There is no doubt COVID-19 has given rise to many societal changes. People are staying in, wearing masks, and working from home more than ever before. And, as many states begin to reopen their economy, some people and the organizations they represent are coming up with new and innovative ways to keep business going as usual. One of the biggest changes facing businesses today is the increase in telecommuting. To reduce the risk of infection, many organizations are requiring workers to either...

An RFI - short for “Request for Information” is a term commonly used in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. An RFI is used to request quotes, clarify uncertainties, and fill any gaps in project information, including material specifications, plans, contracts, and more. Generally, downstream contractors or subcontractors initiate these requests by submitting a formal RFI to the client or engineering firm who initially provided the specifications. Once received, the...

Version control (sometimes known as revision control or source control) is often used in drafting and design workflows. In fact, chances are you have used a form of version control at some point in your life when using Windows to store your files. As a document moves between hands, it typically goes through multiple revisions before it can be finalized. Versions are usually identified by a number or letter that increases as a new revision is made. For example, the first version of a document...

Workflow is traditionally defined as “the sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion.” This is still true of modern workflows with the exception of a twist – automation.  Before we begin discussing automation, lets first go over the three different types of workflows engineers may be accustomed to working with. Map-Centric Workflows Map-centric workflows assign employees activities that are passed on to other...

There is a lot of buzz around “big data” these days, and with the abundance of new software and data-related technologies available, it’s no wonder organizations are exploring new ways to use it. One key part of “big data” is unstructured data. This data can be extremely valuable to research and large organizations as well as those with limited resources are looking for new ways to accurately collect and analyze it. What is Big Data and Unstructured Data? Data is typically used to answer...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way organizations view technology, facilitating unprecedented levels of innovation. The U.S., among other countries, is now facing an economic recession, the likes of which the world has not seen since the Great Depression. While some organizations have had no choice but to cut their losses, some technology leaders have been developing new systems to help businesses cope with the changing economic landscape. In the United States, digital technologies have...

Managing a small engineering firm can be challenging in and of itself. Smaller firms often must compete with the practices of larger engineering companies who appear to have unlimited resources, and may typically struggle with the intricacies of operational and financial management. This seems daunting to most managers; however, it should not discourage you from reaching your company’s goals. In this blog, we will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of managing a small firm, and...

It comes as no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global economy at every level. Almost every business has been able to feel the influence the virus has in some way or another, which is why eQuorum has dedicated its resources to providing organizations with innovative solutions to manage files, documents, and data throughout this crisis while reducing costs associated with workflow and document management. Meeting Data Requirements According to the International Data...

It’s well known many engineers tend to work alone and for good reason. Historically, the highly dispersed nature of new product development has made it difficult for teams to collaborate, especially given the large volume and complexity of engineering documents pertinent to completing their tasks. While many engineers struggle to collaborate effectively, there are tools with features that can help increase productivity and improve collaboration. Here are some essential document management...

Managers are often plagued with the task of finding newer and more efficient ways of conducting business and executing engineering processes. While it may seem easy to some, the implementation of new systems and procedures can often become difficult or confusing for both decision-makers and their subordinates. Here are 3 ways you can improve efficiency in your business: Delegation For many companies, it may come as no surprise that delegating can increase efficiency in the workplace. After...

For many years, organizations have relied on the use of documents to maintain records of projects and communications. For much of the 20th century, paper documents were put into filing cabinets for storage so they could be referenced, when needed. But, with advances in digital technology, companies now rely on their computer systems to store and transfer information. So, you may question, “Great, we have all our files stored on our servers and laptops, why do we need a document management...

In the world of engineering, working from home was once considered uncommon practice.Drafting and prototyping often required handling large-format documents that would take upconsiderable space and require workers to be physically present, especially when collaboratingwith managers and other engineers. Now, with advances in technology, combined with the COVID-19 crisis and growing demand forremote employment, companies have been innovating to adapt to the changing workenvironment.   The...

