Blog

04.21.2023

WCD is thrilled to announce our appointment as the Official Print Partner to the Calgary Stampede—the world-renowned not-for-profit community organization that celebrates western heritage, culture, and community spirit. The partnership between WCD and the Calgary Stampede is a win-win for both organizations that have a shared goal of driving positive engagement throughout both local and national communities. WCD will support the Stampede by helping them share their story and connect with their customers, volunteers, and stakeholders through high-quality print, signage, and creative design. “We wanted to solidify the partnership between our two long-standing, Calgary-based organizations who pride ourselves on shining a national and global light on Alberta, while also positively engaging our local community,” says Karen Brookman, WCD’s president and CEO. “Our purpose at WCD is to help organizations like the Calgary Stampede connect with people—and we’re excited about the opportunity to do that by breathing life and colour into this year’s events through our expansive suite of services.” WCD has been working with the Calgary Stampede for over a decade, providing many of their print and signage needs including those related to BMO Kids Zone, The Dog Bowl, Stampede Lotteries, and the fulfillment and distribution of their two t-shirt campaigns (Come Hell or High Water and We Will Ride Again!). The organization hopes this news will help to increase national brand awareness and establish WCD as a strong contributing member of the Calgary Stampede sponsorship community. Through the Stockmen’s Club Sponsorship, WCD becomes the Official Print Partner, which also includes our continued title sponsorship of the WCD Volunteer Lounge, a cool private dining room on the grounds where Calgary Stampede volunteers can take a quiet break and recharge throughout their busy 10 days. We are excited about this partnership and looks forward to supporting the Calgary Stampede in its mission to preserve and celebrate Calgary’s western heritage, culture, and community spirit. To follow along with our journey behind-the-scenes at the Calgary Stampede, follow our Instagram and LinkedIn. ABOUT THE CALGARY STAMPEDE The Calgary Stampede, which began in 1912, is more than just an annual celebration. At its core is a purpose to preserve and celebrate Calgary’s western heritage, culture and community spirit. The Stampede also aims to give back to the community through over 2,500 volunteers who host events across the city and support community celebrations, empowering youth by providing opportunities to pursue their passions in performing arts, providing economic benefit to Calgary and surrounding areas, creating jobs for over 3,500 young seasonal workers and 1,500 year-round employees, and promoting agriculture and agri-food through classroom training and interactive hands-on experiences for more than 50,000 youth throughout Alberta.

04.06.2023

Unlock the power of signage to engage, inform, and elevate every customer interaction Have you ever walked into a store or office building and felt confused by your surroundings? Maybe you weren’t sure which line up at the coffee shop was for ordering versus pickup, or what floor of the high rise your meeting was on. These subtle but critical interactions—or lack thereof—all contribute to the customer experience. Customer experience is a hot topic for businesses today—and it’s no wonder why when 73% of companies that do well with it perform financially better than their competitors. While customer experience is a broad topic and includes many facets of your customer-facing interactions, there’s one aspect of it that businesses often overlook: signage. In the examples above, proper signage would have made for a smoother interaction with the customer, creating a better overall experience. Let’s explore how your organization can enhance the customer experience using signage solutions. 1) Direct customers with wayfinding signage Wayfinding signage helps customers navigate your space, find what they're looking for, and feel more comfortable in the process. Wayfinding signage can include directional signs, maps, and floor decals that guide customers to different areas of your retail store or office. By making it easy for customers to find what they need, you can help reduce frustration and create a more positive experience. Some examples of wayfinding include: Directional signs that point to restrooms, elevators or exitsPathfinding signs that guide customers from point A to BIdentification signs such as floor numbers and room namesRegulatory signs including warning signs, exit signs and parking regulations 2) Establish connection with brand signage Your brand is a critical part of your organization's identity, and signage can help reinforce it to create brand recognition, attachment and recall. By incorporating your logo, brand colors, and other branding elements into your signage, you can create a cohesive and memorable experience for customers. This type of signage can include exterior signs, window displays, and even custom wallpaper or murals that showcase your brand in a unique way. 3) Communicate clearly with informational signage Making it easy for customers to find the information they need is essential to creating a positive experience. Informational signage can include things like your hours of operation, pricing, policies, and other important details that customers need to know. By making this information clear and accessible, you can help customers make informed decisions and avoid confusion. 4) Create an atmosphere with decorative signage Signage can also be used to create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere. Decorative signage can include artwork, inspirational quotes, and other fun elements that add personality and warmth to your space. By creating a space that feels inviting and comfortable, you can help customers feel more at ease and enjoy their experience more. Next time you’re out and about, take time to spot all the different types of signage that were well thought out and intentionally installed to make your experience a positive one—or, not so positive. Being strategic about your signage placement can make a space easy to navigate, reinforce your brand identity, provide customers with the information they need, and create a welcoming atmosphere that wins loyalty. Are you ready to refresh your signage? WCD Creative can help. Let our experts create a vision for your space that your customers will never want to leave. Then, we'll work alongside our strategic print and signage partner, Cober Solutions, for a flawless execution of your vision.

