eCopy Analyst Briefing Reveals News on Several Fronts
February 26, 2008 - eCopy Inc. used its February 13 analyst briefing to make a number of announcements related to its popular eCopy ShareScan and eCopy Desktop lines of document imaging solutions. Chief among them: a new distribution relationship with Xerox; new packaging and pricing schemes for the company's flagship ShareScan offering; new scanner-based solutions; and a repositioning of its eCopy Desktop client software.
"We're looking to broaden support for the document imaging ecosystem and where eCopy fits in it," said eCopy President and CEO Edward Schmid. He talked about the company's progress in building out that infrastructure such as the growth in the eCopy Software Alliance Partners (eCAP) program. There are now more than 200 eCAP participants (up from 117 in 2006) and more than 10,000 value-added resellers (VARs) and dealers worldwide authorized to sell eCopy solutions.
One of the briefing's announcements centered on eCopy's new relationship with Xerox's Global Imaging Systems division. ShareScan will be available for Xerox MFPs that incorporate the company's Extensible Interface Platform (EIP), including the monochrome 5600 series and color 7200, 7300 and 7600 series, and are sold by Global reps. With the addition of Xerox, Schmid reported that 75 percent of current Segment 2 through 6 MFP models in the U.S. are eCopy addressable, as are 86 percent of the MFPs marketed in Western Europe.
"We've tested those products to certify that they run with ShareScan," he said. "Our goal is to cover 100 percent of the market-including Segment 1." Schmid believes the company's eCopy Desktop document management software is the ideal candidate for MFP makers and dealers to bundle for that entry-level market. The potential for growth there is huge: Segment 1 devices represent the lion's share of MFP unit shipments worldwide, with 7.9 million machines sold in 2007, according to forecast data from IDC. That's more than double the combined 3.6 million units shipped for Segments 2 through 6.
eCopy For Everyone
Schmid also sees opportunity in the market for solutions priced below ShareScan's typical $4,000 to $5,000 deployment cost per MFP. A lower-cost eCopy offering could easily complement device makers' bundled or optional embedded scanning solutions (such as Canon's Universal Send capabilities).
To that end, the biggest news relayed at the briefing was the introduction of two new versions of ShareScan-ShareScan Essentials and ShareScan Suite-which replace ShareScan 4.1 immediately. As always, ShareScan will act as the "on-ramp" for paper documents to become digital files, with integration into 85 leading electronic workflow solutions such as document management, imaging applications, cost recovery, e-mail and fax, and information management programs.
But Tim James, vice president and general manager for eCopy, noted that the existing pricing structure for ShareScan-typically $3,000, plus $1,100 for each "connector" to a back-end application-was above the price threshold that many buyers could absorb.
Now, a dealer or integrator can offer a client ShareScan Essentials, which includes scan to desktop, scan to network folder, scan to e-mail (via Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or SMTP) and scan to Internet fax, for just $1,695 per device (volume discounts for deployment across multiple MFPs are available through eCopy distributors, the company reports). Then the integrator can bundle whichever connectors a client might need on an individual basis. "Essentials is a platform product for our partners," explained James. "It gives them a point of entry to build a solution that isn't cost-prohibitive."
Larger companies that might need several connectors to serve the various document management, fax, archiving and other solutions they use will be better served by the new ShareScan Suite ($2,995; again, volume discounts are available). It includes all of the abilities of Essentials plus all eCopy-developed connectors and services ($11,000 worth of connectors, in fact) for the same price as the outgoing ShareScan 4.1. The bundle does not include connectors developed by third parties, but does include those for Bates Numbering Service, Captaris RightFax, eCopy's Quick Connect and Cost Recovery Service, Microsoft SharePoint, Open Text Corp.'s eDOCS DM and Livelink, Interwoven's WorkSite, EMC's Documentum, and Canon's imageWARE.
For dealers, the new price structure lets sales reps compete for bids where previously the cost of adding an eCopy solution would have priced them out of the running. "Right now, only 20 percent of sales reps are comfortable talking about value-added solutions like ShareScan," noted James. "Most still have the price conversation predominantly. ShareScan Essentials gives these reps an opportunity to talk about solutions as well."
