Open Text™ Corporation, (NASDAQ: OTEX, TSX: OTC), a global leader in enterprise content management (ECM), today announced that Connell Wagner has selected Open Text to provide a full electronic document lifecycle management solution for the company’s global workforce.

Headquartered in Melbourne, Connell Wagner is one of Asia Pacific’s largest and most experienced multi-disciplinary consulting practices and employs around 4,000 staff who are currently delivering projects in a network of 45 offices extending across Australasia, South-East Asia, China and into the Middle East.  The company provides planning, surveying, engineering, environmental, scientific, business advisory and project management services for buildings, urban development, and the transportation, energy, defence, industrial, water, environment and telecommunications sectors.

“Our aim is to provide our employees with financial, project and resource management in a collaborative and standardised working environment.  Open Text’s solution will enable engineers and consulting staff across the globe to collaborate, exchange documents and establish project teams regardless of geographical distance and organisational boundary and offer access to this information to clients via an Open Text extranet application,” said Tony McCusker, Chief Financial Officer, Connell Wagner.
 
Connell Wagner has traditionally been a highly distributed organisation with operations in each geography working together but using locally implemented and supported systems and processes.  Open Text’s solution will replace shared drives and several locally implemented document management workflow systems with a platform which will enable Connell Wagner to consistently manage and share information across the business, improve productivity and provide higher levels of service internally and to external clients. At the same time, it will support enhancement and standardisation of the company’s operations management system.
 
Open Text was selected following a rigorous due diligence process during which the company conducted international reference checks with similar organisations.
 
“We chose Open Text for its return on investment performance, Web-friendly environment, strong support for a distributed environment, scalability, broad feature offering, and ease of integration with our existing legacy environment.  In addition, Open Text had a proven track record of successful deployments in our industry,” said McCusker.
 
Open Text will enable the organisation to automate business processes such as new employee hiring, contract review and project document control and management. It will also automatically manage all emails received and sent by the company, including the management of cascading storage layers and archives.
 
“The Open Text project aims to significantly enhance our capacity to consistently manage and share information across our operation centres and move towards a philosophy of managing and sharing documents effectively.  Open Text will help us to improve our management and information sharing practices as they directly influence our productivity, the level of service we provide and, ultimately, the future success of the company,” said McCusker.
 
The Open Text solution is being deployed in two initial phases with the initial rollout being completed this month. This will include support for document management for all centrally provided shared services, including human resources, payroll and contract lifecycle management.  The next phase, to be completed by mid-2009, will include group wide document management with a focus on project delivery.
 
“Open Text is a key part of a significant business rejuvenation program at Connell Wagner to ensure the ongoing success and growth of the company.  It will help reduce duplication, promote consistency, and streamline project administration,” said McCusker.
 
Connell Wagner is involved in many of Australia’s highest profile infrastructure developments including the Santos Shaw River power station development in Victoria, HMAS Stirling Upgrade in Western Australia, Abbot Point Coal Terminal and the TrackStar Alliance rail project in Queensland, Northern Corridor road and rail express way in South Australia and the Sydney Harbour BridgeWorks Alliance and Tillegra Dam project in New South Wales.
 
The Open Text solution is being deployed by Open Text Premier Partner, Fastman Consulting and Solutions.