Appsfactory x Livingdocs: A proven partnership for the news media industry
At Livingdocs, we strive to offer our customers the most comprehensive publishing system on the market that covers all editorial workflows, from planning to distribution. That being said, we are sure to foster a strong partner network that we can look to when joining forces will offer the best possible solution for our customers. Appsfactory is one of those partners.
Headquartered in Leipzig, digital agency Appsfactory is known for being a pioneer in the development of digital solutions, and has in-depth expertise in the media sector – both in publishing and broadcasting. This mutual alignment of forward-thinking spirit and industry know-how serves as the basis for the synergistic partnership that has developed between Livingdocs and Appsfactory, one that delivers innovative and tailor-made solutions to our mutual customers.
Appsfactory as a strategic addition for Livingdocs customers
Livingdocs already offers its customers an excellently preconfigured solution. However, smooth operation often requires customer-specific adjustments, especially at interfaces to existing systems such as editorial or print systems. Data import and migration must also be carried out with the utmost care and precise preparation. This is where Appsfactory comes in: Appsfactory complements Livingdocs with their expertise in customisation for the specific needs and processes of each editorial office.
There are several examples of innovative and media-focused solutions offered by Appsfactory. These include the App as a Service solution, which is proven optimised for presenting news. This fully native app contains all learnings and best practices for news presentation which Appsfactory has gained during its long experience with media. Another example is the Next Level E-Paper solution, which combines the well known e-paper experience with all digital possibilities available to users to create a premium product. Furthermore, Appsfactory offers two brand new solutions for AI-transcription of videos as well as a Reel-Creator. All those solutions can be easily connected to Livingdocs.
Our first major joint project centered on Appsfactory’s task to migrate Livingdocs, which previously ran on AWS, to the Azure infrastructure. As a certified and seasoned Azure partner, Appsfactory was perfectly suited for this project, and they were sure to work closely with the technical teams at Livingdocs to ensure a smooth transition. This successful project set the tone, and since then, we have maintained close cooperation with Appsfactory on a variety of projects and constellations. For example, a key milestone in the projects we have implemented together with Appsfactory was the migration of our first joint Azure customer DER STANDARD. Our other shared customers include kicker and oe24.
Case studies of customers
In both DER STANDARD and kicker’s case, they were looking to transition from a self-built tool to a more modern solution, which led them to choose Livingdocs. When it comes to our product, both publishers make use of our editor.
In the case of DER STANDARD, Appsfactory played an important role assisting in the migration from their former CMS to Livingdocs, as well as setting up Livingdocs and the services required to import and export content. The technical conception for an integration into the existing system landscape was a joint effort between Appsfactory and Livingdocs, as was the work on creating processes and workflows to meet editorial requirements. Once the Livingdocs had been rolled out as DER STANDARD’s new CMS, Appsfactory and Livingdocs continued to collaborate in conceiving and integration of new features within Livingdocs; this work is ongoing, including working on new functions like AI Assistants, automations, and workflow improvements.
In the case of kicker, a longstanding customer of Livingdocs, we brought on Appsfactory in 2023 to support new projects. In particular, Appsfactory offers feedback and close collaboration on solutions both within Livingdocs and in connections to external systems. Speaking of integration, Appsfactory also helps facilitate the integration of AI Assistants and automations. While all content for digital channels is created in Livingdocs, print integration is also available. To note, kicker uses both the Livingdocs editor and the page management.
When it comes to oe24, which recently went live with Livingdocs as its new CMS, Appsfactory took on a multifaceted role. This included honouring a digital-first print-integrated approach with a streamlined workflow that prioritises digital publishing while maintaining a seamless link to legacy print systems, as well as implementing a bespoke Livingdocs environment featuring modular components and tailored publication flows for maximum agility. To facilitate the large scale of the project – an archive of over 800,000 articles had to be migrated – Appsfactory developed a custom high-speed importer for oe24, as well as a robust export service providing optimised data delivery for the website and automated SEO management. Lastly, Appsfactory supported the integration of Livingdocs partner iMatrics for AI-driven metadata tagging.
With Appsfactory’s expertise ranging from setting up Livingdocs to building complete publishing systems, they have supported Livingdocs with the following services in shared customer projects:
The integration of customer-specific existing systems via APIs
Comprehensive support during migration
Support for updates and further developments to ensure end-to-end solutions
Consulting and collaborative conceptual work done together with Livingdocs for new Livingdocs clients
Consulting on all surrounding systems in order to facilitate and optimise seamless editorial and technical workflows
Services in the areas of UX/UI and quality assurance
Advisory services related to architecture and setup for publishers.
In short, Appsfactory helps guarantee that the Livingdocs solution is perfectly integrated into our joint customers' existing system landscape and optimally supports editorial workflows.
Innovation and ongoing support
Looking ahead, Livingdocs and Appsfactory make decisive contributions to continuous future-proof innovation for our mutual customers. For instance, Appsfactory develops customised AI solutions that improve and automate editorial workflows within Livingdocs. This includes the integration of print publishing services and automations based on Livingdocs content. Appsfactory’s end-to-end support ensures that our joint customers receive comprehensive support from conception to operation, and we continue to maintain close contact to identify new needs and develop ideas together for future developments. Appsfactory also assists with imports and exports and in this way, Appsfactory helps to ensure that the Livingdocs system is always used optimally and continues to evolve in line with the requirements of the media landscape.
The partnership between Appsfactory and Livingdocs is a prime example of how two strong players can work together to create added value for the media industry. Indeed, Livingdocs and Appsfactory work consciously and collaboratively as partners to be able to provide the best solution for our shared customers. We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration in the future and continuing to offer our customers innovative and forward-looking solutions.