In addition, as a scalable solution, ShareScan Essentials lets a sales rep start small with a client-say, integrating with their document management application-and add more functionality (fax management, accounting, and so on) as the customer's budget and comfort level increase. With the new pricing and eCopy's easy-to-use eCopy SDK (software development kit), ISVs (independent software vendors) are also able to offer custom-built solutions much more cost effectively. It also gives them a point of differentiation with competing dealers, since they can offer a document-capture solution tailored to a client's needs.
Moving Onto More Scanners
eCopy also identified the standalone scanner market (450,000 units annually in the U.S, according to IDC) as another growing target market for eCopy. Until now, ShareScan has only worked with select TWAIN scanners supported by the company. Now, system integrators and VARs can combine any ISIS-compliant (Image and Scanner Interface Specification) scanner and eCopy's ScanStation solution, greatly expanding the number of supported devices.
This new offering, which carries a list price of $4,195, includes a desktop bracket to hold the ScanStation touch-screen and keyboard, a PC containing the ShareScan software, and 10 user licenses for eCopy Desktop. It will appeal to companies that use both MFPs and standalone scanners for document capture, since it will provide one easy-to-use interface for scanning regardless of the type of device used. "One of the things we're providing is a single UI on both MFPs and scanners, as well as a single management console for administrators," noted James.
The solution also opens up document capture to more users within an organization. Historically, a dedicated document scanner has had a dedicated operator because of the often-complex software involved and training required. With the intuitive ShareScan solution, scanning can be handled by many walk-up users.
New eCopy Desktop Positioning
eCopy also used the event to announce new positioning for eCopy Desktop, its end-user document-management application. Until now, eCopy Desktop has been seen as an adjunct to ShareScan for users in an organization that needed an easy-to-use document-manipulation application at the desktop. It provided OCR capabilities (using the ReadIRIS OCR engine), indexing and more.
Now, eCopy Desktop will be available as a standalone offering for MFP makers to complement their embedded scanning solution. "The embedded solution captures and delivers the document, and eCopy Desktop lets users manipulate the document at their PC," explained James.
The company also announced new features available in the latest version. eCopy Desktop now works on Windows Vista PCs and includes drag-and-drop conversion of documents to PDF, a "select text" tool to highlight and copy snippets from a PDF file, a search pane to search within a document or folder, and more.
All these changes to eCopy Desktop and ShareScan should let dealers and ISVs get more eCopy solutions into the hands of more users in the coming months. "We continue to identify new markets and expand our business as we see opportunity," said Schmid. "But the driving force is always our customer needs-how we can help them improve their paper-based workflow."
.........................................................................................................
This article was originally published from BLI and can be found at http://www.buyerslab.com/news/viewarticle.asp?article=38009.February 26, 2008 - eCopy Inc. used its February 13 analyst briefing to make a number of announcements related to its popular eCopy ShareScan and eCopy Desktop lines of document imaging solutions. Chief among them: a new distribution relationship with Xerox; new packaging and pricing schemes for the company's flagship ShareScan offering; new scanner-based solutions; and a repositioning of its eCopy Desktop client software.
"We're looking to broaden support for the document imaging ecosystem and where eCopy fits in it," said eCopy President and CEO Edward Schmid. He talked about the company's progress in building out that infrastructure such as the growth in the eCopy Software Alliance Partners (eCAP) program. There are now more than 200 eCAP participants (up from 117 in 2006) and more than 10,000 value-added resellers (VARs) and dealers worldwide authorized to sell eCopy solutions.
One of the briefing's announcements centered on eCopy's new relationship with Xerox's Global Imaging Systems division. ShareScan will be available for Xerox MFPs that incorporate the company's Extensible Interface Platform (EIP), including the monochrome 5600 series and color 7200, 7300 and 7600 series, and are sold by Global reps. With the addition of Xerox, Schmid reported that 75 percent of current Segment 2 through 6 MFP models in the U.S. are eCopy addressable, as are 86 percent of the MFPs marketed in Western Europe.