03.09.2023

Maximize visual appeal with vibrant design and specialty print materials Living in the era of digital overload, print marketing has made a significant comeback in recent years. Why? It’s all in the data. Research suggests that print marketing can have both higher recall and conversion rates than digital marketing, and is even more effective when combined with digital tactics as part of an integrated campaign. It’s no wonder 60% of CMOs are advocates for including print marketing in their budgets. But as print campaigns continue to increase in popularity, brands need to do more to stand out. By leveraging innovative print design techniques that dazzle, you can ensure your print piece not only gets noticed, but also incites action in your customers. Here are five ways you can make your next print campaign more impactful: Fluorescent & Metallic InksOversized FormatsMetallic Media Unique SubstratesPersonalize It!Print vs. Digital Design: Understanding the Differences > Need some creative inspiration? Ask our Creative Services team! With expertise in designing for print, our in-house design agency is here to help you ideate and execute on print campaigns that will connect with and covert your customers.

03.02.2023

Just decades ago, graphic designers spent their days producing print layouts for products like posters, books and brochures. But in today’s digital world, the realm of graphic design is expansive and ever-evolving. Although they share the same basic principles, print design and digital design each require a unique skill set and approach. Let’s dive into some of their key differences. What is Print Design? Print design is the artful creation of digital files that will eventually be produced as physical media. You can find print designers developing creative for products like: MagazinesBooksNewspapersBrochuresFlyersBusiness CardsBillboardsPackaging, and more What is Digital Design? Digital design refers to the creation of designs intended for publishing across digital media. The world of digital design may include: Digital AdvertisementsWebsitesSocial Media AssetsApps, and more The Core Differences Between Digital and Print Design Whether designing for print or digital, creative designers need to take into consideration these core differences before diving in: Resolution Print design requires a much higher resolution than digital design to ensure the final product renders sharp and clear. Digital design, on the other hand, must take into consideration the resolution of the varying devices on which the design will be viewed (like a small cellphone screen vs. large desktop screen). Digital designers also need to consider the interactivity of their creative, which may include animations, clickable links, and other features that are not available in print. Medium When designing for print, it’s important to take into account the physical characteristics of the finished product such as paper size, weight, texture, and colour. This means that the design needs to be created with a specific print size in mind, including appropriate margins and bleed areas. Print designs must also take into account how colours will appear on paper, which may differ from how they appear on a computer screen. Layout A billboard is huge, a banner is large, and a mobile screen is itty bitty. Our point? The layout of a design is heavily influenced by the medium in which it will be displayed. In print design, the designer has complete control over the size and placement of elements on the page, allowing for precise control over the visual hierarchy of the design that guides the viewer's eye through the content. In digital design, layouts often need to be responsive—meaning that it must adjust to different screen sizes and resolutions. This can limit the amount of control that the designer has over the layout, as certain elements may need to be moved or resized to fit the screen. Calls-to-Action (CTAs) In digital design, the audience’s call to action (CTA) often renders in the form of clickable buttons, links and forms. Because taking action from a print piece typically requires more effort, print designers need to be creative in the way they incorporate their CTAs. Many designers today are using print-based digital technologies like QR codes and augmented reality (AR) to make it easier for the audience to move through the journey from physical to digital. Printing & Publishing Finally, the production process for print and digital designs varies greatly. Print designs must be sent to a printer for physical production, while digital designs can be published online with the click of a button. This means that print designs require more pre-production work—such as physical proofing and colour correction—to ensure that the final product matches the designer's vision. Work with a designer that can do both! Did you know WCD’s in-house Creative Services agency specializes in both print and digital design? Not only do we have the all-around expertise, but we also have the production capabilities to print small and large format projects—from 10” brochures to 10’ banners! It’s never been easier to produce your multimedia campaigns in one place. But don’t take our word for it—get immersed in some of our favourite creative campaigns!

