CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

Canadian Pacific Railway Puts Email Writing Tools On Right Track Via Plus Pack For Outlook Web Access


SINCE 1881,CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY (CPR) has plied the countryside of North America, transporting billions of tons of commodities and products each year between the vast Northwest and the manufacturing centers in the East. As the first railroad in North America to connect the continent from sea to sea, CPR is continuing to invest in the latest equipment, infrastructure, and technology, keeping shippers connected to their markets on the continent and overseas. Not least among the company ’s many upgrades has been its web-based business systems.

In 2000,CPR began the process of migrating many of its daily computing functions to a browser-based corporate Intranet. The new system gives employees a simpler, more flexible platform from which to conduct a number of daily corporate tasks such as document sharing, updating and accessing human resource information, and —perhaps most importantly —sending and receiving email." Web-based computing offered our company several major advantages, including work-anywhere flexibility and easier system administration,” said Brent Conradson, E-Infrastructure Specialist for Canadian Pacific Railway." Our plan called for shifting to a Microsoft-only environment —in fact, we became a beta site as part of Microsoft ’s Joint Development Program.

“What the new system also required was a move away from our Lotus Notes platform to Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Web Access,” Conradson continued." The use of Outlook Web Access was a major plus and we felt that if we could supplement OWA with additional functionality like spell checking and signatures, we would be giving our employees all the efficiency they were used to, on a much more accessible platform.”

THE IT TEAM FROM CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY was familiar with Messageware from a prior consulting assignment. At a trade show, the CPR staff approached representatives from Messageware and asked for help with the railroad ’s email toolset challenge. In response, Messageware suggested Plus Pack for Outlook Web Access, the company's cost effective functionality add-on. Plus Pack gives OWA users a full menu of email messaging tools including spell check, thesaurus, WinZip ™ compatible file compression, contact distribution list support, and much more. Plus Pack also enhances OWA ’s security through attachment blocking; this feature automatically stops inbound email that can, under certain circumstances, enter through OWA with classes of file attachments known to carry viruses.

“Plus Pack had the functionality we were looking for, and it was positioned expressly for the OWA environment,” said Conradson..“We requested a copy and proceeded to evaluate the product back at our offices. It performed as Messageware had promised and the price was right. We made the decision to add the package to our Intranet email system.”

Results

ROUGHLY 9,000 OF CPR ’S 15,000 EMPLOYEES USE EMAIL on a daily basis at offices in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Minneapolis, and many small sites across North America, making easy email management a prime concern for Conradson and his team. Since the installation of Plus Pack in May,2001,however,all indications are that the new email functionality has been a success." In our department, no feedback is good feedback," jokes Conradson when referring to user reaction to the new software." Plus Pack has been a seamless addition to Outlook Web Access, giving people fast and convenient access to the productivity features they need.”

In adding Plus Pack to the system, the CPR technology staff chose to install specific features of the solution such as spell check, thesaurus, auto signature, password override, and file compression." We incorporated the extended functionality most critical to our needs," said Conradson. “Plus Pack ’s toolbar integrates with OWA and puts all the features right at the user ’s fingertips.” “We look at the value of any software purchase from a business perspective, ”Conradson noted." Email is a critical element in how a company presents itself. With Plus Pack we can be sure that image is professional, accurate and efficient. We think it ’s a very worthwhile investment.”