EForms and Workflow: Evolution Meets Intelligent Design

Forms processing, like most of your office processes, has evolved significantly with the advent of the World Wide Web. In the old days, forms processing involved tedious, manual keying, which was employee-intensive and frequently prone to error. Organizations were besieged with paper, and usually had difficulty finding storage solutions that were cost-effective and efficient with respect to space. Information was often lost, duplicated, or misplaced, making retrieval an arduous endeavor.

Advances in technology have ensured that manual processes that were formerly standard are now starting points on a continuum. Improvements in processing have led to automated forms processing, which uses optical character recognition (OCR) and intelligent character recognition (ICR). These technologies, among others, enable computers to recognize hand-written characters. Paper forms are scanned; information is then recognized, converted to electronic format, and processed accordingly.

At the most advanced end of this continuum is electronic forms (eForms) processing, which circumvents the need for paper altogether. EForms are accessed securely on organizations’ Web sites. When eForms are coupled with automated workflow, they can be electronically routed to the right person at the right time. Businesses can expedite processing without adding additional staff.

Increased customer satisfaction

With online forms, customers have the ability to submit their information with the click of a mouse. Electronic forms are available immediately for processing, eliminating potential delay and mismanagement that can be associated with paper processing. Electronic forms can be preconfigured with built-in rules so that upon receipt, they can be routed automatically for review, signatures, or further processing. Information is centralized so that authorized staff has simultaneous access to it.

As forms processing technology has evolved, so, too, have customer expectations. Customers demand fast turnaround time, and expect their service representative to have immediate answers when they contact an organization with questions. Electronic forms processing fulfills these needs, and also empowers customers to submit information into the system. Customers have the ability to control the accuracy of their information, and the need for data entry on the part of the receiving organization is dramatically reduced or even eliminated.

Lifecycle management

When automated workflow is added to the equation, you can also ensure that eForms are preconfigured for management throughout the document lifecycle. Automatic retention and destruction schedules can be implemented immediately upon submission of certain documentation. Workflow can also operate behind the scenes to ensure that submitted forms are automatically indexed as soon as they are received. This eliminates tedious manual keying that can be prone to error. At the same time, it ensures that information can be easily located, retrieved, and managed, whether it is active or archived.

Environmental benefits

Electronic forms further benefit the workplace by dramatically reducing paper processing. Obviously, when information is submitted over the Web, it decreases the amount of paper storage that is needed within an organization. Related to those savings are some not-so-obvious benefits: Reams of paper are saved, along with the trees that are associated with that paper and the materials required to transport and process those trees.

With the eradication of the need for storage space, organizations reap savings by eliminating the need to buy materials for building and heating that storage space, along with the resources and fossil fuels that are associated with construction. For those businesses that are replacing microfiche storage with workflow and electronic document management, the need to use mercury and other chemicals used to make and develop microfiche film is eliminated. Transitioning from paper processes to electronic makes sense not only from a business perspective, but from an environmental standpoint as well.

Conclusion

Two decades ago, it would have been difficult to imagine the ways in which the rapid evolution of technology has revolutionized the workplace. While much has changed in the business world, one constant will perpetually remain: Organizations will continually strive to gain a competitive edge by improving service to their customers. Optimizing your forms processing infrastructure is a significant tool that businesses can implement to maximize their operations, and at the same time meet and exceed customer expectations.

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