SPSNH12 - SharePoint + Contract Management

Editor's Notes

• #3: Welcome!This is my first SharePoint Saturday talk ever
• #7: We do offer products and services built on top of and around SharePoint for contract management, proposal management, and othersCM.app.app FoundationBut I’m not going to talk about them
• #15: Thank you for coming!
• #17: SPOILER ALERT!
• #18: NativeWithout any product add-onsNo programmatic customizationsOut of the box
• #24: I always think about a technical business problem from these three vantage points
• #26: Contract Lifecycle Management
• #28: Not just a document repository/legal archive
• #39: With the advent of SharePoint 2007…
• #40: These other platforms have evolved over timeHowever, they have gradually added base functionality much slower than to the degree seen with SharePoint
• #41: The key here is “foundational”—out of the boxYou get so much capability immediatelyWe’re not talking anymore about using SharePoint just as a repositoryEspecially with SharePoint 2010, we’re talking about a true platformIt’s got features that can work independently or togetherIt’s integrated with desktop applications and can be integrated with other systemsThe value of something built on top of SharePoint is greater than the sum of its parts
• #44: This core functionality and web part framework translates nicely into the most frequently requested features for a contract management systemMany organizations, even very large ones, are often at a lower level of maturity with their contracting processes and seek to introduce these base capabilitiesTypically they are managing paper files of key contracts, storing portions of them in multiple data stores across the company and/or maintaining information in regard to contract commitments in spreadsheets in ah-hoc databases with the legal department or initiating group level (e.g.: finance, sales, operations, procurement, etc.)If this is your starting point, then SharePoint is a great first stepMany organizations might first focus on business process improvements along with basic repository functionality for storage of both work-in-process documents and executed agreements
• #46: It’s usually perceived that these two terms are at odds with each otherSharePoint’s scalability is frequently questioned in considering implementations of mission-critical business applications across large enterprises, especially those global in nature with tens of thousands of employeesWith Contract Management, the scalability concern is linked to the volume of agreements that are processed and storedAnnually, could range from thousands to hundreds of thousands
• #47: Early releases of SharePoint appealed to users as a departmental solutionDid not require the robustness of an enterprise-class applicationWith SharePoint 2007, the platform was improved to accommodate large volumes of documents without impacting performanceWith SharePoint 2010, scale is extended even furtherSupport at the database level to programmatically allow the storage of documents outside the databaseIndexing optimization was introduced
• #48: To back this up…The use of SharePoint as an enterprise platform is no longer in debate
• #49: SharePoint is very modularIntentionally designed for high volume and performanceImportant to note that the installation and design of a SharePoint farm does require careful planning, of course, to scale properly
• #50: InfoPathRequests
• #52: Who is familiar with what is provided in SharePoint for metadata?Site columnsList columnsTypesAt first glance, SharePoint’s metadata construct may appear to be inappropriately simplistic to support complex CLM requirementsHowever, looking in-depth at the hierarchical structure that Microsoft introduced in SharePoint 2007 (and improved upon even further with SharePoint 2010) demonstrates that it has exceptional versatilityThis is a modern structure
• #53: The mechanism is the content typeProvide a hierarchical frameworkInheritance
• #55: This is a simplified SharePoint CLM content type hierarchyContent types introduced a standardized way to manage metadata at the highest levelsInherit that information structure at subsequent levelsIntroduce unique information into the structure where and only where neededAs requirements become more specific down the line, additional metadata can be easily introduced at the appropriate levelEnterprise Content Type Hub
• #61: Secured Content Made Available by RoleItem level securityFor example, individual documents (contracts) can be secured for specific groups or people and that security can be unique for each person or groupThis may mean that general users have read-only access to templates while contract professionals are provided with the ability to edit the documentsFull Audit Trail and Version HistoryTrack exactly who did what to each documentVersion history can be maintained and routinely pruned to show the evolution of the documents and the changes made to their associated metadataSecured Sockets Layer (SSL) ProtectionDelivery of content via an HTTPS encryption mechanismAllows for heightened security to be employed by encrypting traffic that passes over the networkAuthentication Provider SupportIn addition to natively supporting Active Directory, SharePoint has the ability to leverage additional authentication providers such as LDAP and Forms-Based AuthenticationAllows different but secure login mechanisms to be employed to optimize security for internal as well as your external usersMicrosoft Based Security FirewallsMicrosoft introduced Internet Security & Acceleration Server (ISA) to provide additional levels of protection when exposing content over the public InternetForefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 is the next generation release of ISA ServerUnfortunately it’s been EOL
• #65: Usually not for your average administrative userVery robust approvals OOTB
• #69: Whereas in SharePoint 2003, searching was restricted to basic indexes of partial document text, SharePoint 2007 introduced increased functionalityResults are always security trimmedSharePoint can search other websites, file systems, databases, and Microsoft Exchange public foldersFAST SearchVisual Best BetsUser context-based search enhancementsMetadata extractionRelevance tuningSearch results refinersDocument previews
• #71: In CLM, typical for an organization to want to connect its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or financial systemsFirst attempt at data integration is typically a link to supplier or customer information to validate against counterparty information for the contracts
• #72: Data validation in SharePointPerform a validation of client or supplier data where that data resides in an external LoB system or data warehouseIntegrate workflow and dataData that has been entered in the SharePoint CM system can be automatically posted or sent to the LoB systemAn example of this may be when payment terms are finalized in the CM system. Once finalized, the CM workflow process may automatically post key contractual terms directly into the ERP system.Retrieve SharePoint content in LoB systemsAlso referred to as “document enabling”Allow SharePoint content (the documents) to be displayed from within another LoB systemIdeally, users should be able to click a button or press a keystroke sequence and the document(s) will render.Surface LoB Systems in SharePointAllowsthe LoB system to be displayed, or “surfaced,” in some capacity within SharePointThe advantage of this functionality is that users can access one central SharePoint portal to access many applications.
