Security meets workflow: iQ.Suite release combines email management with workflow management

New solution iQ.Suite Connect2Workflow integrates email contents in business processes

GROUP Business Software (GBS) has updated their email management solution iQ.Suite. The versions 19.1 for IBM Notes/Domino and 15.1 for Microsoft Exchange/SMTP and Office 365 offer numerous innovations in the field of email security and, for the first time, enable the seamless integration of email contents in business processes.

The new solution iQ.Suite Connect2Workflow takes on the challenge facing many businesses: How to use email contents in business processes. Often, important information is lost in individual staff mailboxes or is not available for associated processes. 'Thanks to iQ.Suite Connect2Workflow, companies can now integrate email contents in their business processes. Relevant information is extracted from emails and delivered to our workflow management solution GBS AppDesigner. And it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it's a customer number in an email text or an article name in an attached PDF file, for example,' explains Andreas Richter, EVP Marketing & Product Management at GBS.

The strengths of Connect2Workflow become apparent especially when handling business and time critical processes. Complaint management is a good example: In order to prevent emails from being lost in an inbox or to curb the loss of important information in general, complaints are automatically recognised by iQ.Suite. This is made possible by intelligent recognition technologies that identify order numbers, machine data or customer information, for example, in email text as well as in file attachments. Recognised contents are then extracted from the email and forwarded by Connect2Workflow to the actual business process in the GBS AppDesigner. Then a staff member can decide on the appropriate further handling of the complaint. Simultaneously, a status notification is sent to the client.

Another important innovative development concerns iQ.Suite Trailer. Heeding the request of many customers, GBS has made it possible to display email trailers in user mailboxes, enabling users to view emails in their entirety, including added information such as signature, contact data or marketing details in the email client. Trailer editing in iQ.Suite WebClient has also been improved. A carefully thought-out rights and roles concept comes into play here: While the IT administrator creates the general and unalterable trailer with all important legal notices, the sales department can, for example, add sales information or the marketing department can inform of an upcoming event. The trailer preview feature makes it possible to view the email signature in advance in the WebClient under Microsoft Exchange.

A new feature in iQ.Suite Watchdog increases security: The anti-malware solution now blocks unwanted files in PDFs as well. 'Phishing and Trojan attacks are on the rise. One weak point, often underestimated, is PDF files. Attackers can embed malcode or infected files in the comment feature of PDF documents, for example. 'iQ.Suite Watchdog detects these unwanted files using fingerprint technology and blocks delivery', according to Richter. The incremental data bank virus scan for Microsoft Exchange is another new feature. The importance of scanning mailboxes for viruses on a regular basis has grown with the increase in malware. The new algorithm speeds up processing significantly and scans only new emails or specific mailboxes.

The encryption solution iQ.Suite PDFCrypt has been expanded to include a simplified user-defined password allocation. In order to send emails confidentially, yet easily, PDFCrypt embeds the email automatically in a PDF file, which is then encrypted. Up to now, passwords for decryption have been generated automatically and delivered to the recipient under separate cover. This option continues to be available, however, the sender now has the possibility of creating passwords for specific clients in iQ.Suite WebClient as well. AES-256 Bit is available immediately for customers especially interested in achieving and maintaining high encryption levels.

The new versions of the email management solution iQ.Suite are available immediately in the download area at GBS.