iManage, a leading provider dedicated to Making Knowledge Work™, has announced the general availability of the Microsoft Co-authoring capability within its knowledge work platform. This integration enables knowledge workers to collaborate seamlessly on Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents in real-time across teams, enhancing efficiency, security, and productivity. With this update, iManage is further empowering professionals to co-author documents without having to wait for colleagues to finish, ensuring progress can be made simultaneously. Users can work on content from anywhere, fostering greater flexibility and reducing friction in collaborative workflows.
Benefits of Microsoft Co-Authoring in iManage
- Real-Time Collaboration: Allows multiple professionals to work on the same document simultaneously, improving team synergy and reducing delays.
- Seamless Integration: The Co-authoring feature is integrated directly into the iManage platform, ensuring security and compliance remain intact while collaborating.
- Full Document Control: Provides transparency, as revisions are tracked, allowing document owners to see who edited the file and when.
- Efficient Revision Management: Users can roll back to earlier revisions to correct errors, refine content, and lock in a new version with ease.
Driving Productivity with Next-Generation Co-Authoring
iManage’s CEO, Neil Araujo, emphasized the significant impact of the new co-authoring feature in driving productivity. He highlighted the deep partnership with Microsoft, which ensures seamless integration without disrupting users’ workflows. This capability is designed to optimize productivity while maintaining the industry-leading security and compliance that iManage is known for.
“Next Generation co-authoring will serve as a powerful productivity driver for the iManage knowledge work platform,” said Araujo. “We are pleased to see so many of our customers taking advantage of iManage and Microsoft Co-authoring to optimize their overall productivity and collaboration.”
Co-Authoring Features that Ensure Seamless Workflow
The Co-authoring integration offers numerous features designed to enhance document collaboration:
- Real-Time Document Revisions: Changes made during collaboration are instantly visible in the iManage timeline view, ensuring complete transparency.
- Document History Tracking: Users can track who made specific edits and when, allowing teams to maintain oversight of the document evolution.
- Version Rollback: In case of errors, users can easily revert to previous versions, refining the document to perfection before finalizing it.
- Native Integration: Co-authoring is built directly into the iManage platform, ensuring secure collaboration while leveraging the platform’s robust governance controls.
A Collaborative Future for Knowledge Workers
Rob Howard, VP of Product Management at Microsoft 365, shared his insights into how Microsoft Co-authoring improves document collaboration. He stated, “The Microsoft Co-authoring capability within iManage streamlines collaboration and provides a single source of truth. Whether teams work in real-time or asynchronously, Co-authoring offers multiple ways to identify and remove roadblocks on the way to a final version.”
This feature enhances collaboration by allowing users to interact directly within the document through comments and clarifications, which minimizes versioning challenges and ensures all important context is captured.
Successful Early Access Program & Feedback
Before its general availability, Microsoft Co-authoring was part of the iManage Early Access Program. More than 90 iManage customers provided valuable feedback, which has been instrumental in optimizing the user experience. The general availability of Microsoft Co-authoring on July 15, 2024, opens up this powerful feature to more organizations, helping them elevate their collaborative capabilities.
The general availability of Microsoft Co-authoring within the iManage Knowledge Work platform marks a major milestone in improving collaboration for knowledge workers. This integration enhances real-time and asynchronous document collaboration, ensuring professionals can work more efficiently without compromising security or compliance. As more organizations adopt this tool, iManage continues to demonstrate its commitment to making knowledge work in the most secure and productive ways possible.
