Laserfiche & Project Terms Glossary

Laserfiche & Project Terms Glossary

This Laserfiche glossary brings together commonly used terms from document management, records management, business process automation, system integration, data migration, and information security. Some of these terms may be unfamiliar, while others are familiar words used in a more specific way.

Use this glossary when planning a new Laserfiche implementation, expanding an existing system, preparing for a data migration, or participating in a process-improvement project.

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Laserfiche Basics

Repository

The central location where documents, folders, records, metadata, templates, and other information are stored and managed in Laserfiche. A repository can be compared to a digital filing system, but it also provides search, security, automation, auditing, and records-management capabilities.

Entry

Any item stored in a Laserfiche repository, including a document, folder, shortcut, record series, or record folder.

Folder

A container used to organize documents and other entries within a Laserfiche repository. Folders can be arranged in a hierarchy to help organize information by department, function, project, record type, or other business need.

Document

An entry in Laserfiche that contains information such as scanned pages, electronic files, images, PDFs, Microsoft Office files, or other content. Documents can also include metadata used to classify, search, secure, and manage the information.

Laserfiche Connector

A Laserfiche tool that helps users connect information in other business applications, including Windows applications and web browser-based applications, with information stored in Laserfiche. Laserfiche Connector can use information displayed in another application to search for related documents in Laserfiche, populate metadata, launch Laserfiche processes, or perform other configured actions. Connector can help users work with Laserfiche without repeatedly entering the same information or manually searching between systems.

Smart Fields

Laserfiche functionality that uses artificial intelligence to identify and extract information from documents and use that information as metadata. Smart Fields can help capture printed or handwritten information such as names, dates, document types, invoice information, identification numbers, and other useful information without requiring every value to be entered manually. Extracted information should be reviewed and validated as appropriate for the document type and business process.

Smart Chat

A Laserfiche artificial intelligence capability that allows users to ask questions using natural language about document content and Laserfiche features & functionality. Smart Chat can help users locate and understand information contained within documents, as well as learn how to use Laserfiche capabilities and perform tasks within the system. Access to document information remains subject to the user’s permissions and the documents they are authorized to view.

A Laserfiche capability that provides read-only public access to selected documents and information stored in a Laserfiche repository. Public Portal can allow people outside an organization to browse, search for, and view information such as meeting agendas, minutes, ordinances, resolutions, permits, and other public records without requiring normal Laserfiche user access. The term WebLink has historically been used for this Laserfiche capability and remains widely used, particularly with self-hosted Laserfiche systems, while Public Portal is the terminology used for the corresponding capability in Laserfiche Cloud.

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Forms & Process Automation

Laserfiche Forms

A Laserfiche application used to create electronic forms and automate processes that collect, route, review, approve, and process information. Forms can be used by employees or made available to people outside the organization for public-facing processes.

Form

An electronic interface used to collect information from a user. Forms can include fields, instructions, attachments, calculations, validation rules, and other elements needed to collect information for a business process.

Forms Portal

A Laserfiche capability that allows people outside an organization to access and submit designated public-facing Laserfiche forms without requiring normal Laserfiche user access. A Forms Portal can be used for applications, requests, registrations, submissions, and other processes where information needs to be collected from members of the public, customers, vendors, or other external participants.

Process

A series of activities used to complete a business task or achieve a specific result. A process may include forms, reviews, approvals, notifications, automated activities, decisions, and interactions with other systems.

Process Automation

The use of technology to perform, route, manage, or coordinate steps in a business process that might otherwise require manual effort. Process automation can help improve consistency, reduce repetitive work, and provide better visibility into the status of work.

Workflow

An automated sequence of activities used to route information, perform actions, apply business rules, update information, send notifications, or interact with other systems. Workflows can reduce manual steps and help ensure processes are completed consistently.

User Task

A step in a process that requires a person to review information, make a decision, enter information, approve or reject a request, or perform another action before the process continues.

