Thunderhead Ltd., the provider of highly-usable, standards-based document generation technology, today announces the launch of its Thunderhead Platform version 2.
This platform enables business users to significantly streamline the management of the entire lifecycle (creation, assembly and delivery) of large volumes of transactional and personalised documents across multiple channels including email, Web, print, SMS and XML. The technology allows organisations to deliver high-quality documents via different technologies in order to manage and grow business relationships in a cost effective manner.
Thunderhead version 2 has been designed to accelerate the business processes associated with document generation by automating the re-use of content in multiple documents, assembly of content according to predefined business rules, and the streamlining of document approval and testing.
It delivers enhanced usability, with a new data driven graphics functionality that enables users to include dynamic charts and graphics in documents. In addition, it has a new "Dynamic Query" facility that will search and insert relevant content based on predefined rules to provide more personalised documents. The platform also supports LDAP authentication ensuring that appropriate user access is maintained and more easily managed to preserve document integrity.
Thunderhead version 2 is built around open standards and XML and has extended its support to IBM DB/2 v8.2 and IBM WebSphere v5.1 Java Application Server.
"With version 2 the emphasis was to both streamline and expand the functionality, applicability and control for the business user," said Glen Manchester, Thunderhead's CEO. "By optimising this technology, we aim to put control back into the hands of the business user and reduce the administrative burden on the IT team. High quality document generation is important to many organisations, as the quality of communication with customers and partners can directly impact the bottom line."
"Thunderhead's approach to the issues associated with document generation is extremely well considered both technologically and in business terms," said Alan Rodger, research analyst, Butler Group. "Because Thunderhead is built completely around XML and open standards, benefits are unlocked to a wide customer base, where it enables business users to control directly all document related business issues and avoid the involvement of costly IT resource to implement change. The product's most recent development has extended its best features of usability thoughtfully, as well as positioning individual elements well for workflow deployments within customers."
Thunderhead Platform version 2 can be further enhanced with the addition of the Review Framework component, which allows the user to define rules used to manage the exception handling of documents taken out of the STP process. A further optional component, Thunderhead Correspondence Studio, empowers end-users to accelerate and manage the creation and approval of ad hoc documents in highly regulated environments, while maintaining adherence to the corporate style and brand.
Thunderhead's customers include leading financial organisations such as Nomura, Denplan and Alliance & Leicester.