Retention Solution
Efficient Document Management
Securely manage retention periods
Many documents are no longer needed over time. Others are subject to legal retention obligations and may not be deleted, or only after a specific period has expired. Both excessively long and excessively short retention periods carry risks:
On the one hand, excessive storage costs can arise; on the other hand, significant penalties are threatened, particularly in the context of the GDPR. A balanced retention strategy is therefore essential.
Systematic Document Management
Document Retention Management refers to the structured administration of document lifecycles. It involves defining, extending, or deleting retention periods to comply with regulatory requirements concerning document retention obligations while optimizing storage costs. The Retention Solution automates this process and provides secure, auditable management for corporate documents. It is based on IBM FileNet Content Manager (formerly IBM FileNet P8) and IBM Content Navigator, simplifying the management of retention periods and deletion holds, saving storage costs, and avoiding penalties.
The Right Solution for Growing Data Volumes
Features of the Retention Solution
Retention Period Management
Rule-Based Deletion
Documents are deleted according to individually defined rules and workflows once their retention period has expired, ensuring efficient compliance with regulatory requirements.
Deletion Holds (Legal Holds)
Manual and automated deletion holds prevent documents from being accidentally or prematurely deleted, especially in legal or regulatory scenarios.
Approval Processes
Multi-stage approval processes (e.g., the four-eyes principle) ensure that critical documents are only deleted or have their retention periods extended after authorized review.
Intuitive User Interface
Full integration into IBM Content Navigator enables simple, transparent operation by business users, without complex configurations or additional tools.
Reporting & Audit Logs
Extensive reporting functionalities provide a clear overview of expired retention periods and document all deletion processes in an audit-proof manner.
Ensure Compliance and Reduce Costs
Benefits at a Glance
Many organizations rely on manual processes for managing retention periods, which entails significant effort and risk. The Retention Solution ensures that deletions are traceably documented, critical documents are protected, and unnecessary data is removed. This not only aids in adhering to compliance requirements but also sustainably reduces storage costs.
- Cost Savings: Reduction of storage and administration costs
- Error Prevention: Reduction of manual error sources through predefined processes and criteria, and optionally automated task execution
- Risk Minimization: Adherence to regulatory requirements and prevention of compliance violations
- Increased Efficiency: Automated workflows for retention period management and deletion processes
- Security: Controlled and traceable deletions with logging
- Seamless Integration: Easy integration into existing ECM systems
Seamless Integration
Technology that adapts to your processes
The Retention Solution is based on IBM FileNet Content Manager and is fully integrated into IBM Content Navigator (ICN). It extends existing core functionalities with powerful deletion and retention period management processes, providing intuitive user interfaces, automated workflows, and flexible reporting capabilities.
Components and Functionality:
- IBM Content Navigator (ICN) serves as the central user interface. Here, users can create, manage, and release deletion holds, as well as define automatic hold rules.
- The Retention Plugin manages these processes and enables multi-stage approvals – for instance, adhering to the four-eyes principle or incorporating additional approval steps.
- IBM FileNet Content Manager serves as a repository for the documents to be managed.
- The Retention Services implement deletion holds and execute deletion processes in a compliant manner.
- The Service Manager handles the automated background processing of reports, holds, and releases, ensuring efficient process execution and minimizing manual effort.
Intuitive User Interface and Powerful Functions
A Look at the Tool
The Retention Solution offers a clear and easy-to-use user interface, fully integrated into IBM Content Navigator. Through predefined workflows and a clear structure, users can quickly and securely manage retention periods, set deletion holds, and delete documents in accordance with compliance guidelines.
Management of Temporary Holds
The management of deletion holds is an essential component of the Retention Solution. In this view, users can apply manual or automated holds to protect documents from accidental deletion. Filter criteria assist in quickly identifying relevant documents and applying or removing holds precisely.
Definition of Approval Processes
The Retention Solution offers multi-stage approval logic to ensure that only authorized individuals can approve documents for deletion. In this section, administrators can configure individual approval processes, e.g., based on the four-eyes principle or with extended verification steps for critical documents.
Process-Oriented Deletion Approval
This view demonstrates how users receive a list of documents pending deletion and can review them on a sample basis. If necessary, individual documents can be excluded from deletion via a manual hold. If no approval is granted, the document's retention period is automatically extended.
Report Presentation
The Retention Solution offers extensive reporting functionalities to ensure transparent tracking of all deletion and retention processes.
Frequently Asked Questions about the
Retention Solution
The Retention Solution enables the management of all retention-eligible documents within IBM FileNet Content Manager. Regardless of object class or storage location, documents can be systematically archived, assigned retention periods, and deleted based on predefined rules.
Yes, the Retention Solution allows for both manual and automated management of retention periods. Periods can be individually extended or deleted – either through user actions or via predefined rules and workflows.
The solution relies on multi-stage approval processes to ensure that deletions do not occur unintentionally. Sensitive documents can be protected by manual or automatic deletion holds. If a deletion is not approved, the retention period can be automatically extended.
The Retention Solution offers comprehensive standard and custom reports, ensuring full transparency regarding retention settings and deletion processes. Reports can be filtered by object class, storage location, or document properties and regularly forwarded to responsible parties.
Our Partnership with IBM
From Cognos to FileNet: Our partnership with IBM is almost as old as our company history itself! Since 1995, we have been among the top-trained Business Partners offering and delivering the development and implementation of related solutions in the areas of document, case, and input management, as well as data analysis and insights.
Since April 2023, also an IBM Platinum Partner. ISR has already received the IBM Innovation Award multiple times for exceptional solutions.
Specialists in Efficient Document Management
Our Expertise – Your Advantage
Our Expertise - Your Advantage
With our many years of experience in ECM consulting and implementation, we offer solutions for your document management. Our Retention Solution helps you meet regulatory requirements, reduce costs, and make your information management more efficient.
Not only protect your company from compliance risks, but also optimize your IT infrastructure. By strategically deleting unnecessary documents, you save storage space, reduce operating costs, and ensure structured data management. Our experts will guide you from planning to implementation, ensuring your solution is perfectly aligned with your business processes.
Get in touch with us now
We would be pleased to advise you.
Would you like to learn more about the Retention Solution or do you have specific requirements for your document management? Our experts are at your disposal and will gladly help you find a suitable solution.
Andreas Carlsen
Senior Manager
Application Management
andreas.carlsen@isr.de
+49(0)151 527 451 25