Approval Methods

Methods used to determine who receives and acts on an approval or other user task within a process. Depending on the process requirements, work can be assigned to a specific individual, made available to members of a team, distributed among team members using round-robin assignment, or routed to different people based on information and business rules within the process. Approval methods help organizations direct work to the appropriate person or group while supporting different review and decision-making requirements.

Service Task

An automated step in a process that performs an action without requiring direct user interaction. A service task might update information, create or move a document, send information to another system, or perform another configured action.

Gateway

A decision point within a process that determines which path the process should follow. Gateways can route work differently based on information, conditions, decisions, or business rules.

Routing

The movement of information or work from one person, group, step, or system to another as part of a business process. Routing can be based on predefined paths, information collected in a form, decisions made during the process, or other business rules.

Approval

A step in a process where an authorized person or group reviews information and decides whether it should be accepted, rejected, returned for changes, or otherwise allowed to proceed.

Notification

An automated message generated during a process to inform someone that an action is required, an event has occurred, or the status of a process has changed.

Business Process

A repeatable set of activities an organization uses to complete work or achieve a business objective. Examples include employee onboarding, invoice approval, permit applications, records requests, contract review, and other recurring organizational activities.

NPS Document Submission Portal (DSP)

A Nine Peaks Solutions document submission solution built using Laserfiche Cloud. The portal allows people to submit documents and related information through a web browser, with TLS encryption protecting information during transmission. Submitted documents can be collected in Laserfiche for review, organization, and further processing. It is commonly used when an organization needs a designated location for receiving documents from clients, employees, or other parties. The submission process uses Laserfiche Forms and the public forms portal to collect documents and related information.

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Records Management

Record

Information that is managed according to an organization’s records retention requirements. In Laserfiche, records management capabilities help organizations control how records are classified, retained, transferred, and ultimately disposed of according to established policies.

Record Series

A group of related records that share the same retention requirements. A record series helps determine how long records must be retained and what should happen to them when the retention period has been completed.

Record Folder

A container within a record series used to group related records that share the same retention requirements. Record folders can help manage cutoff, retention, transfer, and disposition actions for a group of records.

Active Record

A record that is still regularly used to conduct business or support current operations. Active records generally need to remain readily available to authorized users.

Inactive Record

A record that is no longer regularly used but must continue to be retained to satisfy legal, regulatory, historical, audit, or operational requirements.

Retention Schedule

Rules that define how long records must be kept and what happens to them after the required retention period. Retention schedules are typically based on legal, regulatory, operational, or organizational requirements.

Cutoff

The event or date that starts the retention period for a record. Depending on the type of record, cutoff might occur at the end of a calendar year, the completion of a project, termination of an employee, expiration of a contract, or another defined event.

A restriction placed on a record or record folder to prevent disposition or certain records-management actions while the information must be preserved. Holds may be used for litigation, audits, investigations, public records matters, or other legal and regulatory requirements.

Interim Transfer

The movement of records to another storage location during their retention period. An interim transfer changes where the records are stored but does not complete their required retention or final disposition.

Disposition

The action taken when a record has completed its required retention period. Disposition may include destruction, transfer, permanent preservation, or another action defined by the organization’s records management policies.

Destruction

The authorized removal of record content after the required retention period has been completed and any applicable holds have been resolved. Destruction should follow the organization’s approved records-management policies and procedures.

Accession

The transfer of records and responsibility for their continued preservation to another organization or archival location. Accession is a type of final disposition typically used when records have permanent historical, administrative, or legal value.

Metadata Retention

The continued preservation of information describing a record after the record content has been destroyed or transferred. Retained metadata can provide evidence that the record existed and that an authorized disposition action occurred.

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Digital Transformation & Data Preservation

Digital Transformation

The use of technology to improve how an organization manages information, performs work, and delivers services. The Nine Peaks Solutions Digital Transformation Model approaches this through three stages: Digitize — centralize content and optimize costs; Automate — eliminate busywork to save time and resources; and Transform — streamline operations and drive innovation. Digital transformation goes beyond simply converting information to digital form by using technology to improve the processes and operations surrounding that information.