One of the most basic security tenets of corporate workflow and document management systems is the requirement to keep files within the security of the corporate four walls as much as possible.  When files are sent outside the organization, errors or other bad things can happen — certainly, we understand the vulnerability of giving out our personal information even to innocuous providers like Target or Equifax. There are many instances where the delivery of native files is a necessity but even...

The invention of network-based computing dates back to the 1960s, but cloud services as we know them now is largely credited back to 2006 when former Google CEO Eric Schmidt introduced the term at an industry conference. For many of those who had already been part of the tech world, the cloud wasn’t exactly new, but to the average consumer, it was groundbreaking. After the release of the first iPhone in 2007, “the cloud” exploded as this foreign, fascinating thing no one understood, with...

When on the hunt for a document management solution, it can be hard to know which features will be most useful for your business or organization. Although every business is unique, it’s important to choose a system that not only suits your current needs, but can evolve as your needs change. Browser-based Interface Long gone are the days of requiring complicated software downloads on each user’s workstation. Now, with a solution that is entirely HTML-based, users can simply access their files...

Over the years, the responsibility for maintaining and the safekeeping of corporate electronic files and intellectual property rest squarely on the shoulders of the Information Technology department. Keeping hackers out of the network and away from the company’s system was paramount and usually involved a myriad of software and hardware solutions. Internal users were generally afforded a higher level of security, since most were employees who were already cleared for access. As mobile devices...

The utility and power sectors energize our society, doing so by maintaining daily operations on and off the clock while adhering to rigorous regulations overseen by The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other government agencies. Companies in the electrical, gas, oil and hydro-power industries are required to follow established protocols for operations, machinery and other touch points to ensure health and safety of both workers and the general public. Dealing with these...

If your company has been around for some time you’ve most likely run into the issue of losing digital documents, mixing up files, experiencing communication issues, etc. The problem often starts with simply trying to find the document you need, but it doesn’t end there. Now you need to be sure the one you found is the correct one.  (Just because it says revised doesn’t mean it’s the latest revision.) The key to identifying the best system to help your organization is to try and define the top...

So much of our daily lives is consumed with viewing of screens, phones, and TVs, with a continuum of images thrown at us. As advertisers have known for many years, a picture or image can often communicate a concept or idea better, and much faster, than a lot of words. Why is it then that much of business communication and decision-making is still essentially the exchange of written and spoken words? Certainly, words can have much more granular meaning and can pose questions and positions that...

Services organizations have been using transmittal workflows for years. The process consists of collecting multiple documents — some contractual, some operational and some informational — and attaching a summary cover sheet to create a deliverable package. This package, which can be delivered either by courier, mail or fax, today is mostly sent by email. The cover sheet frequently includes a description and listing of all the items contained in the package, the versions and dates of the...

For many organizations the document control systems function was the down-in-the-basement department mainly seen as the overseers of the large format engineering drawings created over the years. They were the vault owners, the watch dogs for the repository. As more and more drawings and documents became digital their role expanded into managing the electronic files, mainly using shares on the network. But still the caretakers of the company’s intellectual property (IP). As file exchange became...

The concept of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is becoming a big interest for many organizations as they attempt to enhance buyer experiences, improve ergonomics in design, and advance software usability and accessibility. This is all amazing and cool and will take usability to the next level for many applications, but does it have a place in workflows. However, most of the time we deal with the real world – reality reality. Finding a needed CAD drawing or invoice, though it...

As I rambled around the Exhibitor Hall at Autodesk University 2016 I was almost knocked over several times as individuals with large goggles were wandering from their booth into the walkway. They were just not cognizant of their surroundings as they were in a virtual reality. The concept of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is becoming a big interest by many organizations as they attempt to enhance buyer experiences, improve ergonomics in design, and advance software usability...

Workflow automation for product design and engineering has been a linear process for many organizations. Though the design process has become more iterative through engineering project management software and agile development programs, it has remained fairly insulated from the rest of the organization, including the purveyors of the products (the sales staff) and often the end users (customers). There are clear obstructions that have provided resistance over the years to expanding the...

