How Much is M-Files?

Below is a transcript of the video above.

M-Files is a flexible, metadata-based content management tool that helps small, medium, and large businesses manage, track, and automate their document processes. It is available as both an on-premise solution as well as a cloud solution, and it seamlessly integrates with your systems. M-Files can handle a wide range of document types, including word documents and excel spreadsheets, and even PDFs, JPGs, and other image-based files. 

There are a number of factors that go into determining the cost of implementing M-Files within your organization. Hi, I’m Mike Young, Strategic Sales Executive with Cobb Technologies, and in this video, we’re going to discuss those exact factors.

Before integrating M-Files with your organization, your M-Files service provider will come on-site to your organization and perform a DWA, or document workflow analysis. Your M-Files specialist will observe your business processes on three levels: the document level, the personnel level, and the system level. 

Your specialist will ask you four key questions to better understand the purpose of the documents that make up your business processes, and the paths they take.

• What is the document?
• Who touches the document?
• What do they do with the document?
• And where does it take place?

The Document Level

First, we’ll talk about the document level: this is the most granular layer of analysis. Your specialist will look at the types of documents you use -invoices, letters, proposals- and discuss with you what security measures these documents require and whether they need to comply with any government regulations. 

The Personnel Level

Next, on the personnel level, your M-Files specialist will look at where the documents go. Essentially, they look at whether the documents begin their workflow lifecycle as digital or physical documents, and which employees and departments interact with these documents.

The System Level

The third and final level of the DWA is the system level. your M-Files specialist will essentially dissect the software components of your business to figure out how to best consolidate M-Files into your business ecosystem.

Developing your Custom Workflow

After completing your DWA your M-Files service provider will move on to the implementation process and begin by formulating a custom workflow tailored to your business needs. 

Using the information gathered during the document level of the DWA, this custom workflow will define the users and the levels of permission granted to each user including what documents are visible to who, and how each user is able to interact with the documents, including whether they’re able to edit the document or simply view it. 

Users will be assigned groups based on the information gathered during the personnel level of the DWA, which helps further define who can see what - for example, only those in accounting will be able to see certain invoices.

Presenting your Custom Workflow

Finally, your M-Files specialist will provide a proof of concept of this custom workflow. Using the information gathered during the system level of the DWA, your M-Files specialist will test this prototype workflow to guarantee it solidly factors into your existing software framework.

This prototype will then be presented to you as a proposal, and once the ink has dried on the contract, your M-Files service provider will begin implementing the workflow. 

Workflow Implementation

Implementation includes installing M-Files, testing the workflow on-site, creating and training users, and then inaugurating the workflow. After the workflow goes live your M-Files service provider will supply on-demand support.

The Numbers:

Now that you know what goes into implementing M-Files, we can talk about cost. M-files is a subscription-based service, with each individual user license costing $39 or $59 a month. Additionally, the cost of implementing M-Files is directly linked to the amount of time your M-Files service provider has taken to execute the various steps in the discovery and implementation processes. So, the cost of labor will vary from project to project, and of course, provider to provider. 

If you want to learn more about M-Files, or the latest in business technology, head over to cobbtechnologies.com.

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