Exstream 7.0 delivers integrated communications

September 17, 2009:HP has announced the latest version of its Exstream enterprise software, designed to streamline design through delivery of customer communications across the enterprise, regardless of complexity, variability or output channel – including high-volume, on-demand and interactive document applications.

HP Exstream 7.0 includes more than 250 enhancements and emerges from a development cycle that included testing and deployment by more than 50 HP Exstream customers worldwide. The new release is already in production at several customer sites.

Enhancements such as the ability to automate sections and paragraphs and the inclusion of bar codes can be used for complex interactive document applications, including fully personalized transactional documents and contracts, agreements, policies, letters and business forms.

Rich content can now be retrieved by the HP Exstream LiveEditor directly from enterprise content management (ECM) and business process management (BPM) systems, web applications, and SharePoint, and then sent back to these sources for updates after editing.

Other significant capabilities include security features such as confidential masking of information, role-based editing and expiration certificates, as well as many new user productivity tools, including custom dictionaries in multiple languages and extended workflow and repository capabilities.

The new web services interface eliminates the need to program Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) connectivity, and support for PDF digital signatures and 128-bit encryption ensures secure and credible delivery of documents.

This release also includes new connectors for delivery of on-demand communications through email and cell phone (SMS) channels, as well as other significant enhancements for .NET and J2EE deployments.

The completely upgraded remote collaboration capability in HP Exstream 7.0 makes it easier, faster and more cost-effective for marketing and business users to incorporate fully personalized messages into documents at run time using a web browser.

The new console allows customers to fully customize the interface to support their brands, including color, text and images. Additionally, this release improves productivity for document Smart Proofing and provides users the ability to customize documents with text and images, add inserter bar codes to control production processes, and gain control over campaign message timing.

Extended support for global document applications and U.S. section 508 compliance HP Exstream 7.0 expands support for multilingual customer communications, including PDF enhancements for region-specific font subsetting, reference fonts and Asian font packs, as well as multilingual tagging.

Double-byte character set (DBCS) support has been extended for Linux and SISO data viewing, and now enables PowerPoint, RTF and single-file HTML output.

There are other enhancements including:

* New conversion utilities for migrating from legacy document composition systems such as DocuMerge, DocuMaker and Top Down * Extended support for QuarkXpress and RTF designs

* Improved output compare tools for testing

* Ability to embed bar codes into automated tables

* Wizard-based charting and new chart types

* Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) output improvements for color support, outline fonts and DBCS