Automation of electronic document flow in the company

What is document flow automation?

Document flow automation is the process of replacing manual document management by automated systems (so-called workflow). Such a system of electronic document circulation allows you to:

• automatic creation of contracts, digital invoices or orders based on predefined templates
• automatic document flow in the organization,
• monitoring delays and possible errors in the process,
• streamlining the process of accepting documents.

Automation allows companies to save time and resources, while increasing the efficiency and safety of working with documentation.

Electronic document flow system in practice

We already know that the automation of document flow allows you to speed up work in the administration or accounting department. But what can such an automated process really look like in your enterprise? Below you will find an example of a document flow system that improves the workflow in our client's company:

As you can see, we have automated not only the generation or archiving of the contract, but in fact the entire path that the document travels. Here is a description of the presented document circulation process:

1. The administration employee receives information about the need to start the process of signing a new contract.
2. Using an intuitive form in the document management system, the employee fills in the customer data from the database and selects the type of document.
3. Thanks to the integration with Slack, information about the start of the document processing process is automatically sent to the person who wants to sign the contract.
4. From the messenger, the manager assigned to the signature can now check the content of the sent file and go to the electronic signature. Then check the status of the document in real time (it will receive notifications, for example, if the agreement is signed by the other party).
5. The software for document circulation also eliminates the need to manually send mail to the client, the system does it automatically.
6. The procedure ends at the moment of signing the document by the client. Automation, that is, our program for electronic document flow, then archives the file on disk giving it the appropriate name — this makes it easier to view and store documents.

Benefits of automating document flow in a company

Automated document flow in a company is not only a way to speed up everyday processes, but also a guarantee of greater transparency and better control over each stage of work with documentation. With the implementation of such a solution, all activities are thoroughly documented and their status easy to track for all parties involved. Automation eliminates many manual, time-consuming tasks, minimizes the risk of errors, and improves internal and customer communication. Below you will find the main benefits that document flow automation can bring to your business:

1. Streamlined process management by managers

The manager knows at what stage the document flow process is, whether the client has signed the document or whether we are still waiting for the signature of the other party. The latest B2BE report indicates that:

60% of respondents consider document approval processes to be time-consuming, and 30% complain that they are overly complicated.

Electronic document flow significantly speeds up this procedure. In addition, the automation of business processes allows the introduction of solutions that allow handling situations in which the client reports corrections to the document — the system can then redirect the file to the appropriate administrative employee, record the changes and resume circulation after their introduction.

2. Integrations for faster employee response

With business automation and integration with everyday tools like Slack, businesses gain greater transparency and consistency in communications. Information about the status of documents, required actions or upcoming deadlines goes directly to users in their work environment (e.g. to instant messengers or mailboxes). Such notifications reduce the response time. According to a report by The ECM Consultant:

Employees spend around 30% of their time searching for documents and duplicating unnecessary files, resulting in significant productivity losses.

Meanwhile, the use of automated document flow reduces these losses, providing quick access to current file versions and eliminating information chaos. In addition, real-time updates eliminate the need to manually check progress or send dozens of emails to exchange information, so company employees can focus on substantive activities instead of tedious administration.

3. Reduce the frequency of errors with form validation software

Automation allows the application of validation, which will check all the data entered by the employee or customer. This significantly reduces the risk of human error, such as missing data, incorrect formats or logical inconsistencies. The document flow management system in real time checks the correctness of the data from the documents and does not allow you to go to the next stage of the process without supplementing or correcting them. Thanks to this, the documents are immediately complete and comply with the formal requirements.

4. Saving time and increasing the operational efficiency of the company

Process automation and electronic document flow mean that employees no longer have to perform many manual steps. Most of their work will take place from the slot machine and with the help of a single system. Thanks to this, the administration team in your company will no longer be a so-called “bottleneck”, and all business processes will accelerate significantly.

5. Simplified management of contract records

Transformation of electronic document flow allows you to get an automatic database of records from historical contracts and annexes. This improvement allows you to quickly find key information such as contractual penalties, notice periods or implementation schedules. Automated document search eliminates the need to manually analyze multiple files, saving time and minimizing the risk of missing important data. In addition, it is possible to conveniently use the records of previous contracts to create new, properly adjusted documents. This streamlines the entire process of preparing and updating existing documentation.

6. Process automation and a better experience of business partners

Thanks to automation, customers and partners receive consistent, professionally prepared documents faster and without errors. The ability to fill out forms remotely, automatically generate invoices and a clear digital signature process translate into a higher level of service and greater trust in the organization.

