Cornell's Enterprise Content Management (ECM) service provides a central service for document storage, workflow automation, processing, archiving, and retention. Licensing and hosting for the service are centrally funded, with design and implementation guided and funded by units as they utilize the service.

ECM runs on Lexmark's Perceptive Content software (formerly called ImageNow) and has been implemented successfully by several Cornell units. It is an on-premises service and instances can be configured to meet the confidentiality and security requirements of university policy.

This website provides information relating using the service (for example, how to install the client, technical requirements, and links to unit-specific solutions).

For information about the ECM Platform, that is, the underlying service on which unit-specific solutions are built, please visit our ECM Platform site.

The Perceptive Content system is designed to hold and manage electronic content in a wide variety of formats. Typically, “content” means documents, like multi-page TIFF and PDF files, Microsoft Word and Excel documents, and JPEG and GIF images. 

Content can also include media, such as audio files and video clips, although since each department or unit pays for its own ECM storage, CIT may have other service offerings that are better suited and more cost effective for these formats.

The Perceptive Content system also maintains associated metadata, or key fields, about each piece of content.  

How Cornell Enterprise Content Management Benefits You

As part of a complete process and content management framework, Cornell ECM enhances information accessibility, promotes organized collaboration and secures content in all its forms. These functions are essential as organizations seek to improve efficiency, share knowledge and reduce risk. Features that help make this possible include:

• Custom content management design from the beginning.
• Granular security (the ability to assign many levels of access to content with varying levels of permissions).
• Flexible, solution-oriented organization.
• Powerful, adaptable search.
• Library services for checkin and checkout, revision history, and more.

How Cornell Enterprise Content Management Benefits the University

Cornell’s Application Streamlining Initiative ranked document management or ECM as the number one candidate for consolidation based on existing and planned deployments. There are currently multiple vendors and custom products on campus performing document management functions.  Central ECM provides the university with savings and improved service in several areas:

• Reducing license fees as the enterprise-wide, unlimited license replaces multiple systems purchased at retail prices.
• Enabling the eventual retirement of custom systems, resulting in savings for multiple separate applications.
• Allowing the digitization of large numbers of paper records, freeing up space in numerous facilities.
• Providing automated ways to submit and track paperwork such as receipts, records, and source documentation thus eliminating current manual processes.
• Saving on paper copies for distribution as an authorized digitized copy is considered authentic for most signed paperwork.
• Improving efficiencies by consolidating central records (“documents of record”) in a single secure central repository where they will be accessible to any applications and users with the proper authority.

Information Storage on Cornell ECM

To adhere to a variety of federal, state, and local laws, and Cornell policies, some types of information are allowed to be stored in this system and some are prohibited:

• FERPA related material is allowed.
• Cornell confidential data, such as SSNs, is allowed.
• Do not store material covered by PCI compliance regulations, such as credit card numbers.
• Do not store HIPPA protected material, such as human medical records, at this time.