Legacy System

An older business application, database, or technology environment that remains in use or contains information that must still be retained. A legacy system may continue to provide important historical, operational, or compliance information even after the organization has implemented a replacement system.

Historical Data

Information from previous periods that remains important after its original transaction or operational use has ended. Historical data may be needed for employee inquiries, audits, reporting, research, legal requirements, compliance, or comparison with current information.

Compliance Data

Information an organization must retain or be able to produce to meet legal, regulatory, contractual, audit, records-retention, or organizational requirements. Compliance data may remain necessary long after the system that originally created or maintained it has been replaced.

Bit Bucket

An informal computing term for a place where unwanted, discarded, or lost data is said to go. Historically, saying that information had “fallen into the bit bucket” meant that the data had effectively disappeared and was no longer available or useful. The expression is still a useful way to describe information that has been lost during system changes, conversions, or other technology processes.

Digital Darkness

A condition in which historically valuable or required information still exists but has become difficult or impossible to locate, access, interpret, or use. Digital darkness can occur when legacy applications are retired, technology becomes obsolete, system knowledge is lost, or information is preserved without retaining a practical means of accessing it. Data preservation and Digital Reclamation™ help prevent valuable information from disappearing into digital darkness.

Data Preservation

The process of retaining important information in a usable, secure, and accessible form for future business, historical, legal, audit, or compliance needs. Data preservation considers not only whether information has been retained, but whether authorized users will still be able to locate, understand, and use it after the original system is no longer available.

Data Migration

The process of moving information from one system, application, database, or storage environment to another. A migration may include extracting, transforming, validating, mapping, and importing data so that required information can be used in the destination system. Not all historical information necessarily needs to be migrated into a replacement operational system.

System Decommissioning

The planned retirement of a software application or technology system after its required information, business processes, integrations, and dependencies have been addressed. Decommissioning may include preserving historical or compliance information, validating access to retained data, ending software maintenance and hosting, and securely retiring the former environment.

Digital Reclamation™

Nine Peaks Solutions’ approach to preserving and making accessible valuable information from legacy and retired systems. Digital Reclamation™ focuses on recovering information that might otherwise become difficult to access when applications are replaced, organizations change systems, companies are acquired, or older technology is retired. The objective is to preserve useful historical and compliance information without requiring the original application to remain operational.

HCMReporter®

A Nine Peaks Solutions solution for preserving historical Human Capital Management (HCM), Human Resources, payroll, and related information when an organization replaces or retires an existing system. HCMReporter® provides continued access to selected historical information without requiring the former HCM or payroll application to remain operational. Preserved information can be delivered in several environments, including Laserfiche, depending on organizational requirements.

HRISReporter®

A Nine Peaks Solutions solution for preserving historical Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and related employee information after an organization replaces or retires an existing HR system. HRISReporter® was developed specifically to preserve and provide access to historical information from a CORT or an integrated CORT/NuView HR and Payroll system. It allows authorized users to continue accessing required historical and compliance information without maintaining the original CORT or CORT/NuView application and its supporting technology environment.

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Projects, Implementation & Improvement

Project Life Cycle

The sequence of stages a project moves through from the initial identification of a need or opportunity through planning, design, development, implementation, and ongoing support or improvement. The specific stages and activities may vary depending on the size and complexity of the project.

Pre-Project

The work performed before a project formally begins to determine whether the proposed project should move forward and how it should be approached. Pre-project activities may include identifying business needs, discussing objectives, reviewing existing systems and processes, considering possible solutions, developing preliminary estimates, and identifying potential project constraints or risks.

Discovery

The process of learning how an organization currently performs its work, manages information, and uses existing systems before designing or implementing a solution. Discovery may include interviews, demonstrations of current processes, document and data reviews, system analysis, and discussions with the people who perform or support the work. The objective is to understand both the current environment and what the organization is trying to improve.

Requirements Gathering

The process of identifying, documenting, and confirming what a system, process, or project must accomplish. Requirements may address business processes, information and data, users, security, integrations, reporting, records management, technical environments, regulatory requirements, and other organizational needs. Well-defined requirements help establish a common understanding of what the completed solution is expected to do.

