Kaisanet
Kaisanet Achieved Success with M-Files' Collaboration Solutions
Highlights
- Centralized document management
- Enhanced collaboration with external partners
- Enhanced efficiency and user empowerment
- Flexible and scalable solution
Use Case
Project Information Management
Quality Management
Records Management
Risk Management
Industry
Telecommunications
IT Services
Country
Finland
Share This Story
Company Introduction
Established in 2011, Kaisanet is a telecommunications and IT services provider based in Finland. With over 60 employees, the company delivers a wide range of services, including communication solutions, TV cable networks, and IT services through its subsidiary DataEnter. Serving both consumer and business customers primarily in the Kainuu and North Savonia regions of Finland, Kaisanet also constructs fibre optic networks and maintains mobile network towers for operators. The company has a rich heritage, being co-owned by two century-old telephone companies, Kainuun Puhelinosuuskunta (KPO) and Puhelinosuuskunta IPY, which bring a legacy of communication expertise into the modern era.
Key Challenges Before M-Files
Before adopting M-Files, Kaisanet faced significant challenges in managing its growing volume of documents. When Kaisanet was established, the company inherited documents and access policies from its two parent companies. Each company had its own network drives and document storage systems, leading to a fragmented and cumbersome document management process. Employees were often forced to search through two separate network drives and navigate a labyrinth of folders to find the documents they needed. This resulted in a chaotic document environment, with multiple copies of the same documents stored in different locations, making it difficult to identify the most current and accurate versions.
"We had those two companies with all of the files, documents and access policies, and it would have been so hard if everyone would have needed to search documents from two different network drives and folders", Päivi Mikkonen, IT Manager at Kaisanet, said.
Additionally, the lack of a centralized document management system led to inefficiencies and frustration among staff, who struggled with version control and the sheer volume of documents. "There was a problem with a huge amount of copies of saved documents, because people were keeping them in their own familiar places so they would find them", Päivi said.
As a result, Kaisanet recognized the need for a unified solution that would streamline document management across the entire organization and provide a single source of truth for all employees.
"It would have been impossible to manage all documents and copies without M-Files. It was the only possible solution."
Päivi Mikkonen, IT Manager, Kaisanet
"Our job is easier with M-Files because our users can do things by themselves. It's so flexible to modify for different kinds of needs."
Päivi Mikkonen, IT Manager, Kaisanet
"If we have a document, it's in M-Files. Employees don't have to search from SharePoint or network drives or anywhere else."
Päivi Mikkonen, IT Manager, Kaisanet
The M-Files Solution
Kaisanet adopted M-Files to centralize and streamline the company's document management processes by creating a unified, centralized repository that consolidated all documents from its parent companies. This approach replaced the previously inefficient system where employees had to navigate through two separate network drives with differing structures. Together with M-Files, Kaisanet introduced a metadata-driven approach, enabling employees to tag documents with relevant information like document type, project name, and customer details. Introducing the new system made it easier to search and retrieve documents based on specific criteria, eliminating the complexity of traditional folder hierarchies. Custom views tailored to different departments further improved accessibility, allowing teams to quickly access the most relevant documents.
In addition to enhancing document management, M-Files also significantly improved Kaisanet's project management capabilities. By using metadata to track project-related documents such as contracts and project plans, the company could easily monitor the status and progress of various projects. "We use metadata, which is important, and we have built views based on that metadata. And we can use a project as metadata for the documents. So, project documentation is easy to find. It's just a few mouse clicks." Päivi said.
Workflow automation features in M-Files streamlined processes like document approvals, incident management, and service requests. For instance, the IT service management vault was integrated with the company's subsidiary DataEnter's IT management system, enabling efficient handling of customer incidents and requests.
Kaisanet also leveraged M-Files Hubshare to enhance collaboration with DataEnter, and other external partners. "We actually needed Hubshare for sharing our documents because formally, we had IT business also in Kaisanet, but we moved it to the subsidiary", Päivi said. M-Files Hubshare facilitated the sharing of documents and information by creating shared workspaces where authorized external parties could access and edit documents securely. M-Files Hubshare ensured that all stakeholders had access to the most up-to-date information, maintained version control, and tracked changes, reducing the risk of errors due to outdated or incorrect data. The combination of these features allowed Kaisanet to achieve more efficient collaboration and ensure that all parties involved had the latest and most accurate information.
The Results
The implementation of M-Files brought transformative improvements to Kaisanet's information management and overall business operations. By consolidating all documents into a centralized repository, Kaisanet eliminated the fragmentation and inefficiencies of its previous system, providing employees with a single source of truth.
"If we have a document, it's in M-Files. The employees don't have to search from SharePoint or network drives or anywhere else." Päivi said.
M-Files reduced the time spent searching for documents and minimized the risk of errors due to outdated or duplicate files. The metadata-driven approach to documents further enhanced productivity by enabling employees to quickly retrieve documents based on specific criteria, such as project names or document types. Custom views tailored to different departments streamlined access to relevant documents, boosting operational efficiency across the company.
"M-Files is like a Swiss army knife. You can use it for so many purposes, and we can do quite a lot by ourselves."
Päivi Mikkonen, IT Manager, Kaisanet
Seamless Document Sharing and Collaboration with M-Files Hubshare
M-Files also significantly improved customer service at Kaisanet. The customer service team now has access to tailored views and a comprehensive knowledge base, allowing the team to quickly retrieve the information needed to assist customers effectively. The integration with M-Files Hubshare proved particularly valuable, enabling seamless document sharing and collaboration with external partners and the subsidiary DataEnter. This capability enhanced business relationships and streamlined workflows, ensuring that all stakeholders had access to the most up-to-date information and could collaborate in real-time.
"Our customer service team was one of the first who wanted more information and more specified training on how to use M-Files. I think nowadays the team quickly finds the documents they need, and they also are happy with this knowledge base. It helps them." Päivi said.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Kaisanet plans to further expand its use of M-Files by integrating the system with Microsoft 365 tools to enable co-authoring of documents and further enhance collaboration. The company is also considering moving its extranet from SharePoint to M-Files, which would further consolidate its information management systems and enhance overall efficiency. The adoption of M-Files has empowered Kaisanet employees by providing them with the tools and information needed to perform their jobs more effectively. The consistent and accurate information management supported by M-Files has reinforced Kaisanet's reputation as a reliable service provider and positioned the company for future growth and scalability. With its flexible, metadata-driven structure, M-Files will allow Kaisanet to easily adapt and scale its document management practices as the company continues to evolve.
Why M-Files?
M-Files is the leading platform for knowledge work automation. With the M-Files platform, knowledge workers can find information faster, work smarter, and achieve more. M-Files features an innovative metadata-driven architecture, embedded workflow engine, and advanced artificial intelligence. This enables customers to eliminate information chaos, improve process efficiency, and automate security and compliance.