01.31.2023

As the gatekeepers and guardians of all things brand, marketers have a unique challenge—empowering employees with access to marketing materials while also maintaining control and governance over their use. For marketers working for large enterprises or geographically dispersed organizations (franchises, for example), managing physical and digital brand assets is easier said than done. The Challenge Managing Brand Assets When we say “brand assets,” we’re referring to any physical or digital materials that are owned by and require oversight from a brand manager. This could include: Promotional materials and SWAGSeasonal signage Brochures and business cardsBranded corporate formsDigital assets like logo filesBranded apparel All of these resources are developed to enable employees across the organization to effectively operate and/or market your brand and its services. But for marketing departments, maintaining the most up-to-date versions of digital assets and distributing physical assets across the organization can be a time consuming and tedious task. Consider these scenarios: Your marketing team has developed an incredible, personalized employee onboarding kit—but every time a new staff member is onboarded, someone from the team needs to manually assemble and distribute the gift. With other priorities top of mind, it’s easy to fall behind, leaving the onboarding experience lacking. How can you streamline and automate this process?Recently, your company rebranded and updated its logo. This means staff across the organization will need updated business cards. However, you know that not everyone uses business cards, and therefore printing them for everyone would be a waste of resources. How can you enable staff to order their own business cards without having to manually manage the entire process?You work for a retailer that develops seasonal promotions for franchisees to leverage in their local markets. These promotions typically include updated window signage that can then be personalized to each location. How can you ensure your franchisees are appropriately leveraging the designs and personalizing them within your brand standards? The Solution: A Branded Storefront An internal digital storefront is a website that hosts your library of brand assets. From a user experience perspective, it's just like online shopping. Staff can simply log in, click on the items they want to order (business cards, brochures, t-shirts—you name it) and the order is sent for manager approval. Check out WCD's customer-facing storefront by clicking here. Undoubtedly the best part of having an internal digital storefront is the time you'll save. With automation built into the backend, the storefront streamlines the entire ordering experience, eliminating your team's need to intervene in the process. This automation prevents you from having to repeat mundane tasks like: Sending creative to printPackaging productsCreating shipping labelsKitting multi-item ordersManaging inventoryEmailing proofs back and forth The list goes on! Why WebConnect? WebConnect is a user-friendly digital platform that enables anyone in your business to order corporate materials with the click of a button. It's valuable for large organizations or franchises who need a simpler way to print, manage and distribute collateral and promotional products. Using its powerful web-to-order capabilities, marketing departments can work with WCD's developers to customize a WebConnect storefront and upload brand materials like brochures, business cards, signage and more. Staff can simply log on, add items to their shopping cart, customize products within brand-approved guidelines, and order those items on-demand. WCD then prints, packages and delivers the finished product directly to their chosen location.

12.12.2022

WCD Invests in HP Indigo 15K Digital Press—the First in Western Canada! We're thrilled to finally share an incredibly exciting announcement—WCD has invested in an HP Indigo 15K Digital Press! This game-changing technology will help us disrupt the print fulfillment industry by providing customers with a greater range of capabilities, higher degree of quality, improved order speeds and more sustainable options. With this new addition, we're bringing some of our outsourced work back in-house, while providing offset-class quality to our customers. We'll now be able to better meet the needs of customers who require high-end printing on multiple substrates and packaging using high opacity inks and spot colours.WCD team members stand proudly in front of our new HP Indigo 15K. Left to right: Allan Megarry (CFO), Alex Baudais (pre-press), Teresa Rule (print operator), Karen Brookman (president & CEO), and David Hartling (production manager). We're now able to offer our customers: Consistent colour with 75% improvements in accuracyFast colour matching with 97% of PANTONE® coloursHigh-capacity printing with offset-style stacking Widest range of substrates in the industry Learn more about the HP Indigo 15K's capabilities > We're also leveraging HP Site Flow—a cloud-based, scalable, end-to-end workflow platform to streamline our operations. HP Site Flow allows us to automate order connectivity from upstream brands and content providers, while at the same time maximizing efficiency and throughput of production. We're using Site Flow to tap into the global eCommerce market, now equipped with the capability of managing hundreds of thousands of orders per day.“The platform model is revolutionizing the print industry and has enabled WCD as a print fulfillment provider to connect globally with eCommerce companies,” said Karen Brookman, President & CEO of WCD. “I particularly love that by being part of a platform ecosystem, entrepreneurial businesses like ours can compete within a global marketplace. On-demand print is also helping to reduce the environmental impact of traditional print by allowing consumers to buy only what they need, when they need it.” “HP is excited to work with WCD as they pursue new markets and meet the growing needs of customers,” said Fernando Alperowitch, Vice-President and General Manager, AMS HP Industrial. “With this HP Indigo 15K Digital Press, WCD is able to provide incredible quality while expanding its offerings, enabling them to continue leading in print across Canada.” For more information, contact: Jennifer Brookman | Vice President, Sales & Marketing marketing@wcdconnect.com