Crosswalk Document

A document that maps identifiers, fields, codes, or terminology between a previous system and a new or successor system. It helps determine where information belongs during migration and how corresponding records can be identified across systems in either direction. An employee crosswalk might include employee numbers from both systems, last name, first name, middle name, Social Security number (SSN), and date of birth (DOB). A field such as Clock Sequence Number may retain the previous system’s employee number.

Project Scope

The defined boundaries of a project, including the work, systems, processes, features, services, and deliverables that are included. Project scope may also identify items that are specifically excluded from the project. A clearly defined scope helps establish expectations, estimate resources and costs, manage changes, and determine when the agreed project work has been completed.

Deliverable

A defined item, result, or work product that is produced as part of a project. Deliverables may include configured software, migrated data, integrations, forms, workflows, documentation, training materials, reports, testing results, or other agreed project outcomes. Deliverables provide tangible points for reviewing and confirming project progress and completion.

Milestone

A significant point or event in a project used to indicate progress toward completion. A milestone may represent the completion of a project phase, approval of a design, completion of development or testing, delivery of a major project component, or another important project event. Milestones help project participants understand progress and identify when important decisions or activities need to occur.

Design

The process of determining how a proposed solution will meet the project’s identified requirements. Design may address system configuration, information organization, metadata, forms, workflows, security, integrations, data structures, user interaction, and other solution components. Design translates business and project requirements into a plan for how the solution will operate.

Development

The process of building, configuring, or modifying the components of a solution based on the approved requirements and design. Development may include configuring Laserfiche, creating templates and metadata fields, forms and workflows, developing integrations or custom software, creating data-conversion processes, capturing metadata, configuring security, and preparing other components needed for the completed solution.

Testing

The process of verifying that a system, process, integration, or other solution component operates as intended and meets its defined requirements. Testing may include validating functionality, data, security, integrations, workflows, forms, error handling, and other system behaviors. Issues identified during testing can be corrected and retested before the solution is placed into production.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

Testing performed by designated users or project participants to confirm that a solution supports the organization’s business requirements and is ready for operational use. User Acceptance Testing allows the people who understand the business process to verify that forms, workflows, information, reports, integrations, and other solution components operate as expected before final deployment or go-live.

Deployment

The process of moving a completed or approved solution, configuration, or system change into the environment where it will be used. Deployment may include installing or configuring software, moving forms and workflows, implementing integrations, migrating information, applying security settings, and completing other activities required to prepare the solution for operational use.

Go-Live

The point at which a new or changed system, process, or solution becomes available for normal operational use. Go-live may involve transitioning users from an existing process or system, completing final data migration or configuration activities, confirming system availability, and providing additional support as users begin working with the new solution.

Training

The process of preparing users, administrators, and support personnel to effectively use and manage a new or changed system or business process. Training may include instructor-led sessions, demonstrations, documentation, recorded materials, hands-on exercises, or role-specific instruction. Training helps users understand both how the technology operates and how it supports their responsibilities and business processes.

Support and Maintenance

The ongoing activities required to help keep an implemented system or solution operating as intended and to assist users with the existing solution. Support and maintenance may include troubleshooting problems, resolving system issues, answering questions about existing functionality or recommended use, monitoring system operation, applying applicable updates, and maintaining existing configurations or integrations. The specific activities included as support and maintenance depend on the applicable consulting agreement and Statement of Work.

Services

Professional work performed to implement, modify, expand, integrate, migrate, configure, train users on, or otherwise improve a system or solution. Services may include developing or revising forms and workflows; modifying routing, approvals, or processing; creating integrations; performing data conversions; capturing additional content or data; adding or populating metadata fields; configuring additional functionality; implementing components that depend on the organization’s technology environment; providing expanded or additional training; and extending a solution to additional departments or use cases. Services outside the scope of an existing consulting agreement and Statement of Work may require additional authorization, scope, or project work.