Ready-made document flow system or dedicated process automation — which is better?

The implementation of electronic document flow seems to be a simple task at first glance. However, when we consider the number of options available on the market, the question arises: what is really worth investing in?

Below you will find a simple comparison that will allow you to understand the differences between a ready-made document flow system and dedicated process automation:

Ready-made invoice and document circulation system

An off-the-shelf solution that allows you to quickly implement basic functions such as document signing, versioning, notifications or archiving. It will work in companies that have standard processes and want to optimize documentation immediately. Ready-made systems are usually easy to operate and do not require large start-up costs, but Their disadvantage is limited flexibility — they are more difficult to adapt to unusual needs or integrate with other systems used in the organization.

Dedicated automation of document management processes

An approach based on the construction of a “tailor-made” system, ideally suited to the specific requirements of the company. It allows you to map even very complex procedures, integrate with tools you use every day (e.g. ERP, CRM, Slack) and make changes as your organization grows. While it requires more time and investment at the implementation stage, it provides full control, scalability and competitive advantage. This is a solution for companies that think long-term and want to automate processes exactly as they need it.

If you are thinking about implementing automation of the flow of invoices and documents in your company, it is worth considering which solution will best suit your business needs. Typically, off-the-shelf systems are a better option for smaller businesses that have less extensive processes. On the other hand, if your company operates in a multi-stage structure or has complex processes for processing and storing documents, dedicated automation is probably a better solution.

Make an appointment for a free consultation with our specialist and find out which document management system will be suitable for your enterprise: https://www.sagiton.pl/en/contact

Case Study: Document workflow automation for the administration department in a service company

A company came to us, which had problems with an inefficient process of circulation of invoices and documents. The contracts took too long to process, which often negatively affected the business relationships that sellers sought to take care of. See how the digitization of paper documents and the implementation of automation made it possible to optimize operational activities in our client's company.

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Our client's problem:
Administration staff each time, manually filled in the data for invoices and other documents. The client lacked a database that would improve the circulation of documents in electronic form.

Solution:
Using no/low-code technology, we have created transparent forms with appropriate validations, so that customers independently complete their company data. In addition, the information entered once is saved in the database so that the document flow automation system can immediately paste it into the document the next time.

Our client's problem:
Managers and sellers, at the request of whom the processes related to the processing of invoices and other documents were started, collected all the requirements during telephone conversations. This caused numerous errors and delays.

Solution:
We have implemented the automation of the process of collecting requirements from customers through online forms that have replaced telephone conversations conducted by managers and salespeople. Information from the forms goes directly to the system and automatically completes the draft contract, eliminating the need to manually rewrite the data. Automation has significantly reduced errors and delays, improving the quality of service and speeding up the implementation of tasks related to the processing of invoices and documents.

Our client's problem:
Monitoring of the document flow process was difficult, leading to a lack of transparency and difficulty in determining at what stage a document is at and who is responsible for its further processing. The lack of a central tool made it impossible to track progress efficiently and made it necessary to manually contact many people for basic information. This, in turn, often led to the loss of documents.

Solution:
We implemented a transparent no/low code application, which significantly simplified the management of the entire process. The administration department has gained access to a tool from which it can check the status of documents on an ongoing basis, identify those responsible for signing and, if necessary, send automatic reminders. Thanks to the centralization of information and the automation of key functions, the application has increased control over the process. Document processing time was reduced, and in addition, thanks to the use of a cloud solution, employees received access to documents from any device.

Benefits of document flow automation in our client's organization:

• 70% reduction in document processing time
• Elimination of errors in data and when sending documents
• Significantly facilitate documentation management with automatic document history creation and archiving

In conclusion, how to effectively automate and improve the workflow of documentation in your company?

Remember that effective automation of document flow in a company should begin with the analysis of existing processes and the identification of key areas that generate the most time losses and errors. Only after the analysis, you can choose between a ready-made system and a dedicated solution — when making a decision, pay attention to the complexity of administrative processes. Well-implemented automation of document flow brings many benefits. It is also worth supporting it with integrations with everyday tools and form validations, which significantly reduce the number of errors and speed up the operation in the enterprise.

If you want to implement electronic document flow, please contact us. We will be happy to help you choose the right technologies and arrange the process in such a way that it is the most profitable and realistically increases the efficiency of your company.