IDC Study Ties Business Process Management with Print Management

In a July 21st, 2014 article for the DocumentMedia.com, author Ron Glaz dissected a recent IDC survey to come up with some very interesting statistics and correlations about which organizations tend to automate business processes and workflows. The IDC study was completed in December of 2013. The study was US focused, and it aimed at investigating efforts to automate document-intensive business processes.

In his article, author Glaz “zeroed-in” on the types of processes that are automated, and uncovered a number of interesting facts in the study as well.

The overwhelming majority of business processes identified in the study were forms based. Not surprisingly, the top functional areas targeted for such process automation include: Accounting, Human Resources, and Financial. However, he also found that some smaller businesses still prefer person-to-person business processes, especially when it came to accounting and other financial support, opting to use local services similar to a London Accountant BrooksCity firm and other similar endeavors. Furthermore, in terms of transportation businesses they can get technology like TMS software, which controls the accounting, store information, and organizes dispatches, as well as other things to help businesses to control and manage their company.

What is somewhat of a surprise is that Forms Management is one of the key drivers for organizations to implement process automation projects! We see forms and workflow as a big issue with our clients as well.

Management of organizations deal with things like:

? How do I manage different versions of my forms?

? How do we get the correct form (most recent version) to the employee?

? How do we ensure that management responds to a form/request in a timely manner?

? What is the workflow protocol when a first line manager is on vacation?

? How long do we have to retain forms?

? How do we dispose of requests/forms correctly?

Employees ask questions like:

? What form do I use?

? Where do I find the correct form?

? Where is my form in the process?

? What is the correct entry for that field?

? Who do I give my form to?

? My boss is on vacation, who do I give my form to?

? Why do I have to reenter the same information on different forms or in different places?

? Did I send that form? What did I send?

It’s no wonder that one of the top five reasons for organizations to automate business processes last year was Forms Management!

The Document Media article goes on to say that survey respondents with Managed Print Services (MPS) contracts are “far more likely to automate and/or optimize business processes than those that do not”. The study also found the same thing to be true with firms that had deployed a print volume reduction initiative. Those firms were also more likely to automate and optimize business processes with the use of various management software packages from the likes of Axxerion and other software companies.

These statements of a close correlation make a lot of sense! Organizations that make the effort of controlling costs with an MPS contract, or a print volume reduction initiative, are probably much more likely to try to reduce costs by automating business processes as well. Automating business processes helps employees to be more efficient, and it increases their productivity. This allows an organization’s management to drive efficiencies and cost savings.

The question is: How does a firm quickly and easily automate business processes without breaking the bank? Especially when for the average organization, most Business Process Automation (BPA) tools are either too expensive or too cumbersome to use on anything that is not mission critical.

Here are four key points to consider when selecting a BPA tool:

1) Simplification- use what you have!

Your organization chose Microsoft, and it spent a lot of money on that infrastructure, so why not make use of it? If your firm is like most, you have Microsoft products running nearly every facet of the business. Your office automation platform runs on Microsoft (Office), your email system is Microsoft (Outlook), your databases are Microsoft (SQL, SharePoint), pretty much everything runs on Microsoft technology. Find a business process automation tool that can leverage that existing Microsoft Infrastructure.

2) Find a tool that is easy for end-users!

No one is going to use a new tool if it’s not easy. Pick a tool that uses an environment that end-users already know and understand. Far too many organizations select full featured, state of the art technologies, only to find out that end-uses refuse to use them. Or, that use of the new system has to be forced upon end-users in a way that causes internal strife/resistance. The tool has to be EASY for employees!

3) Find a tool that integrates with your other systems!

A wise philosopher once said: Automation for the sake of automation is folly (roughly translated)! If your business process automation system does not make it easy to integrate with your other systems, it’s not worth it. Start over! Again, Microsoft is prevalent in your firm, make sure the tool you select uses Microsoft as the basis for its technology, and that integrating with your ERP, HR, or CRM is simple and smooth. This could be important, especially if customer relationship management is at the forefront of your business goals. Regardless of whether you look for micros online ordering services, or other systems to get it to work as you want it to, it needs to compliment any new tools you decide to introduce too.

4) Find a tool that makes it easy for departments to create their own workflows!

It seems like creating workflows with some tools require a PhD. Sure, there are tools with very advanced functionality, but If IT (or even worse, a consultant) has to be involved with creating every workflow, it could take forever! Choose a tool that someone in Operations can actually use, that is the only way that you’ll have the agility to really make a difference.

Here’s a surprise! I have a suggestion on where to look for a tool that meets those criteria. Our FormVerse technology leverages Microsoft Outlook, the most widely used email system in the world, to provide a simple and easy to use platform for automating processes. It’s fast to implement, because your Outlook infrastructure is already in place. There is fast adoption, because it’s easy for your employees who already know how to use email. A copy of the data from the forms can be integrated with your other applications, and it’s easy for your departmental administrators.

Click here for a quick web demo to see how FormVerse can make your life easier, and make your employees more productive!