Continuous Improvement

The ongoing process of evaluating and improving systems, processes, and methods of working after their initial implementation. Continuous improvement may involve identifying additional automation opportunities, simplifying processes, improving information access, incorporating user feedback, extending solutions to additional departments or use cases, and adapting systems as organizational needs change.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A measure used to evaluate the value or benefit received from an investment compared with its cost. For technology and process-improvement projects, return on investment may consider reduced labor or operating costs, time savings, increased productivity, reduced risk, improved information access, elimination of legacy systems or infrastructure, and other measurable organizational benefits.

Jasper

An unofficial Nine Peaks project team member who insists on participating in every planning discussion, particularly those involving the letter J. Known for unsolicited opinions, dramatic protests, and an unwavering commitment to alphabetical representation.

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Cloud, Hosting & Laserfiche Deployment

Laserfiche Cloud

Laserfiche’s cloud-based platform for document and information management, records management, forms, business process automation, integrations, and other Laserfiche capabilities. Laserfiche manages the underlying cloud infrastructure, application updates, and platform maintenance, reducing the infrastructure requirements and Information Technology overhead costs an organization must maintain itself. Data protection, backups, and disaster recovery capabilities are incorporated into the cloud environment from the start rather than requiring the organization to design and maintain those systems independently.

Self-Hosted Laserfiche

A Laserfiche system deployed on infrastructure managed by the organization or its technology provider rather than hosted as Laserfiche Cloud. The servers may be physically on-premises or hosted in a private or third-party data center. The organization remains responsible for areas such as the operating environment, databases, backups, upgrades, security, and system maintenance.

Laserfiche Subscription

A licensing model that provides access to Laserfiche software and software maintenance for an ongoing subscription period. A Laserfiche subscription may be associated with Laserfiche Cloud or a self-hosted Laserfiche deployment.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

A software delivery model in which an application is provided as an online service rather than installed and maintained entirely on an organization’s own servers. Laserfiche Cloud is a SaaS offering, with Laserfiche responsible for operating and maintaining the underlying cloud platform.

Cloud Tenant

A dedicated organizational account or environment within a cloud service. An organization may have separate tenants for services such as Laserfiche Cloud and Microsoft 365. Each tenant has its own users, configuration, security, applications, and administrative settings.

Cloud Migration

Moving an existing self-hosted or on-premises Laserfiche system to Laserfiche Cloud. A migration may include repository documents, metadata, records-management structures, security configurations, integrations, forms, workflows, and business processes. Forms, business processes, and workflows must be analyzed, made cloud-ready, and tested as part of the migration. Migration planning also determines what should be moved as-is, what needs to be modified or rebuilt for Laserfiche Cloud, and how the transition will affect users and connected systems.

Migration Center

Laserfiche tools and resources designed to help organizations plan, assess, and perform migrations from self-hosted Laserfiche systems to Laserfiche Cloud. Migration Center brings together tools for inventorying an existing Laserfiche environment, assessing forms, workflows, and business processes for cloud readiness, preparing system components for migration, and moving content to Laserfiche Cloud. The tools help identify what can be migrated directly, what requires modification or redesign, and what should be tested before the new cloud environment is placed into production.

Production Environment

The live system used for an organization’s day-to-day operations. Changes to forms, workflows, integrations, security, or other system components should normally be developed and tested before being introduced into the production environment.

Test Environment

A separate environment used to configure, develop, validate, and test system changes without affecting the live production system. Test environments are especially valuable when implementing new processes, modifying integrations, upgrading systems, or preparing for a cloud migration.

Application Programming Interface (API)

A defined method that allows different software applications and services to communicate and exchange information. APIs can be used to connect Laserfiche with other business systems, retrieve or update information, initiate actions, and support automated processes without requiring users to manually move information between systems.

REST API (Representational State Transfer API)

A type of API that uses standard web technologies and conventions to allow applications and services to communicate over a network. REST APIs can be used by developers and system integrations to securely request, retrieve, create, update, or exchange information between Laserfiche and other applications and services.