11.08.2022

Your guide to crafting a unique and functional calendar If you’re looking for a way to share memories and milestones from the past year, all packaged neatly as a gift for your customers or loved ones, then a custom wall calendar is calling your name. WCD has divested of its print and signage divisions to Cober Solutions, offering expanded national capabilities. Find out more >> Why do wall calendars make the perfect gift? They’re low cost, easy to create, and most of all, they’re useful for almost anyone throughout the entire year. Printed in vivid colour with quality finishings, your calendar can showcase art, photography or creative designs hand picked by you. Ready to start creating your calendar? Let’s break the process down into five simple steps. Jump to the step you need: Choose a calendar themePick a calendar size Design your calendarSelect from our calendar binding optionsChoose your paper stock Choose a Calendar Theme Whether you’re designing a calendar for your brand or for personal use, the first step is to pick a theme. What vibe do you want your calendar to give off? Is it elegant and upscale, or country western? Clean and classic, or pretty in pink? Having a theme in mind will help you determine the colours, fonts and stylistic elements to use during the design process. Not sure what theme to use? If you’re personalizing your calendar with images or art, that can be a good place to start. Have a look at the list of common content themes people use when creating personalized calendars below to help get your ideas flowing. If you’re adding wedding photos to your calendar, you might want to pick a more elegant theme. On the other hand, a calendar full of photos of your trip to Greece might have a Grecian theme. Common content themes for personalized calendars: Family photos Brand photos Year in review Travel and trips abroad New babyWeddingsPetsRecipesNature Pick a Calendar Size Before you can start designing your calendar, you’ll need to pick a size. Standard wall calendar sizes are as follows: 12 x 12” Calendars 12 x 12 calendars are typically wire bound with a hole punch at the top for hanging—meaning when they’re on display, they are 24” in length. This makes for a stunning and eye-catching display that’s often preferred for people showcasing high-end images in their calendar. 8.5 x 11” Calendars 8.5 x 11 calendars are the perfect option for displaying your images and special dates—just in a slightly more compact space. These calendars are typically printed in horizontal landscape format, but it is possible to print them in vertical portrait format if your calendar features images of that orientation. Design Your Calendar Now that you've picked a theme and a size, it's time to design your calendar. There are many ways you can do this depending on your skill level, so we've broken down some options below. I have no design experience Not sure how to get started when it comes to designing your calendar? Luckily, there are many easy-to-use online tools at your disposal. For complete beginners, platforms like Mixbook make it easier than ever. Simply select from their library of templates, drag and drop your photos, and customize the text to your liking. Get started with your Mixbook Calendar > I have design experience If you're an experienced designer, Adobe InDesign is the best tool to lay out your calendar's creative file. You can start from scratch or use online tools like iStock or Getty Images to search for calendar templates, saving you from laying out dates and important holidays. When you're finished, remember to export your calendar as a print-ready PDF with bleed and crop marks. Calendar Binding Options Depending on the type of calendar you're printing, there may be two binding options available to you. As seen below, saddle stitching is when staples are placed along the spine of the calendar. On the other hand, wire binding (available in silver or black) makes for a higher end look. In this case, the calendar is hole punched along the spine and wire is fed through, allowing the calendar to lay completely flat when it's open to each page. For larger 12x12" calendars, only wire binding is available. Choose Your Paper Stock The finish and weight of the paper you choose can have an unexpected but dramatic impact on the finished product. For a more quality finish and feel, you might pick a heavier weighted stock with more substance. If your calendar features fine art or photography, semi-gloss paper is typically best for photo quality prints. Often, people will select a heavier cover weight for the cover pages and a lighter text weight for the calendar's inside pages. Whatever the case, ask your printer for a recommendation. Ready to Print? Personalized, printed calendars are now available through Cober Solutions.

