DocuWare enables compliant record-keeping

Prior to installing DocuWare, employees kept track of document retention schedules on paper. Because different document types are purged on different schedules, this was a daunting task. For example, attendance data must be kept for 20 years while health information obtained by school nurses is kept for only five years. After the DocuWare install, this task was automated. Now, DocuWare workflows automatically enforce retention schedules established by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, making compliance easier and more transparent. State auditors review retention practices, and it's much easier to provide them with requested documents. DCPS also switched to the newer transcript archiving method that allows for faster searches. That’s particularly helpful for dealing with handwritten transcripts from the 1960s and ’70s. “We used an old program to archive transcripts and were looking for something more modern with better search capabilities,” Roark says. “Now we can search by name, birthdate and other index data.”

Automation offers flexibility for school systems

During the COVID-19 crisis, DocuWare facilitated device assignments to enable teachers to take laptops and other equipment home to implement online learning. As each teacher signed a form to record the equipment they took home, it was electronically accessed on an iPad. That allowed teachers to sign out equipment with minimal interaction with other staff. “Some people think office automation is only for big companies, but it has tremendous benefits for school systems,” Roark says. “DocuWare is used by seven departments in the DCPS district and its usage continues to expand.”