Is it time for Microsoft Dynamics ERP users to explore hybrid ECM?

As organizations continue to struggle with information overload, an increasing number of them are turning to enterprise content management (ECM) to help capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver content - structured and unstructured - and documents related to organizational processes.  

Like most software solutions, ECM is now being deployed in the cloud - or, at least part of it is. Termed "hybrid ECMs," a growing number of the solutions include both traditional, licensed software options plus cloud-based alternatives that allow for 24/7 access from anywhere via the web.

IDC analyst Melissa Webster wrote recently that hybrid ECM isn't just a means to an end, but rather the "solution for the mixed deployment environments that will characterize IT for years to come."

The case for hybrid ECM is straightforward:  Users need to be able to share information easily with collaborators, and they need to be able to access their content anytime, anywhere, and using any device - whether a laptop computer, a smartphone, or a tablet. "At the same time," Webster writes, "organizations must ensure that enterprise content is secure and managed in accordance with governance and compliance policies."

The Dynamics ERP angle

Brian Anderson, CTO at Perceptive Software in Shawnee, Kan., says that for the typical Dynamics ERP customer, the motivation to explore hybrid ECM options would typically be driven by how the company interacts with vendors (i.e., how orders are received).

"If you're hosting Dynamics or having it hosted by someone else, then you should absolutely get close to the hybrid concept," Anderson says. "Or, if you're allowing your vendors to do self-service, for example, then you should get closer to the hybrid concept because that's going to give ...