Bringing Order to the Campus Mailroom with Digital Processing

By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology, Inc.

View printable PDF (opens in new window)

Mailrooms are a major hub of activity in most collegiate settings. Some serve as many customers as a large town or small city post office. Parcels mailed to and from students, interdepartmental communications, faculty mail, materials shipped to branch campuses, and routine communications result in a mail volume that can be maddening. Keeping track of what has been sent and received, where items were delivered, signatures of receipt, information about questionable or potentially dangerous packages, and mail that was returned (including the reason) requires detailed tracking. Added to those trials, the flurry of constant activity can make it challenging to keep accurate records of what should be billed or charged back to various departments and campuses.

Managing incoming and outgoing mail electronically brings many benefits to the campus mailroom. Recordkeeping and tracking are easier; delivery is quicker, less complicated, and less expensive; billing for mailroom charges is expedited; and staff resources can be redirected to more useful pursuits than chasing and pushing paper. This article explains the role of document imaging, document management, bar code recognition, and digital workflow in helping campus mailrooms to deliver speedy service.

Recordkeeping and tracking: logging mailroom activity efficiently

Tracking and storage of logged mail is considerably easier when document-related information is stored and processed digitally into a centrally searchable electronic storage repository. Along with requested research and standard mail, college furnishings, care packages, and Internet purchases enter into the mailroom picture, involving different kinds of paperwork and receipts. Both senders and recipients depend upon fast and efficient delivery; errors can result in vocal complaints or, in the worst case, litigation. Document management software provides a digitally searchable repository for data collected from electronic forms as well as scanned or imaged documents (such as certified mail receipts, invoices, money orders, or documents you may be required to copy and file) — as well as important data about those documents. This helps you provide better and faster service to your customers.

Significant time savings are evident when staff needs to retrieve documents, pull reports, or present documentation to prove delivery. Tedious and time-consuming manual searches for information are replaced by electronic queries that are run directly from staff desktops. Storage space for items such as proof-of-delivery documents can be eliminated. Filing staff can be repurposed for indexing electronic files, which is far more efficient (and ergonomic) than paper retrieval. Staff that has permission to add notes to the document management system can record vital details to the storage repository such as information about suspicious mail. This facilitates instant searches and thorough reports in the event of audits or inquiries.

Quicker and less expensive mail delivery: keeping costs in check

Mailroom staff with the responsibility of copying and distributing standard documents benefit greatly from the addition of automated workflow. Routine documents that are scanned into the electronic document management system can be distributed electronically to multiple parties at the same time. Consider a transactional log of shipping receipts listing everything that was sent by a specific department. As the slips are scanned, or at a pre-set time (such as on the 15th and 30th of each month), they can be sorted into batches electronically and sent to the correct departments. They can be forwarded simultaneously to the accounting department for accurate billing of mailroom charges, and a report can be sent digitally to the bookkeeper so that the appropriate payables and receivables can be recorded. Heads of departments can receive lists of receipts linked to their images for easy review. If electronic forms enter the picture, shipping verifications can be captured electronically on site, completely eliminating the production of paper.

Mailroom staff that is further tasked with identifying particular document types and routing them may benefit from automatic processing. Outgoing forms can be pre-printed with bar codes containing encrypted information about the document as well as the intended recipient. This enables the system to automatically identify, index, and place like documents together in a batch as forms are returned, facilitating simultaneous and automatic distribution to the correct departments. Processing is expedited, and there are fewer chances of errors or duplicate files since the system is dependent on bar coded data rather than manual data entry for the most critical information.

Parcels and physical mail clearly won’t disappear from a mailroom’s services since many goods are not electronic. However, mail that consists purely of information and is pre-designated for mailroom processing can reach its destination more efficiently and cost effectively when it is recorded and delivered digitally. Ancillary services such as the mailroom are among the few areas where cost control is possible for collegiate institutions. As they step up their efforts to manage escalating costs and tuition, initiatives that promote efficiency and savings will be seriously considered. Your mailroom can help management to meet these goals by embracing cost-saving measures while actually improving services rather than hampering them.

Ending the paper chase: bringing back job satisfaction

In an age of mounting information and pressure to do more work, faster, delivering service with a smile is increasingly difficult. Even those who are intent on providing friendly service may falter in their intentions as they struggle under the growing burden of mailroom volumes. Rapidly growing campuses are faced with the additional challenge of handling and storing materials in comparatively shrinking amounts of space until they are able to be delivered, making searches cumbersome. Together, the challenges spell s-t-r-e-s-s.

A document management system reduces unnecessary anxiety by automating the storage, indexing, tabulating, reporting, and distribution of information in accordance with your requirements. Automated scanning, indexing, and bar code reading ensure that information about incoming mail is read accurately, is consistent in its form, and reaches its intended destination as items are logged and indexed. Bar coded return envelopes for paperwork issued by the institution significantly expedite the sorting and routing process as the items re-enter the mail system. This enables your staff to handle substantial volumes of mail without the added hassles of logging, search, and distribution, allowing them to devote more time to customer service as well as other duties in the mailroom.

Quicker charge-back billing puts cash back in your mailroom budget

Efficient billing of services is not an uncommon struggle, but electronic document management makes it easier. Instead of contention between a specific department and the mailroom over what was - or was not - shipped or mailed, proof is available, without the tedium of manual search. By querying the document management system on criteria by which you index the mail (such as by division, school, or department), you can point authorized persons to images that render proof of services. This virtually eliminates time-consuming audits for accuracy. Electronically logged mail enables instant queries, automatic calculations, unquestionable proof, quicker billing, and easier audits.

Summary

Just as universities are changing by adopting Internet-based technologies for learning, mailrooms have an opportunity to respond to changing marketplace conditions by adopting web-based mailroom processing tools that help them to remain competitive. A scalable, flexible document management system that centralizes your information and allows you to add functionality as your needs dictate can help you eliminate the chaos of manual mailroom processing. Campus leaders, your staff, faculty, parents, and students will all have a reason to celebrate your efficiency, giving you one more reason to smile.

Optical Image Technology offers an integrated suite of imaging, document management, and workflow software, including desktop scanning, document archiving, electronic forms, and email management products. To learn more about our products and services, visit our website at www.docfinity.com, call us at 800-678-3241.

To receive links to additional reference and educational articles such as this, please visit our subscribe form.