
Neat, one of the leaders in the digital filing industry, and Microsoft have announced a new tactical partnership. Neat will incorporate Microsoft’s file hosting service (SkyDrive) into NeatConnect which converts physical documents into files, thus enabling users to scan and upload their files directly to the cloud without having to use a computer. While this naturally helps solidify Microsoft’s position in the cloud market, this is more of a major win for Neat as it considerably improves its cloud capabilities while significantly upgrading their service for their current customer base.
As competition toughens, both Neat and Microsoft are constantly looking for creative solutions which is essentially what this partnership signifies. Neat was the pioneer for delivering a wireless based scan to cloud process and with this partnership they have built on this original functionality. NeatConnect now offers users the ability to simply connect with Microsoft SkyDrive without requiring the use of a computer or other software services.
Angus Logan, Group Product Manager for SkyDrive, said, “Today, we all expect an easy way to upload, store, share and access our personal and professional information, while always having our files with us. Scanning directly from NeatConnect to SkyDrive gives customers the ability to reach our service and enrich their digital filing experience. Additionally, SkyDrive users will be able to leverage Neat’s cloud, mobile, and desktop solutions to simplify tasks such as the creation of expense and tax reports.”
Additionally, Jim Foster, chief executive officer of Neat, chimed in, “SkyDrive is a critical partner for us as they share a similar vision in providing customers with a simple way to manage information in the cloud. It has been our mission to simplify complex tasks, NeatConnect and SkyDrive represent a new era in transforming analog documents to digital information with ease.”