Gridlines

Leuven, Belgium - January 17, 2011 – 4.ST HelpServer, a web-based CMS for help and documentation, announced the release of their new SAAS (software as a Service) deployment option.

A shift from traditional software models to web-based applications has steadily gained momentum over the past few years, because more and more companies start to realize that a collaborative web-based approach is probably the best long-term solution for managing and distributing documentation.

Web-based collaborative authoring

HelpServer CMS is such a web-based and server-based collaborative authoring tool that allows authors to contribute to content in real time, as if they were sitting in the same office.

All content is stored in a central database that resides on a web-server. This means content objects can easily be accessed and reused by authors, which improves productivity, prevents redundancy and reduces translation costs.

Furthermore since all content is stored in a central database, referential integrity is enforced which prevents broken links at all times.

The user friendly workbench (back-end), which comes with an integrated editor, allows authors to get up and running quickly, no programming or markup-language knowledge is needed.

HelpServer allows authors to import a wide range of file types: images, video, Microsoft Office files, PDF files, etc … almost any file type is supported.  For most of these file types metadata for search & retrieval are automatically extracted.

Authors can easily convert legacy documentation written outside HelpServer into the HelpServer database.

Web-based content delivery

Authors can easily disclose ready-to-go content objects from the database to end-customers by using HelpServer’s build-in publish functionality. This publish process does not generate files. Instead, it simply turns the content into an active (published) version in the database. This active version is what end-users can access it in real time over the Internet.

Each request is responded to immediately from the database. From your software applications you can easily link to published content objects to provide real time context sensitive help to your end-users.

Next to providing help, HelpServer enables you to put a front-end self-service web-portal in place, where end-users can browse content, provide feedback on content, and print content objects (even entire books) to PDF files on the spot.  HelpServer allows you to create, easily maintain and publish the changes, your documentation will be as accurate and up-to-date as possible.

Single Sourcing to files

Next to delivering content to end-users in real time via the Internet, HelpServer enables authors to export centralized content objects from the database to different file formats: PDF, HTML, and HTML Help. These files can be used for embedding help & documentation in your software applications.

HelpServer now also available as SaaS

“Since HelpServer is entirely web-based we opted to start offering it as a subscription based service. This enables us to extend our customers deployment options.  Next to a proprietary server installation, we now offer HelpServer as Software as a Service (SaaS)” said HelpServer CIO, Mr. Rigo Vangheel.

The advantages for our SAAS customers are:

• No large upfront investment is needed:  since customers subscribe to the service and in fact rent the software.
• Faster Implementation:  Customers can deploy HelpServer SaaS within hours.
• No hardware or software to buy, install, or maintain: HelpServer SaaS does not require customers to download and install any HelpServer software. Instead we will grant you and your colleagues access to your dedicated web-based team authoring environment and database which resides on a 4.ST web-server.
• A Maintenance and enhancement plan is automatically included in a HelpServer SaaS contract. HelpServer software upgrades are automated, which eliminates the need to have authors individually download and install upgrades.
• Secure: HelpServer employs industry-standard technology for Internet security. HelpServer makes use of server authentication and data encryption. This technology helps ensure your data and documents are protected and only available to authorized authors. In addition, you can use security-rules to either decrease or increase the accessibility of your content based on user profiles.
• Flexible: Effective Content Management is driven by the need to balance flexibility and simplicity. If a content management system is too simple, it can only be used for a single purpose – but if it is too flexible, it may be too difficult for new users to learn. HelpServer CMS strives to offer the best of both worlds to its customers by providing basic features and offering customers the opportunity to add optional features and additional concurrent authors at any given time in the future.
• Scalable: Scalability is a critical issue since the amount of information in an enterprise increases every year. HelpServer’s underlying architecture is designed to accommodate virtually unlimited growth.  HelpServer takes full advantage of techniques such as load balancing to provide high-performance responds. And for huge-volume transactions, HelpServer’s multi platform technology enables the mainframe as an environment.

HelpServer SaaS trial environment

For more information about HelpServer visit http://www.helpserver.eu.

If you are interested in HelpServer SaaS please contact marketing@helpserver.eu and ask for a HelpServer SaaS trial environment.

About 4.ST – HelpServer

As an important provider of end-user support management systems, 4.ST founded in 1987 strives to leverage leading-edge technology to improve the quality of online user assistance and documentation.

HelpServer is their web-based enterprise content management system for help and documentation. This web-based team authoring tool enables companies to deliver audience based help and documentation via the web to their customers. HelpServer is equipped with an extremely easy to use editor and lets dispersed authoring teams easily contribute content over the web to a central server and database from where it can be browsed, exported and printed to PDF by end-users.

Like much software that powers the web, HelpServer doesn’t run in the way that most traditional documentation and help authoring software works. HelpServer sits on a web server (your own proprietary server or a 4.ST web server in case of SaaS) ready for action and it flies into action when that web server receives a page request from a visitor (end-customer).

HelpServer then responds to the request by interacting with the information that has been stored in the database, puts the requested content together and renders the dynamically tailored output to the end-customer’s browser or to a PDF file.

This server- and web-based approach of HelpServer has some important advantages:

• all content is stored and retrieved from one central database;
• all content can be kept more easily up to date by dispersed authoring teams throughout your company;
• the distribution of help & documentation is only a matter of clicking a publish button;
• content can easily be tailored to certain end-user profiles by making use of variables;
• HelpServer generates PDFs dynamically at the server side, those PDFs are therefore always tailored to the profile that requested the PDF file and are always up-to-date.

For more information visit http://www.helpserver.eu or contact marketing@helpserver.eu .

All product and company names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners.

First steps first. The new Gridlines blog for HAT-Matrix.com is set up. Coming soon…real posts!