Building on the Basics of Document Management: Getting Started with Process Automation and Digital Workflow

If your business already has an electronic document management system in place to store your paper, images, and digital information, you are probably wondering how to take the next steps toward organizational efficiency. Imaging and importing information for easy and secure access is a great beginning, and if you have Web-based access, your staff has already taken major steps toward keeping business tasks and projects moving.

Whether or not you have added bar code reading, digital signatures, or electronic forms—or are simply imaging and accessing paper files—you can build on the benefits provided by a solid document management system by automating routine business procedures. Digital workflow is a major piece of the process automation puzzle, helping you to drive work and leverage information across your enterprise. This article explains the basics of business process management, showing how it can help you to make better decisions, enable your staff to work faster and smarter, and achieve more with existing resources and information.

What is business process management (BPM)?

Business Process Management uses policies, methodologies, software, and measurement tools to manage and continually improve an organization’s processing efficiency. The idea of continual process improvement is certainly not new. However, it is only in recent years that BPM technology has become fully mature. Software tools used for business process management and improvement enable an organization to analyze, streamline, automate, and improve its business processes for optimal efficiency. This often involves the integration of multiple line-of-business software applications and other technologies to maximize the use of information within a company. It allows organizations to establish and modify business rules that drive processes and information forward to the right people, and at the right time, for the appropriate action, constantly pulling data as needed from diverse systems to help management make informed decisions.

How does technology help my business processes to be more efficient?

Technology helps managers to make their businesses more efficient by standardizing routine processes that affect various areas across an enterprise. A simple example might involve the receipt of a new (or recently completed) application in the electronic data repository that requires several follow-up action items. Let’s assume that someone needs to send a specific follow-up form or letter, and accounting needs to generate an invoice—ideally, right away. BPM provides behind-the-scenes management of these related processes. It ensures that other software systems are updated with current information in concurrence with your business rules, and the right letter and invoice are sent. It also guarantees that established procedures are followed consistently and in a timely manner. BPM and workflow solutions work best when routine activities have already been documented and streamlined for optimal efficiency. The sequence of steps within each process can be configured to ensure consistency, completion, and timeliness.

The return on investment is maximized when you have business functions that involve the interaction of multiple software applications. Integration behind the scenes enables immediate access and timely updates to pertinent information in other applications, which helps you to be more efficient. You can even extract data from line-of-business applications and legacy systems so that it is available to authorized staff from different departments. In essence, BPM takes the typically isolated data and processing silos within your organization and replaces them with seamless and efficient communication.

Where does digital workflow fit into the picture?

Digital workflow routes processes, tasks, and information to the right people, at the right place, and in the right sequence. It makes sure that standard procedures are followed, customers are handled in the same manner, and regulatory standards and timelines are met. Since electronic workflow mechanizes systems that people put in place, process automation requires thorough analysis and careful design. Even the act of analyzing, streamlining, and standardizing existing processes before they are automated delivers some notable improvements. For exceptions— processes that typically require human scrutiny before entering (or re-entering) a workflow—the business rules engine can be programmed to appropriately address these non-conforming cases.

Is someone on staff overworked and unable to keep pace with incoming documents? Do staff vacations and illnesses result in inconsistent handling of customer needs? Digital workflow can be pre-assigned to reallocate tasks based on workload, employee availability, or other criteria. Is management frustrated by an insufficient understanding of fluctuating work volumes, or a lack of knowledge about who does—and does not—handle customers in accordance with procedures? Is the inability to quickly analyze changes in business patterns causing the company to respond to changes too late to be effective? Are manual audits wasting too much of your staff’s valuable time? Reporting capabilities in digital workflow ensure that management can access real-time information; make informed, timely decisions; and provide detailed information to others when needed.

What benefits can I expect from process automation?

Just as electronic storage of information eliminates hours of manual filing and allows staff resources to be used more wisely, process automation removes stress and time that is otherwise wasted as staff tries to juggle deadlines, ensure consistency, and meet service level agreements. Typically, businesses that have deployed BPM tools, including digital workflow, are able to dramatically increase processing volumes and shorten turnaround times with the same number of people. Financial penalties for non-compliance with deadlines are no longer an issue, as the software prioritizes what must be accomplished (and in what timeframe) in accordance with business rules, pushing processes forward and re-routing when bottlenecks occur.

