Workflow automation drives efficiency in all sectors

Organizations in a wide variety of industries are leveraging digital workflow solutions to automate time-consuming processes and facilitate decision-making. Removing the burden of manually routing, organizing and submitting certain information with electronic document management can enable these firms can spend time on more valuable tasks and gain a considerable competitive edge.

Government Technology reported that the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department previously relied on a paper-based record-keeping system, which required employees to walk between multiple buildings to find basic data. This not only resulted in a significant waste of time, but also made staff less accountable as uncompleted projects were often unnoticed. Steven Santos, the department's development assistant manager, told the source that several years ago, the organization decided to make strategic investments to avoid redundant data entry. He explained that the department was getting complaints from the public demanding more modernized services.

The digital workflow solution proved especially advantageous in ensuring that employee task logs are accurate. Before, the department lacked a consistent method for monitoring assignments, meaning that workers were often up to six months behind without management being aware. The new automation technology has aided in tracking and enforcing task completion. The platform monitors employee activity and prevents workers from exceeding 28 days beyond the deadline for a task log. 

Better relationships
Government Technology highlighted that another benefit to the solution is that because building permits, inspection records and transaction receipts are kept in a centralized system, the public is able to access certain information online. 

"The return on investment is self-evident," Santos told Government Technology. "The nature and the form of the complaints that we get from staff and the public have changed. Instead of complaints like, 'This doesn't work,' and 'How can we do this?' we're now in a domain where we can come up with new ideas. It has allowed us to be more proactive in ways that we would have never considered. We are able to provide a new level of service that we never would have been able to before."

National Mortgage Professional reported that incorporating these automated processes could also enhance the mortgage industry's productivity and deliverability. For example, automation could ensure that income is automatically verified before any processing occurs. This validation of data integrity is critical to ensuring appropriative funding for any projects. Additionally, background checks are crucial to an efficient transaction, but can be extremely time-consuming. Automated verification of this process could reduce uncertainties and strengthen the relationship with the borrower.

By incorporating electronic document management solutions that provide business process automation, enterprises can eliminate disruptions to efficiency and focus on delivering higher quality products and services.

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