A new content management application has made it easier for Ontario’s 31,000 registered accountants to access industry specific news, applications, and events, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario’s (ICAO) IT director.
The Institute selected Woburn, Mass.-based, Percussion Software Inc.’s Rhythmyx Enterprise Content Management solution to ramp up performance, workflow and content management processes for its Web site, the Institute said in a press release.
“Our membership visits our Web site every day,” said Janet Blais, director of IT at ICAO. “It’s such an important part of our communications with members. We update our content regularly and it is important to enable staff with a content management system (CMS) that is easy and efficient to use.”
Blais said with Rhythmyx, Insitute staff can support the site by contributing content in a timelier manner. Limitations in its previous content management system caused the Institute to search for a solution that could enable it to deliver timely, accurate information to its members, students and the public, according to Percussion.
The company said limitations were related to performance, flexibility, ease of use and reliability.
With the user base growing and increased reliance on the Web site as a communications tool for users, the previous CMS was struggling to keep pace, according to ICAO spokesperson Perry Jensen.
“We experienced major performance degradation due to the dynamic method of serving pages to users directly from the database,” said Jensen. “It forced us to publish more popular content outside of the CMS.”
Jensen said in addition, the Institute required more flexibility for managing and creating content, along with an advanced workflow tool to ensure that content could be kept current.
Rhythmyx will facilitate end-user content management, enabling ICAO to keep content current. The Percussion application will also help the Institute, which currently has more than 1,200 pages on its site, to improve its workflow. The software supports a broader workflow model and can automate the content editing and approval processes, according to the vendor.
“Professional organizations such as ICAO are now relying on the Internet to deliver the vital regulatory content essential to their member services,” said Barry Reynolds, Percussion chairman and CEO. “As regulatory compliance initiatives continue to evolve, the need to accommodate frequent and rapid content changes in the accounting field increases greatly, placing new pressures on content management systems.”
Reynolds said by moving to an enterprise content management solution like Rhythmyx, ICAO can ensure that it will continue to meet requirements for its members and the public, both now and in the future.
