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We met with more than 100 vendors, talked to analysts, reviewed all the announcements and made follow-up calls to customers. Now here are our picks of the Best of AIIM 2002.
XML WORKFLOW FOR WEB SERVICES
Product: BizFlow 7
Vendor: HandySoft, Vienna, VA, www.handysoft.com
While other vendors are talking about Web services, HandySoft's BizFlow 7 business process management/workflow software has already made the transition. The product can act as middleware between back-office and front-office applications. It contains a SOAP broker with XML support that can pass data back and forth between Web services devices and other applications. A mortgage application sent into the BizFlow SOAP broker, for example, might trigger a workflow process in a loan origination application.
Companies can use BizFlow to request, broker and deliver Web services. BizFlow processes themselves can be invoked and published as Web services. A graphical workflow designer with built-in wizards lets business users build their own workflows. "Anyone who can use Visio can use this tool," says Stuart Claggett, COO and CrO.
WEB WORKFLOWS ADDED TO ERM
Product: RXS-One Web Services
Vendor: AXS-One, Rutherford, NJ, www.axsone.com
The AXS-One Web Services module provides Intemet-based connections between people, systems and applications that allow companies to quickly create new products and services.
AXS-One already had enterprise report management and workflow software in its AXSPoint software suite. The Web Services module lets companies mine data from reports and processes, convert it to XML streams and feed it to partners and customers. For example, a reconciliation process could be facilitated by pulling the background data on a questioned transaction, feeding it to both parties and triggering a resolution workflow process.
AXS-One's Web Services are built on industry standards including XML, SOAP and WSDL. They include prebuilt applications to assist in billing, collections, procurement and payments. A ticket-based security envelope controls user and application access to services and information. Pricing for AXSPoint software starts at $50,000.
WORKFLOW-AGNOSTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION
Product: Tower eProcess Objects
Vendor: Tower Technology, Boston, www.towertechnology.com
Tower Technology delivers state-of-the-art, high-volume document and content processing systems now including J2EE-based process automation middleware built on Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs). This technology lets you handle case management for mission-critical financial and insurance processes in a distributed, thin-client approach on robust, scalable industry-standard application...