Book Company Writes New Chapter with OIT’s DocFinity® Solution
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A major book company is a publisher and retailer of products with a long lineage, tracing its foundation, as well as its commitment to community well-being and customer satisfaction, to 1886.
In 1886, the company was formed as a small publisher and retailer of books. Since then, however, this company has grown considerably and its mission to serve its customers has expanded. While the Company is still a respected publisher of quality books, it is also engaged as a retailer with a wide product line that includes art, games, jewelry music, clothing, even software. The company maintains a book club, 33 retail stores in several western states, an online retail and information web site, and the Mormon Handicraft gift shops. Of course, producing, promoting and retailing such a diverse product line takes a great deal of work... and produces a lot of documents.
The manual system that this book company had employed kept things running in satisfactory conditions. However, in order to keep track of marketing efforts more efficiently and improve workflow processes between employees and departments, company officials sought to implement an electronic document management system (EDMS). Such an electronic content management system promised time, cost, and also space saving solutions.
This organization always prided itself on focusing on efficiency and accuracy in its operations. It was apparent to company officials that they needed to find a content management system that would help them maximize efforts in that respect.
the cross-platform challenge
This company had another challenge. Both Mac and PC workstations are utilized in its office environment. The technology that the company would pick to power its EDMS had to not only maximize efficiency and accuracy, but it also had to work cross-platform.
"This organization was presented with a unique challenge because both Mac and PC workstations would be used in its workflow process," said Optical Image Technology, Inc. (OIT) President, Scott Buchart. "However, OIT's DocFinity Workflow along with DocFinity IntraVIEWER® is designed for cross-platform functionality and this allows for seamless integration with the company's Mac- and PC-based environment."
After reviewing several options, the company chose the technology of OIT’s DocFinity Suite of Document/Content Management Software. OIT products licensed include DocFinity Imaging, DocFinity Workflow, and DocFinity IntraVIEWER (Browser Access).
the technology involved in the solution
Both Mac (G3s and G4s) and PCs - running on 98 and NT are utilized. Indexes are stored on a Microsoft SQL Server.
During the installation, OIT’s DocFinity Imaging Enterprise edition was implemented. DocFinity Imaging can store, manage and retrieve files. OIT’s system takes these paper-based files and stores them in an electronic filing system and allows virtually any computer-generated file to be added to the index structure used to store scanned pages and reports. In the case of this company, a variety of files are produced which can be handled by DocFinity Imaging, including Word and Quark documents. The paper-based files are stored in their original formats, using the indexing levels that have been assigned. DocFinity Imaging has turned this company’s process of document archival and retrieval from a consumer of time and money to a valuable source of efficiency, improved customer satisfaction and method of cost savings.
Employees can enter the documents into the system by scanning them into batches. Batches are similar to stacks of paper that the employees would usually hand file. There is no limit to the number of pages that can be scanned to a batch and there is no limit to the number of batches that can be created. Multiple scan stations can be used to scan batches of documents while other stations are simultaneously used to index and retrieve. The Company is also able to meet its need of scanning double-sided documents with the DocFinity Imaging product.
After the paper-based files are put into the electronic filing system, the employees can then quickly locate and view the information they require. Once accessed, the information can be faxed, printed, or have annotations attached to it. The employees can even share the information immediately by using email to attach and send a document directly from the DocFinity Imaging program.
The company also implemented OIT’s electronic document routing system, DocFinity Workflow. The employees have been able to eliminate the need to hand-carry documents from desk to desk or department to department, thus increasing productivity, accuracy, and efficiency over traditional paper processing. DocFinity Workflow electronically simulates the way the company processes its business documents by making it possible for users to automatically route scanned documents, COLD-ERM reports and PC files in the multi department environment. It has helped The Book Company streamline collaboration and accelerate the completion of critical business tasks.
DocFinity Workflow allows the administrators the opportunity to plan exactly how they want the processes to flow. They can customize the flow of work to suit the particular needs of the company. Producing, promoting and retailing a diverse product line like that of this company requires a specific step-by-step business process. DocFinity Workflow provides the company the flexibility to plan the workflows, taking into consideration the special characteristics of its unique business.
They have set up DocFinity Workflow so that each type of document in the system is assigned one or more ‘rules’ which consist of what action must take place, in what order, and which user or group of users is responsible for performing that action. When a document enters the system and is identified as a workflow document, it automatically appears in the work list of the user or group of users assigned to the first action. When the action is marked as completed, the document is automatically routed to the next user or group of users for processing and so on, until all actions are complete.
DocFinity IntraVIEWER was also installed, which creates an access point through the web to the organization’s stored information. DocFinity IntraVIEWER runs on an Internet/Intranet/Extranet server and accesses system data via the internet/intranet using a standard web browser such as Netscape or Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. The users at simply issue a request via DocFinity IntraVIEWER to the OIT database. When the security is approved, the data is retrieved from the storage device and transmitted over the web to the user’s screen.
This company found that DocFinity IntraVIEWER is a low cost and efficient way of incorporating both Mac and PC workstations. OIT’s DocFinity IntraVIEWER architecture allows for highly flexible, cross-platform access. Users working from both Mac and PC workstations can retrieve and workflow files easily through DocFinity IntraVIEWER in a manner that mirrors the functionality of the native client Front-End. This includes access and workflow of scanned images, COLD-ERM reports, PC files, spreadsheets, color photos, word processor, and other multimedia.
the new chapter
This company has been experiencing many benefits since implementing OIT’s DocFinity solution. The company has reduced storage problems and costs. The browser-based workflow has improved organization and productivity throughout the company, easing the strain of producing, promoting, and retailing the extensive product line.
"Producing quality products is of utmost importance to us," said the company's Director of Information Technology. "Optical Image Technology is helping us achieve this goal by improving communications and workflow between our copywriters, designers, account directors and other members of our marketing department, allowing them to concentrate on what they do best - promote products that would be of interest to the customers."
But, most importantly, the company has been able to maximize efficiency and accuracy in its daily operations, thus providing its customers with the ultimate product and service, something on which the company has always prided itself.