• #75: Includes double-byte character languages such as Japanese and ChineseThis refers to the site navigation, display, and searchingDocuments in any language can always be storedDoesn’t stop with languagesVariations
• #77: Question
• #81: Business UsersGrassroots demand from users continues to accelerate adoptionSharePoint allows for immediate productivity through its ease of use and flexibilityNote that this can also be a cause for concern if the appropriate information governance procedures are not implementedExecutivesWhile SharePoint is satisfying user demand, it is also recognized by senior management as a strategic platform that companies now leverage to increase profitability and provide a competitive advantageExecutives appreciate the increased user adoption, business problems solved faster than legacy technologies, and reduced costs for product, training, and support. It is more widely recognized that SharePoint is the safe bet saving organizations substantial time and money. With SharePoint’s wide acceptance at the departmental solution level and uncontrolled site collections of information, many executives including CIOs are suddenly realizing that the platform must be taken seriously and as such, a solution worthy of planning and investment. These factors must be considered in regard to the true costs of implementing properly. Yet when looked at over the long term, there is a recognized reduction in costs and a heightened overall return on investment.IT ProfessionalsThere are a number of reasons that IT is now embracing SharePoint in more substantive ways. It begins with the popularity of the product and the fact that it is using the latest and greatest Microsoft technologies. As a result, this feeds the IT professional’s appetite. Beyond its popularity, SharePoint allows IT departments to more easily enable their users to be successful by becoming more autonomous and capable. Finally, the momentum behind SharePoint has introduced a larger pool of SharePoint-savvy personnel, which helps to reduce costs to maintain any application built on a familiar platform.
• #84: SharePoint’s blessing, when not managed properly, can also be its curse. Specifically, SharePoint includes a rich and broad range of capabilities­—the blessing. The curse comes into play when users, executives, and IT professionals alike are overwhelmed by its capabilities and ultimately implement the product in an ineffective manner. For as much as SharePoint is an OOTB solution that is easy to configure, its breadth and depth require careful planning and strategic investment to ensure that it is well-designed and well-implemented from the outset.In the context of Contract Management, this may mean that a standard set of contract and template libraries have first been established with pre-defined metadata, security, workflow, and reports. Each contracting group can then extend the metadata by adding information that is specific to their requirements.Looked at metaphorically, SharePoint can be considered a block of clay. It is malleable and can take on many different forms with relative ease. In virtually every respect, this is appealing and valid. However, for many, it is better to provide a more finite selection of pre-made plates, bowls, or cups that are made from the clay. This is less overwhelming and allows them to make selections on style and coloring.The introduction of such a framework or structure minimizes that overwhelming sensation of not knowing where to start and in helping users acclimate to SharePoint. Once familiarized, they may then play a larger role in shaping the clay or delivering additional functionality from scratch if appropriate for greater flexibility. This framework or structure is often referred to as SharePoint Governance.
• #86: Viral adoption quickly driven the need for governance at the corporate level and some mechanisms for standard deployment practicesGenerally the more decentralized the CM functions are, the greater the need for governanceParticularly if the organizational structure is not reflective of the need for corporate standards and consolidation of information
• #87: BalanceIf too constraining, users will usually avoid usageDoesn’t give them the desired functionality to get the job doneToo much leniency and lack of guidance can contribute to “SharePoint Sprawl” or add to end user anxiety about where to begin
• #88: Needs to be continually evolvedShould be viewed as an ongoing effort that is continually refined
• #90: You may run into potential discordSpecifically, your IT resources are stretched too thinThey might not have the necessary subject matter expertise in CLM even though their technical skills are strong on the SharePoint frontLimited pilot launchIt may be appropriate to ask them for a specific site collection or site dedicated to CMYou can then configure many base functionality and determine if it’s a good fitGarner higher level of executive supportMay be appropriate to have executives meet with IT management and ask for re-prioritizationConsider hosting SharePoint externallyMany vendors, including MicrosoftOffice 365
• #92: These are rare, but I do want to mention them
• #95: Of course, there is a time when a SharePoint native solution is not the best choice architecturally or from the business user experience perspective
• #96: SharePoint is a sure best for a large scale Contract Management project