Streamline Operations: Automate with Document Management Systems
Reading Time:
What is process automation?
Process automation, also known as robotic process automation (RPA) or business process automation (BPA), refers to automating and streamlining repetitive tasks or processes to reduce human input.
For example: Without process automation, you would have to manually extract keywords and key phrases from each uploaded document. This process is both time-consuming and error-prone. However, with the help of a process automation tool like a document management system, you can automatically index and organize each uploaded document into the appropriate folders or groups.
Benefits of process automation
- Reduces process costs
- Reduces delays and errors in operation
- Improves data management and retention
- Increases overall productivity and efficiency
- Increases customer satisfaction
There are different types of process automation tools such as: E.g. content management systems, document management systems, project management systems, etc. In this article, we will talk about how document management systems enable process automation in the workplace.
Process automation with a document management system
An automated document management system provides end-to-end document management solutions by allowing users to scan, organize, store, edit, track, share and secure all their documents in one place.
Document management systems like IceHrm offer features that automate recurring document processes such as document transfers, approvals, indexing, etc., reducing manual work and reducing the cost and time spent on document processing.
5 business processes that can be automated with a document management system:
Importing documents from the drive
Every company, large or small, creates countless new documents every day. Be it invoices, payroll, inventory requests, customer feedback or anything else. Transferring and storing all of these documents in one common location can be extremely tedious.
Document management systems offer functions that automatically transfer new incoming documents into the system. This feature tracks document activity in specific folders on the hard drive and routinely transfers new documents from those folders to the document management system.
Extracting data from uploaded and scanned documents
Extracting data or keywords is an important part of document management. Extracted keywords make it easier to find documents when needed.
Users can select which areas of a document to scan, and the system's OCR will automatically extract data from the selected areas as often as they want. This process is beneficial in extracting key data such as amount, date, customer name, payment status, etc. from document types such as invoices, inventory reports, expense reports, and more.
Organize and categorize documents
Manually separating documents by content and type and placing them in the appropriate folders and stacks can take a lot of time. To counteract this, there are so-called target profiles in document management systems.
Destination profiles are preconfigured directions taken based on the content and nature of the document. For example, a destination profile created specifically for invoices transfers each incoming invoice to the Invoice folder, document type, and batch. Users can also create multiple destination profiles for incoming invoices from different customers to further organize documents.
Archiving and disposal of documents
Another daily business process that is constantly repeated is the archiving and disposal of documents. Archiving protects important documents from being accidentally edited or deleted, and disposal helps clear the clutter of old documents.
An automated document management system provides document retention features that automate the archiving and disposal of documents. Users can select any date on which a document should be archived or deleted, and depending on the selection, the document is automatically moved to the system's archive database or recycle bin.
Automating document sharing
Delays in document approval result in low productivity and thousands of dollars in lost revenue. The main reason for delays in document release is the lack of coordination and synchronization between the parties involved. In most cases, the documents do not reach the approver on time or contain missing or incorrect information.
The document approval automation feature in a document management system eliminates all the disadvantages of disorganized approval methods. Users can design a custom workflow, choose the number of approvers at each step, communicate with other users through comments, track workflow activities, and notify users of pending approval tasks at the click of a button.
Elevate your workflow efficiency with IceHrm's document management solutions. Automate tasks, reduce errors, and enhance productivity seamlessly.
