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WebCenter for Records Management
Updated June 04, 2015

WebCenter for Records Management

Lee Cornelison | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 4 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

11g

Modules Used

  • RMA-records management; PCM-Physical Content Management

Overall Satisfaction with Oracle WebCenter Content

This was selected as a solution to be used as the platform for a planned enterprise-wide records management system. An important feature was the the ability to manage both existing paper records, as well as current and future electronic records. The optional RMA records management module offered a Records life-cycle management ability that we did not previously possess.
  • Offers a stable Content Management environment with native versioning for use as a collaboration environment.
  • The optional Inbound Refinery can automatically generate PDF renditions of content files
  • Records management module meets all of the basic DoD 5015.2 Records Mgmt standards specifications
  • Standard components can perform additional functions was as Image Processsing, water-marking
  • The user interface is very dated, and not really very configurable without custom module development. We are waiting to see what the promised improvements in the UI look like, when they are debuted in the upcoming 12C release of WebCenter
  • There are really no simple utilities or APIs for transferring content and metadata between WebCenter and any interconnected systems. Any data transfer project -- whether an ad hoc transfer, or an ongoing service -- typically requires some sort of custom Java development
  • The basic application is very mature, and pretty much bullet-proof. When odd problems or behaviors arise, the Oracle support engineers have a wide range of support experience with the product. Their knowledge levels can vary from expert to essentially no experience with the product. This can lead to lengthy, frustrating support cases, to solve even minor issues
  • Our outfit had created a File Plan for enterprise records. Now, this Records Management installation has given us the tools to implemet the enterprise's information life-cycle rules, and carry out retention policies on the various record series and categories that had been worked out.
I was not present for any product comparisons. We switched from a Documentum system for paper records, which apparently did not have the Records Management capabilities we were looking for in place at that time. Since then, we have looking at other records management solutions; The Alfresco platform looks very attractive, for its more up-to-date interface, and its ease in being customized to meet any aspect of a user's needs.
If a customer is setting up a system from scratch, can they afford to have a 3rd party integrator come on site to assist with designing, configuring and launching their installation? It might be very difficult to bring a WebCenter system up, without any expert assistance for the launch.

If a potential customer needs to have a great deal of interconnectivity with other enterprise systems, how much custom development support can they muster to support their plans?

Using Oracle WebCenter Content

The challenges with converting to a completely new system create quite a barrier to switching to anything else. If we find another system that offers guaranteed improvements to the user interface -- as well as as a more coherent set of options for data interchanges with current and future enterprise data sources -- we would be more interested in swithing to that new product. Of course, the expense in purchasing competitor system, along with the costs of migrating all current content, along with retooling all existing workflows in place, would be carefully weighed against the benefits incurred from a switch-over.

Oracle WebCenter Content Support

Using Oracle WebCenter Content

It meets all required functionality requirements -- but handles none of them in an exceptional manner
ProsCons
Like to use
Relatively simple
Well integrated
Consistent
Quick to learn
Convenient
Requires technical support
Lots to learn
  • None of the functions are easy to use without some amount of user training by an experienced staff.
  • The built-in online support system is rudimentary; the help screens are inconsistantly contextual -- and are mostly just repeats from the printed training manuals
  • User content entry is not difficult -- but is not intuitive either; all entry requires a fair amount of coaching