Behind the switch: DIALOG’s transition from Newforma to Ideagen Mail Manager

With multiple document management solutions available, transitioning to a new one can feel like a daunting decision. DIALOG, a multidisciplinary design practice made up of architects, planners, engineers, and sustainability consultants, recently made the move from Newforma to Ideagen Mail Manager.

Kenny Thurston, Manager of Technology Experience at DIALOG, shared insights into this transition during one of our webinars.

The current landscape of document management tools

Over time, document management tools have gained a questionable reputation, often seen as unnecessary expenses. While this perception largely inaccurate, it stems from challenges like: 

1. Inconsistent use

2. High disruption

3. Unused features

4. Email overload

When implemented and used correctly, document management tools can streamline workflows, increase efficiency, and save organizations money. However, poor training and a lack of understanding can lead to data silos, lost emails, and decreased organizational agility.

Benefits of transitioning to a specialized solution

Most businesses seek document management solutions that meet the following criteria:

• • Cost efficient

  • Simple implementation

  • Creates consistency with email filing, meaning firms meet QA and compliance regulations

  • Easier to file emails than not

  • User friendly 

The transition to Ideagen Mail Manager checked all these boxes for DIALOG. The system encourages email filing through prompts, ensuring consistnecy across teams and complete accessibility to all relevant files. Perhaps most importantly, the solution can be fully implemented within hours, minimizing disruption.

Why DIALOG chose to switch to Ideagen Mail Manager

DIALOG identified that their primary use of Newforma was focused on key features such as search functionalities, InfoExchange, task management, project team organization, and email filing. Kenny noted that Newforma enabled easy access to decisions made across project lifecycles, aiding collaboration and improving task planning.

However, using Newforma had become increasingly costly as they were primarily relying on its email filing module. Other tools already supported their additional needs, but since no immediate replacement was available for email filing and with thousands of emails stored in Newforma, transitioning to a new system seemed challenging.

Kenny noted,  "the ability to easily find the key decisions that had been made throughout the life cycle of a project" allowed teams to share information and documents and control task lists to plan out what needed to be done.

Ideagen Mail Manager helped make that transition seamless by:

• • Providing dedicated account representatives to help customers through the trial and implementation and training periods

  • Offering Detailed training resources to ensure full adoption of the system.

  • Enabling the use of existing mail locations, preserving critical historical data required for disputes and litigation.

  • Featuring a similar filing method to Newforma, which minimized employee adjustment stress.

Kenny mentioned that users found the system to be faster and simpler than Newforma, especially in terms of its search functionality, ensuring quick adoption by the team. He added, “the interface is easily understandable, and users appreciated the simplicity, allowing them to quickly and easily capture what they needed to.”

Tangible benefits seen after the transition

The transition was highly successful, aided by a combination of robust software features and seamless integration. Kenny outlined several key benefits:

• • Familiar filing processes like Newforma reduced learning curves.

  • Ability to resuse existing filing locations saves time since no files were lost.

  • Enhanced autonomy allows users to directly store information, streamlining operations. 

  • Faster email filing and search capabilities compared to Newforma.

  • Increased stability with fewer system crashes, as it requires fewer resources.

  • Rapid implementation, with the system ready for use within 24 hours.

Additionally, the built-in filing prompts ensured no correspondence was missed, enhancing consistency and reliability across the teams.

Is it time to rethink your document management solution?

Whether you're considering switching your current document management system or implementing one for the first time, Ideagen Mail Manager offers a flexible, reliable, and user-focused solution.

Book a bespoke demo today to discover how we can simplify your information management and support your business needs!