We have all used the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word as a means of keeping a record of the changes to a document. You may have even saved the updated document with a new name or added some designator to show an updated version. These are simple methods to version files. Many workflows are document-centric, so passing and document versioning are important steps in the process. Between historical recording, requirements for management analysis, and general regulatory compliance, keeping...

We hear so much about “big data” and unstructured data these days, and we automatically associate things like emails, texts, tweets, and audio clips to the unstructured data category. And as we are being reminded by the purveyors of the big data mining tools, it’s all about making sense of this huge mess of uncoordinated, anomalous data. Though much of this relates to sales and marketing data, often the information associated with workflows is more structured, meaning we can easily get...

In today’s world of instant access and gratification it is unusual that businesses have been slow to adopt new technologies that enable faster, more immediate access to information. As use of iPads and other tablets become more ubiquitous in the workplace, the reality is that workflow is becoming, and will be, real time. Workflow management systems are becoming essential in tracking, auditing and automating projects. Using this software reduces errors/reworks and saves money in the long run....

The great thing about being an engineer is the continuous quest for precision and accuracy, for the answer to an everyday life question or for a finite element analysis. eQuorum started as an engineering company 20 years ago, and to some extent we still are. At least half the staff are either engineers by background or have experience in related fields like architecture. You don’t often find this in a software company where there are mostly computer science degrees creating the products. In...

It may be me, but for some reason recently I feel much less secure than just a year ago. It’s probably me, but the continual bombardment of headline news stories, online and TV messages, and the general state of the economy is making me shift in my chair (ah, the answer, get a new chair). We have gotten a stream of stories about hackers infiltrating very well known, and to this point supposedly secure, companies and all sorts of data being accessed, from credit card information, profile...

Mobile devices — everyone has one, so why aren’t we using them to access our information? Whether an iPhone, Android, iPad, or Windows Surface is common place. It seems some people are physically attached to their devices. Even at work there is Mobile Access constant checking of the personal device. So if we are so comfortable with our mobile access why don’t we see more people using these products to get and review their business data? Three reasons. First, the majority of the existing...

No one is talking about the practical implementation of the Internet of Things. We all know about Moore’s law of technology as applied to the pace of increase in computing power. In a similar sense, we can apply the law to software and technology development, though the increase in capabilities and speed may not be as linear. But in the business world there are these disruptions we experience ever so often (e.g., the introduction of cloud computing or high performing tablets). The next big...

eQuorum is proud to provide Manufacturing Document Management Software. Let's celebrate National Manufacturing Day. Manufacturing Matters. Our economy has grown in the last few decades primarily through increased productivity in the workplace. No more is this evident than in our Manufacturing sector. From robots, to automated engineering and manufacturing, to laser quality control, etc. Our processes and workflows have also seen improvement in velocity, accuracy, and timeliness. Now same day...

MegaBot, Star Wars and Las Vegas: Autodesk University 2014   We’ve attended tradeshows for the last 20 years and I have to say Autodesk University 2014 in Las Vegas was a great one! This year was all about the cloud, 3D printing and integration, and AU provided the perfect stage. I had the privilege of manning the eQuorum booth, showcasing our innovative document management solutions and how we integrate with Autodesk products. To say there was a crowd would be putting it lightly. I...

I hope I'm not sounding like I'm preaching, but I am getting frustrated and nervous as more and more companies are using free cloud-based box services to store, distribute, and manage their documents. (I know I have said this before, so I guess it is preaching). And why are we doing this? Because it is free! At least it's initially free, in the sense the company does not have to outlay any cash. We'll investigate the real costs here in a second. Case study (an actual example I recently...

I am not a tweeter, but here is my re-tweet. In several recent articles about the digital enterprise by McKinsey & Company I was amazed to hear things like: Only 40% of companies are "incorporating digital technology into existing products or improving their technology models" A small percentage of companies are using digital approaches for "collaborative product design or knowledge sharing across the supply chain". About 35% of organizations "have a top-line metric for monitoring their...