Document Imaging Technology: Increasing Business Productivity

Raymond K. Cunningham, Jr. CRM, CA, MIT

Manager of Records Services

University of Illinois Foundation

http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~rcunning/bus.htm

Recorded Information - Transition

• We live in transition between paper and digital

• 98% of Information today is created electronically

• Paper is being consumed at a higher rate today than in the past

• Technology that enables you to handle each in the workplace today can bridge that gap

How does Document Imaging Bridge the Transition?

• Document Imaging offers solutions to the problems of the Information Age

• DI offers greater efficiency in the workplace

• Better business communications

• Disaster Planning and Recovery – preservation of your business information

Recorded Information - Life Cycle

• Creation

• High Use – On Line

• Low Use – Near Line

• Archival – Far line

• Destruction – Retention schedule

Document Imaging – Ground Rules for Records Managers

• Document imaging is not for long term archival storage

• Retention schedules must be implemented on images, just as they are implemented on paper

• Security – a vital part of imaging

• Document imaging must enhance workflow, not impede it

The Document Imaging Process

• Appraisal

• Document Preparation

• Scanning

• Indexing

• Storage

• Distribution

Records Appraisal

• What are the business requirements?

• What are the workflow issues?

• Identify the vital records

• What are the security issues?

Document Preparation

• Document preparation can be handled by the business or the imaging vendor

• Document preparation is an important part of the process

Scanning

• Scanning can be done off-site or on-site

• Quality control is important – vendors have the experience in QC that often businesses do not

Indexing

• Image indexing – much can be done automatically depending on the filing of the original paper

• If forms are used, this can often be used in special OCR or ICR applications

• Quality control is important in this phase

• Do not over index

Storage

• On-Line Storage

• Near-Line Storage

• Archival Storage

• Off-Site Storage

Distribution

• Who will be retrieving the documents?

• Define your audience

• Are the end user able to view the documents?

• Options: web based retrieval, FAX, e-mail

What is BCP?

BCP

• Document imaging is an integral part of BCP

• Off-Site storage of business information is not only recommended, it is necessary to insure the long-term continuity of the business

• Document imaging can insure against loss of business information

Return on Investment

• What can I expect from document imaging?

• Increased efficiency

• Saving money

• Improved customer relations

Paper vs. Digital

• Paper – Higher cost for storage, maintenance and retrieval

• Paper – Usually single source of information and high risk for loss

• Digital – Lower storage costs

• Digital – Well managed digital records can be copied to off-site storage preventing loss

Accounts Payable

• Payables are typically paper mail-based systems integrating a check writing, mail out procedure.

• Payables are auditable for a minimum of 3 years in most businesses

• Payables are often routed through the enterprise to several locations, mail room, accounting, departments, CFO, back to accounting for check cutting and back to mail room.

Accounts Payable

• AP is usually one of the high impact areas of document imaging combining imaging, with existing software applications. Electronic routing is used to enhance the processing

• Two clerks working 40 hours per week, one filing, retrieving and routing

• Replaced by one clerk scanning – routing is done electrically. Auditors accept images as originals and audits are done in less time.

Bottom Line – Workflow

Document imaging provides increased productivity in handling, distributing and

storing recorded information

Workflow – Business Process Reengineering

Document imaging provides business with the necessary tools

to expedite workflow.

Accounts Receivable

• An average of $300,000 daily would flow into the UI Foundation in the form of donations, mostly checks

• At the UI Foundation it would take up to two weeks to respond to donations

• With imaging, the amounts were credited to accounts the same day, letters going out the same day.

• Imaging additionally expedited knowledge of individual donors, gave a more real time view of donors and images enabled the Research department to update addresses using images after the fact from their desktops.

Document Imaging – Utilize Your Existing Office Equipment

• Document imaging does not mean that you must invest in all new hardware and software

• Most often the software, databases and operating systems allow integration of document imaging

• Web based imaging retrieval

Outsourcing – Partner with the Vendor

• Small and medium businesses find advantages in outsourcing information processes to vendors

• Large businesses routinely store information in off-site and remote storage – data warehouses

You have options!

• Image all Records

• Image everything back to a certain date

• Image from today forward

• Scan on demand

You have options!

• Image records on-site or off-site

• Store on-site with off-site backup

• Warehouse your data, retrieving information from a secure location

• Index off site

You have options!

• Use integrated peripherals – copy/fax/print/scan

• Integrate imaging into your existing workflow systems

• OCR – Optical Character Recognition

• Off site storage of your business data

The Future

• EDMS – Electronic Document Management Systems

• Web based retrieval

• Data Migration – moving forward with your images – Partner with your vendor!

Thank You Any Questions?

Cunningham@uif.uillinois.edu