10.20.2022

Have you ever received a highly personalized piece of direct mail from one of your favourite brands? What about a wedding invitation that had your name and address inscribed on the envelope? Odds are, both of these materials were made using Variable Data Printing—a technique that customizes print materials to feel curated and relevant to you. WCD has divested of its print and signage divisions to Cober Solutions, offering expanded national capabilities. Find out more >> Why Variable Data Printing? Studies show that 63% of marketers agree that personalization increases customer interactions and conversion rates. As consumers, we respond better to information that is specific to us than we do to mass communications. Luckily, Variable Data Printing makes that personalization a breeze to achieve. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive into the basics: What is Variable Data Printing?How does Variable Data Printing work?Examples of Variable Data PrintingWhy clean data is critical for Variable Data Printing What is Variable Data Printing? Variable Data Printing (VDP) is a process that allows you to print large batches of personalized materials all in a single print run. Rather than creating hundreds of digital files with unique data on each (like an address), VDP enables you to use one creative file and merge it with a data source to personalize each piece. With VDP, you can personalize almost anything on a printed piece, including: Name and addresses Images and logosLocation (i.e. for franchises)ColoursSpecial promotions Take for example the postcards below. The piece on the left is a generic postcard printed in a bulk run without personalization and was likely delivered to everyone in the neighbourhood. While this can also be an effective method of advertising, let's shift to the sample on the right. This piece uses Variable Data Printing to personally address the recipient by name and show her examples of houses sold on her street within the last month. Which ad do you think is more likely to peak Janet's interest? How does Variable Data Printing work? Using a data source like an Excel spreadsheet that’s been exported from your CRM, advanced digital printing technology within a printing press pulls the data and inserts it into a template. Revisiting our wedding invitation example, you might have the basic design of the invitation made into a template, but variables like your guest’s names and address information are then merged into the file automatically with VDP. This prevents marketers from having to do manual and time consuming data merges. Examples of Variable Data Printing In a world where 84% of consumers want to be treated like a person rather than a number, Variable Data Printing is a simple and effective way to employ the power of personalization. Here are a few ways businesses use VDP to connect with their customers today. Appointment reminders Have you ever received a postcard from your dentist reminding you that it’s time for your annual cleaning? How about from your car dealership when it’s time for an oil change? Using data from your CRM, it’s easy to set up time-based automations that export your lists to be sent off to your digital printing partner. Upselling Many retailers use VDP for upselling to customers post-purchase. Take for example a store that sells hot tubs. After the client’s new purchase is delivered, they send a special offer with 10% off accessories and cleaning supplies. With VDP, they can swap out text and products to make the ad relevant to the customer’s specific model of hot tub. Shopping Cart Abandonment The average eCommerce shopping cart abandonment rate is a whopping 68%. Marketers have determined an effective way to entice those customers to come back using VDP. Sending a piece of direct mail that shows the specific items from the shopper’s abandoned cart, they’ll offer a discount code to complete their purchase—a cost-effective way to increase conversions. There are many creative strategies marketers can use to personalize their direct mail campaigns and increase customer loyalty, retention and revenue with VDP. Want to brainstorm ideas for your business? Why Clean Data is Critical for VDP Printers can’t detect spelling errors or false information—they’re simply fed data that’s then merged onto a printed piece. Because of this, maintaining a clean data source is critical to a successful campaign. Here are a few ways you can prepare your data: Collect it often and everywhere It’s likely that you already have a treasure trove of customer data. For some businesses with more sophisticated CRMs, this data is already maintained and stored in a central location. For others, it might be spread across systems and sources. If you’re collecting information like addresses, names, contact details, purchase history, preferences and other valuable information, make sure to save it somewhere central so you can personalize your customer’s communication. Commit to keeping it clean Data entry can be messy. If a customer is filling out a website form and that information is then merged into your CRM, the information will stay there exactly as they typed it. Maintaining a clean database means checking for spelling, grammar errors, capitalized text and other details. It also means updating information as it changes to the best of your ability. For example, if your B2B contact moves to a new company, update that information in your CRM. Ready to try Variable Data Printing? Now available through Cober Solutions.

