The working environment both in the private economy and public administration is undergoing a change - as are the organisational requirements. In demand are new methods of file management and transaction processing.

For example, administrative reforms have a sustained influence on cooperation between authorities and specialist departments. Increasing requirements also result from quality criteria within the meaning of new public management, introduction of principles of public access and higher cost pressure. In addition, cross-organisational processes demand for new approaches to ensure more transparency and traceability.

In particular, in connection with sequential working steps, paper is a considerable cost contributor and, simultaneously, a productivity barrier. Today, about half of all case-relevant information is available in electronic form, the remainder still being filed in paper form and administered with great effort. The resulting discontinuities of media have a negative effect on the work organisation and business transactions. Efficiency, short throughput times and transparency are hampered, cost -effectiveness and service oriented procedures impeded.