any disparate content types are stored in the same location and are accessible in the same way. Similar to viewing files in Windows Explorer, a mail message can coexist in the same space as a URL, a document or a calendar. Essentially, users can visually cluster any related content for easier access. Users also can lock down any object by setting granular permissions down to the record level. To control user access when working in teams, DocuShare’s workspaces can be arranged for collaboration so that only users with the right permission can share their work. CPX now integrates with WebEx online meeting. Users can initiate an online session or directly access WebEx within CPX. However, the WebEx service is hosted by WebEx—not Xerox or CPX. Customers need to have a contract with WebEx to launch sessions. All impending tasks are visible on the right pane within a home page. CPX-based tasks are part of DocuShare’s process-routing system. The task and routing engine is text-based. CRN engineers found the workflow-creation mechanism quite flexible. Xerox provides a Records Management server that can audit and store records and logs from any work created in CPX, as well as records from external messaging systems. The Records Management server is now sold as an add-on component in CPX, and customers must purchase a license key to activate it. Solution providers can customize this server in a variety of ways. For instance, to maintain message compliance, solution providers can develop an application that verifies all the messages that enter the Records Management server using certificates and checksums. Solution providers also can enhance administration templates by adding fields that track physical locations where archived media is stored. CPX fields are also customizable and arrives with an extensible API. Solution providers can add workflow features on any form, such as blogs, however, the number of searchable categories is limited. Xerox’s four-tier channel program offers VARs of any size the chance to become involved with the Docushare product line. The partner levels are broken down into the following: Authorized Resellers (Bronze Partners), Master Resellers (Silver Partners), Certified Resellers (Gold Partners), and Premier Resellers (Platinum Partners). Xerox assigns the level based on annual net sales volumes, training commitments and meeting basic business requirements. Maintaining the level will require fulfilling the annual net revenue requirement for the level as determined quarterly. While the company did not disclose margins on the product line, partners will find that the channel program is designed to grant partners increasing margins and benefits as they increase net revenue performance from the sale of the Xerox product line. Partners must participate in training programs, which are not free. The courses include DocuShare Technical Training, at a cost of $1,700; DocuShare Developer Training, $2,500; and DocuShare Records Manager Training, $2,500. The company offers many levels of technical support, with end users required to buy a support contract. Xerox provides first-level telephone technical support, and support through its Web site. Partners can use either method to troubleshoot, or they can contact a services representative for their region or country. E-mail This Story Print This Story Get the latest Messaging news, product info, and trends every week.			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