10.07.2022

5 Step Guide to Digitizing Corporate Records In a world of big data, digital information is proliferating each day. While many businesses have adopted new cloud-based technologies to manage the day-to-day, there’s another not-so-digital cloud of data lingering over them that has yet to be dealt with—their physical records.Those endless rows of filing cabinets left to collect dust in the far reaches of office storage aren’t going anywhere, leaving business leaders with a lingering question: how do we efficiently and sustainably manage all of these paper records? In this article, you’ll find simple advice on how to digitize your corporate records and go paperless once and for all. Let’s get started with the step-by-step basics: Define the scope of your collectionCreate a strategy for scanning your records Get organized and prepare files for scanningDecide how to digitally store and manage data Create a plan for day-forward records Rather cut to the chase and get expert guidance? Contact us today > 1) Define the scope of your collection of documents Before you can create a plan of attack, you need a full birds-eye view of what your physical records environment looks like. This includes the volume of your records, where they’re located, compliance requirements and more. Start by asking yourself the following questions. Location Are your records stored in filing cabinets? In bankers boxes? Are they all on-site at your corporate head office, or do other collections exist in storage facilities or at your field locations? Volume Do you have an accurate estimate of the volume of records you have in storage? As a general rule of thumb, one banker's box or linear square foot of storage (roughly that of a single filing cabinet drawer) holds approximately 1,800 pages. Usage Are these documents being utilized by anyone in the organization? How much of your collection (if any) can be recycled? What value exists within these stored files that you should make available digitally? Compliance Are there any compliance requirements you need to adhere to in this process? This question is particularly important for businesses in industries that have stricter regulatory standards, such as finance or insurance. If there’s a chance a document will be used in legal discovery or for evidence, it must adhere to compliance and chain of custody regulations. 2) Create a strategy for scanning your records Once you’ve determined the scope of your records collection, you can make an informed decision about converting them in-house or hiring third-party support. If your records collection is relatively small and you have sufficient internal resources, skills and processes in place, it may be feasible for you to digitize the records in-house. On the other hand, undergoing digital transformation can be a tremendous undertaking—and for some organizations, an expert partner is well worth the investment. Here are some of the reasons choosing an expert partner could save you time and money: Technology If your records collection is large, it would be cumbersome for your in-house staff to scan one document at a time. Leading technology like our IBML scanner can accurately scan and index up to 430 pages per minute. Expertise Digitizing a records collection is so much more than scanning pages. It requires knowledge of digital file storage, metadata, cloud-based ECM technology, compliance, records retention and more. The right partner will guide you through every step of the process with ease. Human Capital It’s likely that your employees’ time isn’t best spent on tasks that aren’t directly related to their job duties—and digitizing a records collection isn’t a feat that can easily be done off the side of a desk. With outsourced resources, your project will be completed with care and in a timely fashion. 3) Get organized and prepare files for scanning Transportation Unless you're scanning your records on site, you'll need to arrange for secure transportation from storage. Working with WCD, we'll arrange to retrieve and transport your records to our secure scanning facilities in Calgary or Edmonton following a strict chain of custody process. Here, records are securely stored until the scanning project is complete. Document preparation Document preparation for scanning can include removing pages from binders, removing staples and other fasteners, folding down corners and ironing out wrinkled pages. If this all sounds too tedious, don't fret—our digitization experts can handle it all. Document retention Before the digitization process begins, you'll need to decide what you want done with the records post-scanning. Often, companies want records securely destroyed but in some cases, they need to be returned to their original format (including re-stapling, placing pages back in binders, etc.). Your account executive will discuss the options with you. 4) Decide how to digitally store and manage data Do you already have an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution in place at your organization? If so, is it able to accommodate and effectively organize your new digital records collection? An ECM consultant will help you develop a strategy for storing and organizing this new information in a way that makes it easy for employees to access, search for and find information. If you don't have an existing ECM solution, here are some of the factors to consider when choosing one: Complexity of your information environment Do you have several departments that each need their own repository, or are you a smaller business that needs a single place to store information? The higher the volume and complexity of your records collection, the more likely you'll need a more sophisticated platform. Metadata requirements What type of search functionality do you need to retrieve documentation? For some records collections, this could be as simple as the ability to search for a file name. For larger digital environments stored across systems, ECM technologies like M-Files can help you search for and locate information in a matter of seconds by pulling advanced metadata like keywords within a document. Permission controls Do you require advanced measures for granting access to documentation, or are you fairly lenient? For organizations with stricter governance policies that are looking to protect sensitive information, consider opting for an ECM system that has built-in controls. 5) Create a plan for day-forward records As you organize records into an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system, you'll want to develop a solid framework for your day-forward strategy. Put simply, a day-forward strategy determines how you will manage paper documents created from a certain date forward—mainly to prevent a new collection of physical documents from being created. For some organizations, this is as simple as stating that any physical records created in the future will immediately be scanned and digitally retained in the new ECM system. This prevents costly records management and scanning projects in the future, and encourages staff to get accustomed to saving documents in a central, accessible location. Your plan should address standard processes and accountabilities for day-forward scanning. Ready to go paperless? WCD is a leading Canadian provider of document imaging and storage solutions. Discover ways we can help your organization go paperless once and for all by reading about our Information Solutions.