UKWhat are CCM and ECM? A plain-English guide to OpenText
If your letters are built in Word and your documents live on shared drives, this guide explains what CCM and ECM platforms do, which features make the biggest difference, and when OpenText is the right fit.
Two kinds of platform
CCM: Customer Communications Management
Software that creates the documents you send customers, such as letters, policies, statements, invoices and notices, from your data and approved templates. It produces print, PDF, email and SMS from one design.
OpenText's CCM product is Exstream, now part of OpenText Communications.
ECM: Enterprise Content Management
Software that stores, organises, secures and retains your documents and records, with version control, search, permissions and retention rules, connected to the applications people use.
OpenText's core ECM product is Content Server, extended by Extended ECM.
The game-changers for a growing organisation
Most of the value comes from a handful of capabilities. These are the ones to look for first.
One template, every channel
Design a document once and produce print, PDF, email and SMS versions from it.
Business-friendly editing
Approved users change wording safely, without a developer and without breaking layout.
Rules and personalisation
The right paragraphs for each customer, product and country, chosen by data rather than by hand.
Accessible output
Documents that work with screen readers, which matters under the European Accessibility Act.
Version control and search
One current version of each document, found in seconds by metadata, not by folder guesswork.
Retention by rule
Records kept and disposed of automatically, which supports UK and EU GDPR.
Permissions and audit
Clear control of who can see and change what, with a full trail.
Integration
Connections to Microsoft 365, SAP, Salesforce and core business systems.
Archive of what was sent
Proof of exactly what each customer received, and when.
What makes OpenText stand out
Strengths
- CCM and ECM from one vendor, designed to work together
- Long use in regulated sectors such as insurance, banking and government
- A choice of on-premises, private cloud and OpenText cloud
- Proven integrations with SAP, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce
- Built for high volumes and complex rules
When it may not be right
- Very low document volumes with simple, static templates
- No one internally to own the platform, and no appetite for a support partner
- A need that a lighter, single-purpose tool already meets well
We will tell you if we think OpenText is more than you need.
A sensible first step
Map
List your main document types, volumes, channels and where content lives today.
Prioritise
Pick the one or two processes where errors, delays or regulation hurt most.
Prove
Run a small, real pilot before committing to a wider programme.
Scale
Extend to more documents and teams with shared templates and rules.
Guides for teams already on OpenText
Which Exstream version should we move to?
How the release lines work, what to check, and how to upgrade without changing what customers receive.
Read the guideStreamServe end of support: your options
Where StreamServe stands, three realistic paths, and how a phased migration works.
Read the guideNot sure where to start?
A short call will tell you whether CCM, ECM or both would help, and roughly what it involves. No obligation.
Start a conversation
Tell us your platform, version and what you need. A specialist will reply, not a sales team. The first 30-minute call is free and without obligation.
Send an enquiryor email enquiries@thebentech.co.uk
