Transforming Manual Processes to E- Processes

Software Magazine, August, 2001 by Elizabeth U. Harding

Bottlenecks in processes involving documents and records, particularly paperbased ones, pose a common dilemma for many companies. And yet, adoption of workflow/process automation and content management software lags behind other document technologies, according to a recent study conducted by Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner Group on behalf of AIIM International (The Association for Information and Image Management). Of the users and suppliers surveyed, 30% had installed content management solutions and 36% had adopted workflow/process management, contrasted with 61% of respondents who had implemented document imaging.

However, planned use of process automation and workflow had the greatest number of responses, with 28% planning to use the technology, followed by 21% planning to use content management and 21% planning to use to use data warehouseing/mining.

Two companies that have experienced success turning manual processes into eprocesses with workflow and process management solutions are The Scotts Company and AAA Missouri, both using products from longtime players in the imaging and document management arena.

For The Scotts Company, a leading supplier of consumer products for do-it-yourself lawn and garden care, speeding time to market for new products was a priority. To do so, the Columbus, Ohio-based company needed to streamline its complex and challenging internal operations.

"One of the biggest bottlenecks was administering the commercialization process-making sure that specifications, regulations, and documents were all approved and, if not, finding out where they were in the approval cycle," says Harold Thompson, Scotts Company senior engineer for process development.

Developing new products requires a high degree of interdepartmental collaboration, internally and externally, Thompson says. Many cross-functional departments and business partners participate in the process, and multiple project teams have to record, report, and manage this process.

To better manage this large production process, the Scotts Company selected icXpertFlow, from icomXpress (formerly Keyfile Corp.), Nashua, N.H. The product automatically transforms complex procedures into a flowing process, keeping records and permissions intact.

"We chose icomXpress software to speed our flow of operations by transforming our manual process into an e-process," says Thompson. "It manages the process for us and also manages the status documentation."

icXpertFlow lets everyone involved in the workflow view information at the same time, Thompson says.

The Scotts Company started moving from paper into a more electronic process last September, Thompson says. By December, the company had completed a working model and rolled out the first business group in January. Four of its seven business groups have implemented the electronic process so far.

The biggest challenge in implementing the electronic workflow system, according to Thompson, was getting used to the structure. "That was a learning experience for some people," he says.

Insurer Reduces Cycle Time

Bottlenecks in manual processes were also an issue for AAA Missouri, based in St. Louis. The organization, which serves over one million members in seven states, wanted to streamline its underwriting review for insurance applications received online. AAA Missouri implemented Acenza Insurance, an e-business process automation application from FileNET Corp., Costa Mesa, Calif.

"Based on our prior association with FileNET as a document image provider, we felt very comfortable," says Robert Schreiber, AAA vice president, Insurance Operations. "We began implementation in September 2000, and then established public access last January."

The Acenza Insurance product has complex process management routing, pending, matching of documents to files, and distribution functions that are customizable to a specific insurance environment. Acenza Insurance consolidates assigned tasks and data into one location where AAA Missouri underwriters can easily retrieve the information.

Schreiber says the biggest challenge to implementing Acenza was determining the rules and the format of the output so that it would match the way AAA Missouri's underwriters wanted to organize their work.

"We've been able to take our cycle time from an average of seven days to a matter of minutes," says Schreiber. "The agent is immediately notified once the underwriter decides to accept the risk and initiate policy. And if the underwriter needs further clarification, they know immediately. This makes our agents more productive."