The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is an Australian Government agency charged with conducting nuclear research and using nuclear science and technology to deliver real-world benefits to Australia in areas such as health and the environment.
Client
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
Service
Records Management
Organisation size
Medium
Industry
Government
Context
As a government science and research organisation working with a variety of advanced technologies, ANSTO produces large volumes of documentation, processes, procedures and other files and records, and the careful and controlled management of these is naturally incredibly important.
However their existing platform used at the ANSTO campus in Victoria for electronic document management had become outdated, wasn’t meeting the needs of users and was no longer under technical support.
To address these challenges in modernising their platform, Engage Squared designed a tailored and contemporary electronic document and record management system (EDRMS) built on SharePoint Online, to provide an integrated storage, workflow, information management and backup solution to meet their requirements. Engage Squared partnered with AvePoint on the project, who provided records management and backup layers to the platform via their integrated Opus and Cloud Backup products and worked closely with us to ensure a seamless end-to-end solution.
Challenge
ANSTO existing electronic document management system (EDRMS), KnowledgeTree, had become outdated and the user experience was poor and inconsistent. Many features had stopped working altogether; however, the solution was no longer under technical support and so these issues could not be resolved. In addition, the platform lacked the records management capabilities necessary for ANSTO to comply with its obligations to meet the standards issued by the National Archives of Australia for Australian Government entities, as well as its international standards certifications.
ANSTO needed a modern EDRMS that could meet its unique requirements including:
- A highly secure system supporting role-based access controls
- An information architecture to support its many different business units and document types
- Advanced search features
- Complex review and approval workflows for the release of controlled documents from draft to published state
- In-place records management including assignment of retention and disposal classifications with associated workflows
- An automated data backup process
Approach
Through a varied team of contributors across Engage Squared and AvePoint, we were able to provide ANSTO with access to the right subject matter experts at each stage of the project – this included SharePoint consultants, technical specialists, information management and records specialists, and change managers. Together, our team of experts were able to work hand-in-glove with the team, ensuring their requirements were met.
We spent time at the start of the project understanding the current process and challenges and exploring and validating the detailed functional requirements for the future state document management and workflow solution. We did this via review and analysis of existing documentation along with a series of workshops and demonstrations with key stakeholders. Additional workshops were conducted to focus on the requirements for the records management and backup elements of the EDRMS that would rely on the AvePoint Opus and Cloud Backup products.
From this discovery phase, we then developed and documented a detailed solution design for the platform overall. With everyone aligned on the design of the new EDRMS, we then completed the implementation and configuration of the solution and supported ANSTO Victoria in a period of thorough user acceptance testing.
Once the structure was in place, we used AvePoint’s Fly migration tool to migrate all ANSTO Victoria’s existing content from the legacy Knowledge Tree platform into the new SharePoint Online information architecture, preserving key metadata.
In parallel, our change and adoption team designed and delivered a tailored training approach for content owners and end users to ensure a smooth launch and transition to BAU.
Solution
ANSTO’s new EDRMS leverages many of the features of Microsoft 365 in tightly integrated combination, in a powerful demonstration of the benefits of the platform.
- The core document management solution was built on SharePoint Online, providing a modern, evergreen base for the platform that could continue to evolve and scale over time.
- We developed complex workflows in Microsoft Power Automate to handle the various review, approval and publishing processes that applied to different document types, along with several other automations to enhance the user experience and management of the platform.
- Data from SharePoint was ingested into Microsoft Power BI to provide on-demand reporting for the document administrators to assist them in managing the platform and supporting content editors.
- AvePoint Opus was integrated with the SharePoint layer to provide in-place records management, with classification and automated retention and disposal schedules applied in compliance with ANSTO’s regulatory obligations.
- AvePoint Cloud Backup was implemented to provide an enhanced level of secure and automated protection of ANSTO’s critical data.
Together, these solutions are a powerful and innovative way to manage critical information and processes within ANSTO. The agency has been able to move away from a broken, unsupported and non-compliant platform to a revamped, modern solution that simplifies their processes and deepens their return on their investment in Microsoft 365.
Results
ANSTO new EDRMS is a powerful demonstration of the benefits of Microsoft 365 and integrated partner solutions:
- Modern, compliant platform: Staff now operates on a secure, scalable, and fully supported EDRMS meets all regulatory and operational requirements.
- Enhanced user experience: Staff benefit from intuitive interfaces, advanced search, and streamlined workflows, improving productivity and satisfaction.
- Robust records management: Automated retention and disposal ensure compliance with government and international standards.
- Reliable data protection: Automated backup and recovery safeguard critical information.
- Successful migration: All legacy content was seamlessly migrated, with metadata preserved, ensuring business continuity.
- Continuous improvement: The strong relationship has led to ongoing collaboration and planning for future phases.
Final thoughts
This project demonstrates how a well-designed, cloud-based EDRMS can deliver far more than a like-for-like replacement of legacy technology. By combining Microsoft 365 with best-of-breed partner solutions and a strong focus on governance, usability and change adoption, ANSTO has gained a future-ready information management platform that reduces risk, improves efficiency and supports compliance by design.
The EDRMS not only addresses ANSTO immediate operational and regulatory challenges but also establishes a scalable foundation that can evolve with the organisation’s scientific, research and information management needs over time.