IBM ECM Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.0 out of 5

16 reviews
94% willing to recommend

1,301 followers

What is IBM ECM?

IBM Content Foundation on Cloud

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IBM ECM is the #14 ranked solution in top Enterprise Content Management solutions. PeerSpot users give IBM ECM an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. IBM ECM is most commonly compared to SharePoint: IBM ECM vs SharePoint. IBM ECM is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 72% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 33% of all views.

Helped 814,763 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Omar_Ismail

ECM, Archives and Digital Preservation Consultant at DataServe

Most of the government projects use IBM ECM. We have over 60 developers on the IBM cloud network for automation, business development, etc Most bigger projects with over 50 million documents use IBM ECM. We have more than 16 such projects in Saudi Arabia. The tool is a very stable solution with…

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it_user543267

Sr. ECM Developer at DaVita Kidney Care

Something that I want to be improved is the customization abilities and the ability to turn on and turn off features, disable them. I know it's a product and it offers a lot of features. If we don't need them, there should be a way to disable them. I had a discussion with the Datacap group at a recent conference and I gave a couple of suggestions. One thing that we would definitely want to see is including some enhancements in Datacap that would reduce our solution development, our solution delivery time. I have mentioned so many benefits of Datacap versus the other capture solutions, other capture products. However, when you talk about solution development time, Datacap's solution development time is sometimes a multiple of other solutions’ development time, even for simple capture processes, because nothing is out of the box. Nothing is ready to use. For everything, you have to build a solution and for a lot of things that are very common, you have to customize too. Even if we are not customizing anything, even if we are not building our own actions and so on, the general solution building also takes time. I talked to Tom Stewart too at a recent conference. He said there are plans to build some compiled rule sets, which would reduce the development time, but I think IBM should give a priority to that. My rating reflects the positives and a few negatives. As far as the negatives, as I’ve mentioned, solution development time is number one. Another is developing solo solutions is very, very difficult. Datacap has Datacap Studio, TM Web, multiple configuration files and then the application configuration. There are multiple applications and you have to switch between applications. There isn’t a uniform, integrated studio, where you go and build your solutions. That's one of the reasons. The learning curve with Datacap is very high. It is very difficult to find really good Datacap professionals in the market. It's such a complicated product with which to build solutions for developers.

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it_user543234

AVP, North America ECM Platform Architect at The Chubb Corporation

It's good. It takes time to mature. I think that it is only a matter of time to make it scalable or optimal; it takes time. That’s the only reason I have not rated it higher. Other than that, it's a good, robust solution. We are not yet considering employing IBM cloud, hybrid or box solutions. That’s definitely a compliance issue. There are a lot of things that we are currently working on. Definitely, at some point, we might. As far as any new analytics or content management services that we're now able to provide for your organization, there are a lot of different strings within the company that work on that. I’m unable to comment on that, but it's mostly on the ECM side. But there are ways we can look at synergies between ECM and analytics. That's where I think the focus of IBM World of Watson was. I think that was one takeaway for me for the future. There are definitely existing services that we're now able to provide better than before. I think that's the purpose of having Advanced Case Management. We were using an old technology and with the move to FileNet, we now have new capabilities, new features, and a new roadmap. That's definitely an advantage for us. We do not yet have plans to include mobile, but definitely sometime in the future. There are a variety of use cases which we might use more of in the future.

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IBM ECM mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of IBM ECM in the Enterprise Content Management category stands at 2.0%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Content Management

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 4, 2024

Valuable Features

IBM ECM's most valuable attributes include document governance and secure access, robust integration with existing systems, flexibility for expansion, and advanced case management that automates processes. Its scalability handles large volumes, while Content Manager offers multiple database compatibility. Datacap streamlines document capture with granularity and customization. Content Navigator enhances usability. IBM ECM integrates with popular platforms for seamless business workflows, providing high availability and standardizing content ingestion, ultimately reducing error rates and improving training efficiency.

"The tool is a very stable solution with high availability and no information leakage. It has built-in API integration on-site. You can integrate with other components and applications like SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, etc."
"The content management is all about you as you can make the same content for minimal purpose solutions applications."
"The vertical scalability, as we can use it across some of our applications."

