Document automation is a measure that almost all modern enterprises resort to. Even small companies work with a ton of different documents, including letters, budgets, invoices, contracts, and all kinds of requirements. For this reason, almost every modern organization tries to use such a measure as workflow automation, which ensures the completeness and safety of data, the convenience of searching and storage of various information, as well as the ultimate optimization of the time required for its coordination.
Why is this needed?
In almost any company, employees spend a lot of time finding the right information, and statistics eloquently indicate that it takes about half of the work time. It also happens that you have to recreate again, instead of re-applying, some documents that exist "somewhere." It is quite standard that the lawyer has the source text of a contract in a computer, and the accounting entries for securities accompanying the execution of contracts are carried out in the accounting system, accounts and acts are kept in the financial department in paper form, and correspondence regarding the execution of contractual works is in the electronic mailboxes of workers. Such a "dispersion" of information is extremely harmful to security, integrity and consistency, it is in such situations that the automation of workflow becomes relevant.
Through the introduction of specialized information systems, the overwhelming majority of problems are solved. For example, some budgeting systems provide the ability to create a system of interconnected budgets with the subsequent formation and storage of different versions of such documents, as well as indicating their statuses. Thus, the problem of budget workflow is partially solved through the use of such systems.
However, do not forget that modern budget bases, as well as accounting and ERP systems, in most cases work with structured information, that is, data that can be created and stored in the form of a table. According to most experts, in the total amount of data of any modern business of structured information , only 20% is given, while the rest includes electronic correspondence, texts of documents, various protocols of negotiations and meetings, images, etc. Quite often, without conducting a study of unstructured information, there is simply no way to make a normal assessment of the context in which structured information is already present. The storage, collection and subsequent processing of such data is ensured by the use of such measures as workflow automation, or company content management systems.
What it is?
Using the electronic document management system, the organization of any interaction between the employees of a particular organization is provided on the basis of the documents provided. Again, in 1C, document management provides for the creation of documents, the possibility of moving them around the organization, and also retains control over the execution of documents and processes described with their help. Thus, electronic document management provides the company with a huge number of advantages, taking its work to a practically new level.
Each individual document in such an electronic system is distinguished by the presence of a whole set of details that uniquely characterize it (quite often it is customary to call such sets cards). The card can contain a variety of information, including the type of document, the date of formation and change, the name of the author, as well as the storage location and much more. In the future, the document management system will provide for the storage and search of the necessary documentation in accordance with the details that were indicated in this card.
Opportunities
Electronic document management provides the organization with not only a lot of advantages, but also opens up many new opportunities, which is also important.
Centralized management
Regardless of how large a particular enterprise is, the workflow system allows for quick changes to the forms of documents circulating on it. For example, to change the application form for any expenses at various responsibility centers, it is enough to simply make certain adjustments to the template of the application that is already stored in the system. After that, the employees who fill out such applications will no longer be able to use the documentation of the outdated form, since the application is filled out and transmitted through this system.
Documentation Lifecycle Support
Each document that will be handed over and processed at any enterprise, without fail passes through several established stages. For example, if it is a corporate budget, then it must first be drawn up, and then approved and executed on time. After that, various actual and planned indicators of this budget are thoroughly analyzed and sent to the archive. In 1C, document management provides for tight control over the life cycle of the documentation, taking into account the basic requirements of the corporate environment, as well as various legal standards and industry standards for the business of this company.
Teamwork
The electronic document management system provides a much simpler organization of collective work on documents, and specialists who are located in various offices or even in different cities can participate in it.
The system stores a fairly large number of versions of one document, and in addition to direct changes, they allow you to annotate the data, that is, add certain comments and notes to them, without affecting the basic information that it should convey.
Confidentiality
A rather important feature of such systems is that in the same 1C the document flow can be signed through a special electronic signature with subsequent encryption. Thanks to this, if necessary, you can not only confirm the authenticity of this or that information, but also uniquely determine the author, as well as achieve the most effective security of storage of various data.
Routing
If there is no electronic document management system, then in that case the employee who takes part in the creation of certain papers must necessarily understand to whom it is best to transfer these papers. Electronic document management at the enterprise allows you to automatically transfer data to the right person.
Routing itself is free and hard. The free one provides the possibility of sending documents to absolutely any addressee, depending on the need, while the tough one provides for the most accurate regulation, but in special cases the action of the documentation movement rules pre-established in the system may pause a little (for example, if you need to send the draft documents for review to any third-party specialist).
Access control
There are several options for how to differentiate the powers of various employees of the company in terms of documentation management. Thus, modern workflow automation tools allow you to give a person full control over the data, limit the ability to edit, or even allow you to only view or annotate some files. Due to this, work with various data is greatly simplified, and what is important - it becomes much more secure.