"We've tested those products to certify that they run with ShareScan," he said. "Our goal is to cover 100 percent of the market-including Segment 1." Schmid believes the company's eCopy Desktop document management software is the ideal candidate for MFP makers and dealers to bundle for that entry-level market. The potential for growth there is huge: Segment 1 devices represent the lion's share of MFP unit shipments worldwide, with 7.9 million machines sold in 2007, according to forecast data from IDC. That's more than double the combined 3.6 million units shipped for Segments 2 through 6.
eCopy For Everyone
Schmid also sees opportunity in the market for solutions priced below ShareScan's typical $4,000 to $5,000 deployment cost per MFP. A lower-cost eCopy offering could easily complement device makers' bundled or optional embedded scanning solutions (such as Canon's Universal Send capabilities).
To that end, the biggest news relayed at the briefing was the introduction of two new versions of ShareScan-ShareScan Essentials and ShareScan Suite-which replace ShareScan 4.1 immediately. As always, ShareScan will act as the "on-ramp" for paper documents to become digital files, with integration into 85 leading electronic workflow solutions such as document management, imaging applications, cost recovery, e-mail and fax, and information management programs.
But Tim James, vice president and general manager for eCopy, noted that the existing pricing structure for ShareScan-typically $3,000, plus $1,100 for each "connector" to a back-end application-was above the price threshold that many buyers could absorb.
Now, a dealer or integrator can offer a client ShareScan Essentials, which includes scan to desktop, scan to network folder, scan to e-mail (via Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or SMTP) and scan to Internet fax, for just $1,695 per device (volume discounts for deployment across multiple MFPs are available through eCopy distributors, the company reports). Then the integrator can bundle whichever connectors a client might need on an individual basis. "Essentials is a platform product for our partners," explained James. "It gives them a point of entry to build a solution that isn't cost-prohibitive."
Larger companies that might need several connectors to serve the various document management, fax, archiving and other solutions they use will be better served by the new ShareScan Suite ($2,995; again, volume discounts are available). It includes all of the abilities of Essentials plus all eCopy-developed connectors and services ($11,000 worth of connectors, in fact) for the same price as the outgoing ShareScan 4.1. The bundle does not include connectors developed by third parties, but does include those for Bates Numbering Service, Captaris RightFax, eCopy's Quick Connect and Cost Recovery Service, Microsoft SharePoint, Open Text Corp.'s eDOCS DM and Livelink, Interwoven's WorkSite, EMC's Documentum, and Canon's imageWARE.
For dealers, the new price structure lets sales reps compete for bids where previously the cost of adding an eCopy solution would have priced them out of the running. "Right now, only 20 percent of sales reps are comfortable talking about value-added solutions like ShareScan," noted James. "Most still have the price conversation predominantly. ShareScan Essentials gives these reps an opportunity to talk about solutions as well."
In addition, as a scalable solution, ShareScan Essentials lets a sales rep start small with a client-say, integrating with their document management application-and add more functionality (fax management, accounting, and so on) as the customer's budget and comfort level increase. With the new pricing and eCopy's easy-to-use eCopy SDK (software development kit), ISVs (independent software vendors) are also able to offer custom-built solutions much more cost effectively. It also gives them a point of differentiation with competing dealers, since they can offer a document-capture solution tailored to a client's needs.
Moving Onto More Scanners
eCopy also identified the standalone scanner market (450,000 units annually in the U.S, according to IDC) as another growing target market for eCopy. Until now, ShareScan has only worked with select TWAIN scanners supported by the company. Now, system integrators and VARs can combine any ISIS-compliant (Image and Scanner Interface Specification) scanner and eCopy's ScanStation solution, greatly expanding the number of supported devices.
This new offering, which carries a list price of $4,195, includes a desktop bracket to hold the ScanStation touch-screen and keyboard, a PC containing the ShareScan software, and 10 user licenses for eCopy Desktop. It will appeal to companies that use both MFPs and standalone scanners for document capture, since it will provide one easy-to-use interface for scanning regardless of the type of device used. "One of the things we're providing is a single UI on both MFPs and scanners, as well as a single management console for administrators," noted James.
