Six steps to a single, unified ECM platform: A guide to data consolidation

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Stop content fragmentation. Use our 6-step guide to implement a unified enterprise content management platform, boosting security and efficiency while creating a foundation for AI insights.

February 9, 20267 mins

ECM Modernization #3 How to implement intelligent information management strategies? - woman looking computer screen, ai

Your content lives in multiple places, making it hard to locate information. Fragmentation within paper-based storage systems and legacy document management software slows productivity, introduces operational risk, and creates security vulnerabilities.

Our recent customer survey* shows that more than 50% of decision-makers intend to invest in a modern enterprise content management (ECM) platform to enhance security, boost efficiency, and reduce data silos. Yet many say system integration remains a major barrier to helping them select the right one.

As every organization operates differently, there’s no universal blueprint for moving toward a centralized ECM platform. But a structured, phased approach can make unification achievable:

1. Assess your current state

Before consolidation can begin, decision-makers should conduct content and system audits to identify gaps in their operational processes and legacy software.

This reveals where your content is currently stored. Are you relying mainly on paper records, or scattered digital data silos? Identify what types of content are stored, who accesses them, and what business processes depend on them.

Catalog how teams work around current limitations. Our survey shows that manual practices are most common across six areas: email and file sharing, document handling, naming and indexing, data entry and processing, compliance and security, and reporting. Understanding these workarounds reveals where current systems fall short and where a unified platform could deliver value.

2. Define your strategy

With a clearer picture of the current state, decision-makers can now create an ECM roadmap that aligns goals with business objectives.

This strategy should address the capabilities that matter most. Security and protection remain crucial, but organizations also look for platforms that can also deliver advanced analytics, intelligent search, and automated document classification.

Regional nuances matter. Our research revealed that US-based decision-makers prioritize usability and AI analytics, while EMEA leaders emphasize compliance and data quality. APAC organizations show the strongest willingness to experiment with a broad range of platforms. Your consolidation strategy should account for these differences.

3. Secure buy-in

The next phase is all about gaining executive sponsorship, unifying departments, and securing investment. Beyond the technology itself, here’s your chance to reinforce the impact of the investment: highlight the cost of manual workarounds, the risk of compliance gaps, and the productivity gains a unified platform can deliver. On top of this, remember to set budgets dedicated to change management, training, and continuous optimization.

Different departments will have varying priorities and concerns. Finance and accounting teams may focus on efficiency and audit trails, while IT decision-makers prioritize integration and security. Bring these stakeholders together early to prevent friction and roadblocks later.

4. Validate software integration

Decision-makers need to select an ECM platform that is scalable, secure, suited to their processes, and flexible enough to integrate with existing systems and new technologies over time.

Evaluate potential ECM solutions based on their ability to integrate with our current LOB systems via APIs or connectors.

An EMEA Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance Business Development Manager

The goal is to eliminate manual data re-entry and system-hopping. Look for platforms with robust application programming interfaces (API) and integration capabilities that connect seamlessly with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, HR applications, and other line-of-business systems.

Start with smaller pilots in high-impact departments. In our survey, decision-makers viewed IT, Finance and Accounting, and HR departments as logical starting points, as these departments not only rely most on ECM software but also typically have well-defined processes and clear metrics for measuring success.

At this point, ask: Can the platform support the workflows teams actually use? Does it reduce or eliminate the manual workarounds they currently rely on?

5. Train your teams

Data consolidation is a full-scale digital transformation project, and for organizations accustomed to manual filing and documentation, moving to automated workflows is a major shift in how work gets done.

Decision-makers can now start training users across other departments: gathering feedback, building confidence, and ensuring all teams in the pilot phase adopt the new system successfully.

Beyond providing technical skills, effective training addresses why consolidation matters, how it improves current pain points, and what teams should expect during the transition.

Customize training for the needs of each team. IT decision-makers require deep technical expertise, while business users need guidance for everyday tasks like document retrieval and approvals. Leadership should be able to see measurable results through dashboards and metrics proving that consolidation boosts efficiency and creates tangible business value.

6. Gradual adoption, continuous optimization

For the final step, decision-makers can start rolling out consolidation gradually, starting with non-critical systems to manage risks and optimize processes before creating consistency across departments.

This phased approach allows the organization to build confidence and momentum. Early wins demonstrate value and generate buy-in for broader adoption, while lessons learned in initial phases inform how later stages are executed.

Standardize processes across departments to eliminate redundancies, monitor usage patterns to identify where the platform is delivering value and where teams may need additional support, and continuously optimize workflows based on user feedback.

Building an ECM ecosystem ready for automation and intelligent insights

Decision-makers are increasingly seeking future-first solutions to boost efficiency. In our survey, AI-driven workflow automation ranked highest in priority, scoring 153.1 on a 100-centered compelling-features scale. Much of this relies on adopting modern ECM platforms that centralize information and enable intelligent capabilities, from AI-powered classification and automated extraction to intelligent routing and predictive insights.

Not all environments evolve equally. Decision-makers believe Legal and Compliance are the most difficult areas to consolidate due to strict regulatory requirements. Yet this is exactly where AI-enabled ECM can deliver transformational value—by automatically tagging records, enforcing policies, and surfacing risk indicators.

Managing content via a single, centralized ECM marks a significant shift in how information is governed, accessed, and protected, and those that get it right create the foundation for dynamic insights, automation efficiency, and long-term competitive advantage. Learn more about Iron Mountain InSight® DXP and how it supports unified content management.

_{*Findings from Iron Mountain Customer Survey, August 2025}