MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - November marks the 20th anniversary of customers being able to order services online from Defense Logistics Agency Document Services. The organization launched its first client-server ordering application, Doc Access, in November 1993.
As office networking began to flourish throughout the federal government in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the organization’s technical visionary, John Karpovich, recognized the benefit of providing customers with the capability to order products and services directly from their desktop, Craig Hollis, DLA Document Services Jacksonville, Fla., office group deputy director, explained.
“The functionality developed for the initial launch of Doc Access enabled customers to submit orders, attach electronic files, and request print or CD services,” Craig said. “In 1994, the application was further developed to include electronic document libraries, which provided customers the ability to store, retrieve and manage their documents.”
DLA Document Services Director Steve Sherman said the organization is on a mission to transform the Department of Defense from printed materials to electronic content and online services.
“We constantly strive to be at the forefront of the digital age,” he said. “What seems so common today was really quite remarkable when put in context with the technology available in the early 1990s. In fact, access to the Internet and content available on the Internet didn't really become common place until the late 1990s.”
Craig explained that the transition from the client-server Doc Access application to a Web-based system is attributed to the vision of Joe Stewart, retired DLA Document Services San Diego office group director.
“In 1997, as online access via the Internet was exploding, Stewart requested the DAPS (for Document Automation and Production Service, the former name of DLA Document Services) Automation Learning Center, which had program management responsibility for Doc Access, Web-enable the application,” Craig said. “Later that year, we deployed a Web-based version known as Doc Access Online.”
The original deployment of Doc Access Online included setting up more than 100 Web servers and sending them to each major facility, Theresa Hollis, DLA Document Services’ program manager of Document Services Online, said.
“By natural evolution and maturing of technology, the number of servers was later reduced to nine,” she said.
In 2002, Doc Access Online became known as DAPS Online, Hollis noted. The organization wanted users to easily identify the online system with the organization. In addition, the name change was tied to a major functionality addition.
“DAPS Online gained the capability to directly interface with the organization’s financial system, which created a streamlined process for billing customers,” Hollis said. “With this new capability, there was a major benefit for all in-house sales orders to be entered into the DAPS Online system. The order, billing and customer information could all be encapsulated in a single file.”
With 35 percent of its customer base using DAPS Online, the organization leaped ahead of industry by transitioning its customers from walk-up job submissions to online submissions, Hollis added. This was 12 percent ahead of the print industry average.
In 2009, the decision was made to implement a commercially available online ordering system that would support the consolidation of the nine DAPS Online servers to a single server. After a competitive procurement process, in September 2010, a five-year contract was awarded. Full operational capability was quickly reached and DAPS Online was re-branded as Document Services Online, or DSO.
Theresa indicated that within nine months of the contract award, 33,000 users, 4,000 funding documents and 197 DLA Document Service facilities were converted to the new system.
DSO far exceeds the features and functionality of DAPS Online, Hollis said.
“DSO is now highly customizable; we have the ability to create storefronts for a common user base that can be personalized with the agency or service color pallet, logos and images,” she said. “Another great feature is the graphical interface for job submission. It allows anyone to be an expert at developing and submitting a job request.”
During the job submission process, customers can upload a file, convert it to PDF, and see the finishing options occur to their document as they select them, Hollis explained. Users can add holes, bindings, insert tabs and see their document change within seconds. In addition, a price estimate is immediately available and adjusts in real time as users alter details such as paper selection and quantity ordered.
DSO also offers the ability to request support for non-print requirements, such as the relocation of copier devices, paper supply orders, CD/DVD services, document scanning and conversion services, and electronic document management solutions, Hollis indicated.
In addition to countless customer-focused features and benefits, DSO also offers internal benefits, Theresa noted.
“Orders placed in one time zone can be distributed to the queue of a DLA Document Services facility in another time zone,” Hollis said. “Distribution of orders across our entire production enterprise allows for more efficient asset utilization, reduced shipping costs and turnaround times, and the availability of our entire service portfolio to all customers, regardless of the local production facility’s capabilities.”
Since June 2011, more than 18,000 orders have been processed through DSO at a value of $158 million, Hollis noted.
“Our online ordering capability has continued to evolve, improve and gain popularity over the last 20 years,” Sherman said. “We continue to push industry to develop products that support the future of document services and automation. This has allowed us to meet the needs of the most demanding, progressive and technologically advanced customer: the warfighter.”
| Date Taken: |
11.13.2013 |
| Date Posted: |
11.14.2013 14:33 |
| Story ID: |
116746 |
| Location: |
MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: |
142 |
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This work, DLA Document Services marks 20 years of online ordering, by Lisa Hake, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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