Systematic and Well-Planned Approach Helps Agencies Deploy a Single Repository for Core Applications That Meet or Exceed Requirements CHICAGO, April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Government rules issued last year require U.S. Federal agencies to get their critical records in order, but with so much information spread across multiple systems, have government agencies been able to comply? Government agencies have been faced with the difficult challenge of ensuring enterprise-wide consistency in records management as a result of the Federal Enterprise Architecture Records Management profile (FEARM). According to Open Text(TM) Corporation (NASDAQ: OTEXNASDAQ:TSX:NASDAQ:OTC), a leading provider of software that helps organizations manage their growing stores of emails and documents, a centralized approach to records management can help agencies get prepared to meet FEARM standards. Through the combined efforts of the National Archives and Records Administration, the Office of Management and Budget architecture and infrastructure committee, and the Federal Chief Information Officers Council, FEARM specifies a consistent approach for government agencies to establish procedures for meeting records management requirements and managing the disposition of all electronic and printed documents, before enhancing existing information systems or approving new ones. "FEARM is a smart initiative and the right course to take, but there are clear challenges for the Federal government's large-scale agencies to meet the demands," said Bailey Spencer, General Manager, Global Public Sector Business at Open Text. Spencer recently participated in a podcast (http://podcast.opentext.com/public/channel/rss/ot-ecm-news/item/12-ECM_ Public_Sector_Podcast.mp3) on major trends in the public sector and how they're forcing changes in the way governments manage information. "In government, as in many large corporations, content is frequently created in one format, archived in another and documented in a third. Information is maintained in multiple systems. Federal agencies need a top down approach to apply records management to content, no matter the format or where it's stored." According to Spencer, applying a records management profile can involve redesigning many of an agency's business processes, including enhancing existing systems or planning a new system of record cataloging and archival. Records management requires the system to support both paper and electronic business documents, and apply the proper controls when these documents become records. External documents may arrive at the agency, or be generated internally using Microsoft Office applications, such as Word and Excel, or as Lotus Notes or Microsoft Outlook e-mail messages. Some documents may be generated by Microsoft SharePoint, SAP or Oracle applications, or a legacy system. Since electronic documents are created and used by a number of different applications, the records management platform must communicate with these applications in one form or another and act as the common point of control. For government agencies to implement a successful records management system, it's imperative that a central area be developed to manage content from multiple systems. This centralized approach to records management offers a way for agencies to consistently apply rules to content, no matter the format or where it may reside in the organization. Records can be stored in a secure repository and then retrieved using enhanced search capabilities with metadata or encoded data. Agencies can take several steps to ensure they're on the right path to creating a centralized record management repository: - Apply Appropriate Metadata - To enhance search capabilities, apply classification metadata to submitted documents. Metadata is indexed and can be used to more easily find, retrieve and generate reports on documents based on custom criteria. Once a record is classified, it can be immediately synchronized with retention and disposition rules. Records in external repositories can be managed where they reside, or physically extracted and automatically replaced, enabling content to be securely archived in a centralized, compliant storage environment. - Map Record Classifications - It's crucial to map record classifications to retention schedules and fully automate the process of ensuring that records are kept as long as legally required. When a retention schedule expires, final decisions can be made to destroy the object, retain it for a period of time or keep it indefinitely. - Ensure Enterprise-Worthiness - In order to act as the foundation for other document systems, the repository must be enterprise-worthy - that is, capable of running on a number of operating systems, open to integration, and allowing users to access it from desktop and Web- based environments. - Create a Common User Interface - Providing a common user interface to access all forms of information such as images, paper, word- processing documents, spreadsheets and e-mail enables agencies to implement an automated system that removes the complexities of records management and the process becomes transparent to end-users. Additionally, new technologies are becoming available that will let users access records directly from ubiquitous systems such as Microsoft Office applications, saving the extra step of switching to a browser or having to learn a new application. Through its Public Sector business, Open Text offers ECM solutions to national, regional and local governments globally. Open Text provides agency-wide and departmental document and records management, and collaborative solutions that meet regulatory standards, while supporting key processes for government programs. Open Text solutions support collaborative information processes, ranging from informal research to secure collaboration within the intelligence community. For more information, go to: http://www.opentext.com/2/sol-industry/sol-ind-government-us-federal.htm About Open Text Open Text(TM) is the world's largest independent provider of Enterprise Content Management software. The company's solutions manage information for all types of business, compliance and industry requirements in the world's largest companies, government agencies and professional service firms. Open Text supports approximately 46,000 customers and millions of users in 114 countries and 12 languages. For more information about Open Text, visit http://www.opentext.com/. Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This news release may contain forward-looking statements relating to the success of any of the Company's strategic initiatives, the Company's growth and profitability prospects, the benefits of the Company's products to be realized by customers, the Company's position in the market and future opportunities therein, the deployment of Livelink and our other products by customers, and future performance of Open Text Corporation. Forward-looking statements may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements in this release are not promises or guarantees and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, the failure to develop new products, risks involved in fluctuations in currency exchange rates, delays in purchasing decisions of customers, the completion and integration of acquisitions, the possibility of technical, logistical or planning issues in connection with deployments, the continuous commitment of the Company's customers, demand for the Company's products and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2006. You should not place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which are based on management's beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's beliefs or opinions change. Copyright (C) 2007 by Open Text Corporation. LIVELINK ECM and OPEN TEXT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Open Text Corporation in the United States of America, Canada, the European Union and/or other countries. This list of trademarks is not exhaustive. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, product names, company names, brands and service names mentioned herein are property of Open Text Corporation or other respective owners. DATASOURCE: Open Text Corporation CONTACT: Richard Maganini, Director, Corporate Communications, Open Text Corporation, (847) 267-9330 ext.4266, ; Michele Stevenson, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Open Text Corporation, (519) 888-7111 ext.2594, ; Brian Edwards, McKenzie Worldwide, (503) 577-4583,

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