Paperless Mailrooms: Six Ways to Maximize the Value of Digital Information Across Your Enterprise

By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology, Inc.

(Note: This article was originally published in the March 2007 edition of document eNotes)

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The mailroom of a typical organization can be an overwhelming place. Paper is everywhere. Applications, forms, checks, photographs, images, and handwritten correspondence have to be viewed, acted upon, and filed. Filing and routing documents, locating misfiled materials, and reproducing lost papers are timeconsuming, expensive, and occasionally frustrating processes.

An increasing number of forward-thinking managers are digging their way out of the paper deluge while dramatically lowering their costs and enhancing customer services. The tools that enable them to rise above the plethora of papers are digital storage and workflow. By using their digital mailrooms as a starting point for true efficiency rather than a final destination, they realize substantial benefits enterprise-wide.

In order to take full advantage of automation, there are some basic considerations. Six ways to move from a paper-based mailroom to a mailroom that is the foundation for organizational efficiency are touched upon below.

Implement electronic storage as the foundation for organizational efficiency

Digital capture of documents provides instantaneous benefits. Regardless of whether organizations implement barcode recognition, a scanner with basic OCR, or a high-end OCR/ ICR/OMR product, users benefit from standardized capture of the critical information stored in their documents. Immediate digitization of materials eliminates unnecessary paper shuffling and the risk of misfiling. The greater benefits, however, include the consistent capture and categorization of information by the establishment of pre-set rules unique to your business, and the immediate and secure access that a robust solution provides. Digital capture is the starting point for effective automation. Without effective capture, corporate information is often difficult and time-consuming to access. However, if you stop there, you are not taking full advantage of the real value of digital information and the competitive advantage you will gain by building a solution on that foundation.

Index information intelligently for maximum value across the enterprise

One of the most commonly overlooked elements in a digital solution is the importance of establishing a carefully constructed indexing plan that addresses the diverse needs within the enterprise. As you examine your standard documents, ask yourself which departments would benefit from the information stored within them. Are customer identification numbers, contact information, payment records, or other data important to departments beyond the mailroom? Rather than simply storing the information in an electronic filing cabinet, consider which information should be accessible. If other departments’ users have access to the system, what terms will they use to search for the documents? Furthermore, which information is pertinent to multiple departments? Which is only needed by specific departments or people? Is there data (such as contact information) stored digitally which you could avoid re-keying in other departments if you were able to connect the software applications and extract the information automatically? If you index information with your long-term enterprise goals in mind, you will be positioned to take advantage of the real power of mailroom automation: digital workflow.

Use digital capture to launch workflows and expedite processing

One of the greatest benefits of digital capture is the ability to take new information that is entered into your electronic storage repository, or changes to the data, to automatically initiate business processes. Digital workflow can be instructed to notice a new customer number or document and to launch a workflow to initiate a policy or loan, request a further review of information, generate a follow-up document such as a thank-you letter or an invoice, and much more. A barcode recognition system can recognize returned mail and launch a workflow to automatically generate customized telephone calls or letters, using details stored in the system. Electronic workflow pushes the right work to the right people for instant action. Work that previously required days or weeks to process can be shortened dramatically with automated processing.

Integrate workflow into business applications to connect information silos

One of the greatest advantages of workflow is the ability to horizontally connect the information stored in departmental silos. Software applications in areas such as accounting, human resources, and purchasing often have valuable data that is useful to other areas within and across an enterprise. By integrating your company’s critical software applications with digital storage and workflow, your system can be configured to share critical information with other applications, and data can be extracted securely by those who are authorized. Work can be pushed through an organization more quickly, accurately, and effectively. CRM, policy underwriting, claims, admissions, human resources, ERP, and other applications no longer are restricted to servicing specific departments. Workflow ensures that you get the most bang for your buck, leveraging the value of the other investments you have made in technology.

Work behind the scenes: Tap into Web services

Some related challenges that keep organizations from automating include the fear of change and the lack of knowledge or training available to end users that will use the technology. This fear is prevalent. Vendors that provide robust Web services enable their software to be configured to do predefined work for end users behind the scenes, within their familiar software applications, eliminating this fear.

Does your staff need to search for specific information or documents routinely? Investigate whether your solution provider has Web services that allow you to add a button to your screen to return everyday information that your end user needs. Would your staff be more productive if routine tasks were handed to them? Web services can be configured to tap into digital workflow queues behind the scenes to deliver the work that your end user needs. Web services can access the power of workflow and other features within a document management suite, allowing you to complete your business processes in a fraction of the time needed for traditional processing, while eliminating the need for training.

Plan for the unexpected

Savvy managers understand the importance of being prepared for unforeseen challenges. Disasters come in many forms, ranging from leaky roofs to fires and natural disasters. When disaster strikes, paper-based organizations often lose critical materials. It can be costly, and sometimes impossible, to recreate them.

Digital storage with a solid backup system enables organizations to ensure business continuity in the event that disaster strikes. Automated workflow enables processing to carry on without interruption when paper records are destroyed or temporarily inaccessible. Instead of spending days, weeks, or even months trying to find the missing documents or determine where a document was within a specific process, workflow reporting can provide the information you need to assess the status of every transaction or account. Services can continue, and you can avoid chaos and frustration when a calamity occurs.

Summary

If you have digital storage in your mailroom, or are planning to establish it, make the most of your investment by tapping into tools that can revolutionize your business. The virtual mailroom as a standalone storage point is valuable, but it fails to take advantage of the real value of automation. By combining immediate necessity with a long-term vision for organizational efficiency, you are sure to gain a competitive edge.

For information about Optical Image Technology’s DocFinity® suite of workflow and document management software and services, please visit our website at www.docfinity.com, call 814.238.0038, or email us at info@docfinity.com.

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