The solution also opens up document capture to more users within an organization. Historically, a dedicated document scanner has had a dedicated operator because of the often-complex software involved and training required. With the intuitive ShareScan solution, scanning can be handled by many walk-up users.
New eCopy Desktop Positioning
eCopy also used the event to announce new positioning for eCopy Desktop, its end-user document-management application. Until now, eCopy Desktop has been seen as an adjunct to ShareScan for users in an organization that needed an easy-to-use document-manipulation application at the desktop. It provided OCR capabilities (using the ReadIRIS OCR engine), indexing and more.
Now, eCopy Desktop will be available as a standalone offering for MFP makers to complement their embedded scanning solution. "The embedded solution captures and delivers the document, and eCopy Desktop lets users manipulate the document at their PC," explained James.
The company also announced new features available in the latest version. eCopy Desktop now works on Windows Vista PCs and includes drag-and-drop conversion of documents to PDF, a "select text" tool to highlight and copy snippets from a PDF file, a search pane to search within a document or folder, and more.
All these changes to eCopy Desktop and ShareScan should let dealers and ISVs get more eCopy solutions into the hands of more users in the coming months. "We continue to identify new markets and expand our business as we see opportunity," said Schmid. "But the driving force is always our customer needs-how we can help them improve their paper-based workflow."
.........................................................................................................
This article was originally published from BLI and can be found at http://www.buyerslab.com/news/viewarticle.asp?article=38009.
"We're looking to broaden support for the document imaging ecosystem and where eCopy fits in it," said eCopy President and CEO Edward Schmid. He talked about the company's progress in building out that infrastructure such as the growth in the eCopy Software Alliance Partners (eCAP) program. There are now more than 200 eCAP participants (up from 117 in 2006) and more than 10,000 value-added resellers (VARs) and dealers worldwide authorized to sell eCopy solutions.
One of the briefing's announcements centered on eCopy's new relationship with Xerox's Global Imaging Systems division. ShareScan will be available for Xerox MFPs that incorporate the company's Extensible Interface Platform (EIP), including the monochrome 5600 series and color 7200, 7300 and 7600 series, and are sold by Global reps. With the addition of Xerox, Schmid reported that 75 percent of current Segment 2 through 6 MFP models in the U.S. are eCopy addressable, as are 86 percent of the MFPs marketed in Western Europe.
"We've tested those products to certify that they run with ShareScan," he said. "Our goal is to cover 100 percent of the market-including Segment 1." Schmid believes the company's eCopy Desktop document management software is the ideal candidate for MFP makers and dealers to bundle for that entry-level market. The potential for growth there is huge: Segment 1 devices represent the lion's share of MFP unit shipments worldwide, with 7.9 million machines sold in 2007, according to forecast data from IDC. That's more than double the combined 3.6 million units shipped for Segments 2 through 6.
eCopy For Everyone
Schmid also sees opportunity in the market for solutions priced below ShareScan's typical $4,000 to $5,000 deployment cost per MFP. A lower-cost eCopy offering could easily complement device makers' bundled or optional embedded scanning solutions (such as Canon's Universal Send capabilities).
To that end, the biggest news relayed at the briefing was the introduction of two new versions of ShareScan-ShareScan Essentials and ShareScan Suite-which replace ShareScan 4.1 immediately. As always, ShareScan will act as the "on-ramp" for paper documents to become digital files, with integration into 85 leading electronic workflow solutions such as document management, imaging applications, cost recovery, e-mail and fax, and information management programs.
But Tim James, vice president and general manager for eCopy, noted that the existing pricing structure for ShareScan-typically $3,000, plus $1,100 for each "connector" to a back-end application-was above the price threshold that many buyers could absorb.