Integration
To ensure the maximum integrity of the information that is circulated within a certain company, electronic document management at the enterprise provides for the integration of the installed system with others - financial, production, analytical, etc. Due to such integration opportunities, modern document management systems are often used to be used as a kind of connecting link between several types of software.
Documents from all systems logically connected with this information are usually called context. It may include the contents of paper or electronic correspondence, faxes, payment documents, protocols of events, video or audio recordings, and a host of other information. You can add context to the document manually or completely automate this process depending on the preferences and needs of the management.
For example, a modern document management automation system in the process of forming and subsequent budget changes allows you to use a number of other contextual information:
- all kinds of marketing market research, including not only their own, but also those that were obtained from external sources;
- various contracts with counterparties (buyers or suppliers);
- special reference documentation;
- additional documentation that reflects any restrictions or assumptions (as an example, we can cite the inflation rate, exchange rates and other data);
- minutes of meetings held to discuss any version of the budget, as well as including all kinds of working comments and comments of process participants (often such documentation is sent between all employees by e-mail and stored separately from files with budget information).
A user who works with the budget can at any time, if necessary, view some of the above documents, as modern document automation technologies allow him to do this without any lengthy searches.
What systems are used with us?
One of the most common software solutions that can be found in Russian companies is the combination of Microsoft Outlook utilities along with Microsoft Exchange Server. The first application, in principle, is installed on almost every computer, while Exchange Server is often used as a full-fledged email server. Despite the fact that in companies where the implementation of electronic document management has been carried out for a relatively long time, such programs are used only as a platform for working with e-mail, after some centralized settings even this software can be used as a fairly functional document automation tool for almost any organization .
At the moment, the Russian market is filled with dozens of different systems, with the help of which automation of document management is provided, and such software is offered not only by Western, but also by domestic developers. Even Microsoft, in addition to the above programs, also offers utilities such as Content Management Server or SharePoint Portal Server.
Documentum is considered to be the most powerful among all existing systems, but basically only large companies use this automation process. The workflow of some companies is automated due to the Lotus Notes software package, but many call it a kind of “designer for programmers,” since creating a complete system on its basis is quite difficult.
What are the differences between Russian and Western systems?
If we talk about the main differences between domestic and foreign utilities, then they are in the available scalability. For example, if systems from Western developers can function in almost any operating system, then domestic ones are mainly developed for only one of them, and naturally, it is often Windows. Western systems are configured to use any DBMS. Such limitations of Russian systems can make it very difficult to build cross-platform integrated solutions.
Regarding functionality, the main difference is that in the West, automation of document production and document management is carried out by several programs that can be produced under a single brand, but at the same time be intended for different purposes. For example, Documentum offers several separate products that are used for full automation, as well as integration with ERP-systems, support for design workflow, etc. The overwhelming majority of software developed in Russia is aimed at solving a specific problem.
It is also worth noting that the fundamental difference lies in the approach of both parties to what constitutes a workflow automation system. Western systems are aimed at providing full automation and subsequent support of various end-to-end business processes occurring within the organization, while the vast majority of domestic programs automate only certain functions.
The cost of Western systems approximately ranges from $ 400 to $ 1000 for each workplace, not taking into account the costs of implementation, programs and equipment, which are required in order to ensure normal electronic document management. The implementation itself often costs about half the usual cost of licenses, since most often programs for automating workflow are implemented with various promotions, but in some situations the price is an order of magnitude higher. One of the most complex is always the project of automation of financial documentation, since for such projects the implementation price is approximately 2-3 times higher compared to the cost of licenses.
Domestic programs are sold at a price of $ 200-600 for each workplace, and in addition to this, the cost of additional programs and various equipment is taken into account. Ultimately, the calculation of comparative value is carried out in almost the same way as in Western systems.
Features
In the predominant majority of cases, processes related to the coordination of documents, for example, the process of initial preparation and further implementation of budgets, are a priority area of automation. However, many teams now use automation of paperwork and workflow, that is, with procedures for registering outgoing and incoming documentation.
Introduction to the operation of the electronic system does not have fundamental differences from the introduction of any other automated systems, so you should focus only on the distinguishing features of this project.
Creation of corporate storages
The introduction of a workflow automation system in any case involves the creation of a kind of corporate repository in which all documentation will be stored. The logical structure of such a repository, the development and further implementation of a security policy, as well as the hierarchy of document storage requires maximum care and must be carried out already at an early stage of the project.
It should be borne in mind that the storage function can be deployed at the beginning of design, so at the initial stage, you can move all documents from current locations to a single corporate repository. Due to this, users can familiarize themselves with any basic functions of the system, and at the same time get comfortable with its application. It is possible to speed up the adaptation of employees to implemented systems through the use of service functions such as alerts about changes to the documentation, the appearance of new documents, etc.
Thus, workflow automation is required for any modern enterprise that seeks to develop and improve its work.