Room for Improvement

IBM ECM requires modernization, particularly by reducing Java dependency for features like applets. Datacap needs improved integration and usability, with streamlined application creation and customization. Users seek enhanced reporting and easier administration with comprehensive documentation. Content Navigator should offer out-of-the-box usability without extensive customization. Simplification of maintenance, patching, and efficient support for cloud integration is desired. Better integration across applications and overall user interface improvements could also enhance satisfaction.

"The development platform is not local. For example, you need 100 days in IBM, whereas other platforms, like ServiceNow, need only 20 days."
"I would like to see seamless application integration."
"I would recommend not going with ECM 8 and going with FileNet instead. It seems like that is the future of the lower-volume repository. It seems like they are moving away from ECM 8.5 so I think we're going to have some challenges coming up, getting off of that technology."

Pricing

IBM ECM users find the product's pricing to be reasonable when requirements are clearly captured. Upfront licensing and maintenance costs are important considerations over the initial three-year period. Some users describe the product as expensive, with a perpetual license, suggesting careful evaluation with local IBM partners is beneficial. Capturing top requirements initially can ease potential adjustments in later years, helping enterprises manage financial planning effectively.

"Reach out to local IBM partners."

Service and Support

IBM ECM users generally express satisfaction with technical support, highlighting quick responses, helpful engineers, and effective integration with sales engineers. However, some encounter delays, repeated information requests, and inconsistent support quality. Users in Saudi Arabia report particularly good support. A significant concern is the discontinuation of services previously promised by IBM, causing frustration due to wasted investments. The need for experienced partners in implementations and better recognition for outstanding engineers is emphasized.

Deployment

Initial setup experiences with IBM ECM vary. Some found it complex due to extensive requirements and multiple servers. IBM's adaptability allowed handling complex processes. For others, setup was straightforward, especially for Datacap and Content Navigator. There were challenges with manual installs and integrating components. Complexity arose from architectural decisions, resource needs, and performance tuning. The setup process included handling diverse environments and migrating from legacy systems. Familiarity with J2EE facilitated smoother installations.

Scalability

IBM ECM is highly adaptable, supporting global operations across numerous countries. Organizations enhance its scalability effortlessly, with more servers introduced without disruption. The system handles growth seamlessly, accommodating increased users and documentation, particularly beneficial with cloud-based deployment. FileNet articles support its scalability, and Datacap impresses with real-time server additions. The platform suits small to large enterprises, efficiently managing concurrent user demands, making it ideal for expanding businesses after mergers or significant customer growth.

Stability

Users report that IBM ECM stability is consistently strong, with some describing it as rock solid. Instances of downtime are rare, impressively managed by IBM support. Modernization efforts have added complexity, yet stable performance is common once operational. Users have integrated it for many years without significant issues, despite challenges with custom applications and legacy components. Frequent upgrades were previously needed for optimal performance, but recent reports indicate high reliability and satisfaction with stability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our IBM ECM Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

33%

Computer Software Company

12%

Government

Insurance Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Manufacturing Company

Media Company

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Agriculture

Consumer Goods Company

University

Construction Company

Healthcare Company

Hospitality Company

International Affairs Institute

Legal Firm

Local Government

Logistics Company

Non Profit

Outsourcing Company

Retailer

Transportation Company

Compare IBM ECM with alternative products

Learn more about IBM ECM

IBM Content Foundation on Cloud allows organizations to deliver extensive enterprise content management capabilities to their users very quickly. IBM Content Foundation is powered by the FileNet content and process platform and IBM Content Navigator user experience. This cloud offering can be leveraged for a variety of use cases including collaborative document management, imaging solutions, social content management, archiving, and more. It also offers a platform for developing Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions in the cloud.

IBM Case Manager on Cloud

IBM Case Manager on Cloud is a solution platform that engages people with business content, provides contextual insight through real-time analytics, and enhances teamwork through collaboration tools and flexible workflow. Enables Business and IT to work together to create solutions across the enterprise that enables an organization to make smarter decisions for better business outcomes, while balancing the need for security and compliance in a world of heightened risk.