Now, a dealer or integrator can offer a client ShareScan Essentials, which includes scan to desktop, scan to network folder, scan to e-mail (via Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or SMTP) and scan to Internet fax, for just $1,695 per device (volume discounts for deployment across multiple MFPs are available through eCopy distributors, the company reports). Then the integrator can bundle whichever connectors a client might need on an individual basis. "Essentials is a platform product for our partners," explained James. "It gives them a point of entry to build a solution that isn't cost-prohibitive."
Larger companies that might need several connectors to serve the various document management, fax, archiving and other solutions they use will be better served by the new ShareScan Suite ($2,995; again, volume discounts are available). It includes all of the abilities of Essentials plus all eCopy-developed connectors and services ($11,000 worth of connectors, in fact) for the same price as the outgoing ShareScan 4.1. The bundle does not include connectors developed by third parties, but does include those for Bates Numbering Service, Captaris RightFax, eCopy's Quick Connect and Cost Recovery Service, Microsoft SharePoint, Open Text Corp.'s eDOCS DM and Livelink, Interwoven's WorkSite, EMC's Documentum, and Canon's imageWARE.
For dealers, the new price structure lets sales reps compete for bids where previously the cost of adding an eCopy solution would have priced them out of the running. "Right now, only 20 percent of sales reps are comfortable talking about value-added solutions like ShareScan," noted James. "Most still have the price conversation predominantly. ShareScan Essentials gives these reps an opportunity to talk about solutions as well."
In addition, as a scalable solution, ShareScan Essentials lets a sales rep start small with a client-say, integrating with their document management application-and add more functionality (fax management, accounting, and so on) as the customer's budget and comfort level increase. With the new pricing and eCopy's easy-to-use eCopy SDK (software development kit), ISVs (independent software vendors) are also able to offer custom-built solutions much more cost effectively. It also gives them a point of differentiation with competing dealers, since they can offer a document-capture solution tailored to a client's needs.
Moving Onto More Scanners
eCopy also identified the standalone scanner market (450,000 units annually in the U.S, according to IDC) as another growing target market for eCopy. Until now, ShareScan has only worked with select TWAIN scanners supported by the company. Now, system integrators and VARs can combine any ISIS-compliant (Image and Scanner Interface Specification) scanner and eCopy's ScanStation solution, greatly expanding the number of supported devices.
This new offering, which carries a list price of $4,195, includes a desktop bracket to hold the ScanStation touch-screen and keyboard, a PC containing the ShareScan software, and 10 user licenses for eCopy Desktop. It will appeal to companies that use both MFPs and standalone scanners for document capture, since it will provide one easy-to-use interface for scanning regardless of the type of device used. "One of the things we're providing is a single UI on both MFPs and scanners, as well as a single management console for administrators," noted James.
The solution also opens up document capture to more users within an organization. Historically, a dedicated document scanner has had a dedicated operator because of the often-complex software involved and training required. With the intuitive ShareScan solution, scanning can be handled by many walk-up users.
New eCopy Desktop Positioning
eCopy also used the event to announce new positioning for eCopy Desktop, its end-user document-management application. Until now, eCopy Desktop has been seen as an adjunct to ShareScan for users in an organization that needed an easy-to-use document-manipulation application at the desktop. It provided OCR capabilities (using the ReadIRIS OCR engine), indexing and more.
Now, eCopy Desktop will be available as a standalone offering for MFP makers to complement their embedded scanning solution. "The embedded solution captures and delivers the document, and eCopy Desktop lets users manipulate the document at their PC," explained James.
The company also announced new features available in the latest version. eCopy Desktop now works on Windows Vista PCs and includes drag-and-drop conversion of documents to PDF, a "select text" tool to highlight and copy snippets from a PDF file, a search pane to search within a document or folder, and more.
All these changes to eCopy Desktop and ShareScan should let dealers and ISVs get more eCopy solutions into the hands of more users in the coming months. "We continue to identify new markets and expand our business as we see opportunity," said Schmid. "But the driving force is always our customer needs-how we can help them improve their paper-based workflow."
.........................................................................................................
This article was originally published from BLI and can be found at http://www.buyerslab.com/news/viewarticle.asp?article=38009.