Integration

A connection between Laserfiche and another application, database, or service that allows information or actions to move between systems. Integrations may use APIs, built-in connectors, databases, or other methods to exchange information, reduce duplicate data entry, automate processes, and allow Laserfiche to participate in broader organizational workflows.

Identity Provider (IdP)

A system that authenticates users and provides identity information to another application or service. An identity provider can allow an organization to use its existing organizational accounts to authenticate users to Laserfiche rather than maintaining separate credentials.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

An authentication method that allows users to access multiple applications using a common organizational identity. When Laserfiche Cloud is configured with an organization’s identity provider, users can sign in using their organizational credentials instead of maintaining a separate Laserfiche password.

Microsoft 365 Tenant

An organization’s dedicated Microsoft 365 environment containing its users, groups, applications, security settings, and Microsoft cloud services. A Microsoft 365 tenant may interact with Laserfiche through authentication, Microsoft integrations, email, Teams, and other connected services.

Microsoft Azure Tenant

An organization’s dedicated identity and cloud-services environment within Microsoft Azure. Azure resources can support applications, databases, integrations, and other services that connect with Laserfiche. Microsoft Entra ID, formerly Azure Active Directory, can also serve as an identity provider for Laserfiche Cloud single sign-on.

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Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

Business Continuity

The planning and preparation used to help an organization continue its essential services during and after a disruption. Business continuity considers people, facilities, technology, information, communications, vendors, and alternative ways of performing critical work.

Disaster Recovery

The processes used to restore technology systems, applications, data, and related services following an outage, cyber incident, equipment failure, natural disaster, or other disruption. Disaster recovery is one part of an organization’s broader business-continuity planning.

Continuity of Operations (COOP)

A plan for continuing an organization’s essential functions when normal operations, facilities, personnel, or systems are unavailable. A continuity-of-operations plan may identify essential services, alternate work locations, delegated authority, communication procedures, and recovery priorities.

Essential Function

A service or activity that an organization must continue or restore within an acceptable period following a disruption. Examples may include responding to public records requests, maintaining official records, processing payments, issuing permits, supporting public safety, and communicating with the public.

Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

A structured review used to identify essential functions, supporting systems and information, acceptable downtime, recovery priorities, and the potential effects of a disruption. The results help an organization determine where continuity and recovery resources are most needed.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

The target amount of time within which a system, application, service, or business function should be restored after a disruption. An RTO helps answer the question: How long can this service be unavailable before the interruption becomes unacceptable?

Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

The maximum acceptable amount of data that could be lost following a disruption, usually measured in time. An RPO helps determine how frequently information should be backed up or replicated. For example, an RPO of four hours means the organization should be prepared to recover information to a point no more than four hours before the incident.

Backup

A protected copy of data, documents, system configurations, or other information that can be used for recovery if the original information is lost, damaged, corrupted, encrypted, or accidentally deleted. Backup procedures should define what is copied, how frequently it is copied, where it is stored, and how long it is retained.

Restore

The process of returning data, documents, configurations, or systems from a backup to an operational environment. A successful restore should recover information accurately and make it available to authorized users.

Failover

The process of moving system operations from a primary environment to an alternate environment when the primary system is unavailable. Failover may occur automatically or may require an authorized person to initiate and verify the transition.

Redundancy

The use of additional systems, components, connections, storage locations, or service providers to reduce the effect of a single failure. Redundancy can improve availability, but it does not replace backups, recovery planning, or testing.

Recovery Test

A planned exercise used to confirm that systems, information, procedures, and responsible personnel can support recovery following a disruption. Testing may identify missing backups, outdated instructions, access problems, unresolved dependencies, or recovery times that do not meet the organization’s objectives.

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Coming Next: HR & Payroll Terms

We are planning three additional glossary sections to help explain employee information, payroll records, and the terms used when working with or moving between HR and payroll systems.

  • HR & Employee Information — Employee identifiers, recruiting, organizational information, and related records.
  • Payroll & Benefits — Pay periods, earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, and historical payroll records.
  • Time & Attendance — Time punches, timekeeping, and related attendance information.

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