With effective process automation, executives no longer have to face the depressing dichotomy of trying to add new business while simultaneously experiencing the added costs to manage the information associated with each new client. Instead of new business that risks netting no additional profit due to the additional expenses incurred, companies can increase revenues and add clients without adding staff. This allows them to increase profits while still offering their customers better and faster service. Frequently, the added efficiency enables companies to dedicate some staff resources to other areas, or toward the creation or improvement of other services.

Equally important, a good BPM system provides insight as to the status of each process and the transactions within it. Customers, and even internal staff, no longer have to wait for phone calls to be returned or papers to be mailed in order to get the answers they need. A status report “on the fly” is no longer a pipe dream.

What tools and technologies are typically involved in BPM?

Although there are many tools and technologies that complete a business process management suite, the most popular are used for digital workflow, reporting, and system monitoring. These technologies, when integrated with your line-of-business applications, route information and tasks where they are needed. They provide real-time information to help management make good decisions. They also help executives and IT staff to proactively monitor and address system slowdowns, productivity concerns, and other potential challenges before they become problematic.

The shape of your company’s digital BPM solution will vary considerably, depending on the technologies and applications you want to integrate. Capturing data from print streams, bar codes, online forms on your company’s portal or website, or integration with your company’s accounting and other line-of-business software helps define the breadth of your process automation. Email management systems, faxes, and telecommunications technologies can also be included as elements of process automation. The greater the scope, the more extensive the planning needs to be; nevertheless, the payoff in organizational efficiency and customer service is immense.

What do I need to do to prepare for process automation?

The most important part of process automation is to choose a procedure within your organization that is most ripe for improvement (where the benefits of automation are most likely to be evident). As part of this process, you should define and communicate clear goals for the project. After the business area has been selected, you will need to analyze each step of the current business process. Ideally, you should tap into the knowledge of all individuals who are engaged in—or manage—that process to ensure that hierarchies, tasks, and sequences are understood correctly and can be effectively and appropriately streamlined prior to automation. What other line-of-business applications, departments, and individual people are affected by that process? Are there particular technology integrations or related communications that would benefit the chosen process, or enrich information services in other areas of the company? For example, would the ability to automatically generate phone calls (achieved by integrating digital workflow with the data repository and telecommunications technology) be a logical step forward in your process automation?

After the BPM vendor has been chosen, a statement of work and functional project plan need to be created that state anticipated project timelines and milestones. They should denote procedures that are to be followed in the event those milestones are delayed or not met by either party. Human resources needed for the project, scheduled communications, and risk management requirements also need to be considered and addressed in the plan, along with disaster recovery. Testing procedures and staffing requirements during the testing phase also need to be scheduled. Finally, training on the BPM application and system maintenance need to be discussed, scheduled, and budgeted.

The key is to involve all types of workers appropriately in the process, so that they feel excited and empowered by the change. Communicate a clear message that staff at all levels will be even more successful when the process automation is complete. Without worker assistance and buy-in, processes may be automated inadequately. Even worse, workers may be reluctant to use the new system, sabotaging the considerable gains they would otherwise experience.

Our IT resources are limited. What kinds of support are available to help our process automation to succeed?

Organizations have varying budgets, IT expertise, and human resources available to make projects successful. While some organizations have the time needed to provide a complete process analysis, others are challenged by existing workloads and have limited resources. Some companies have specialized staff with excellent IT skills, while others may find a gap in knowledge between what they have and what is needed. Many BPM vendors offer consulting, training, and a variety of professional services relating to their own products, but not everyone is skilled with the integration process. Make sure that you understand—and are candid about communicating—your strengths and your limitations. Choose a vendor with an excellent track record for success in BPM implementations. That vendor wants you to be successful as much as you do. The clearer your communications are in the beginning and throughout the project, the better your results will be.

The old adage of “What gets measured gets done” rings true with BPM. Make sure you take stock of where you are today so that you can shape a clear vision and ultimately see improvements. Share the results of your enhanced efficiency and services with your staff and customers. Success breeds success. With a clear vision for what is to be achieved, good planning, and open communication, you are on a path to continual improvement that will bring your organization to levels you never knew you could achieve.

For more information or to schedule a demonstration, please Contact DocFinity now.