Everything also worked seamlessly during the test phase in conjunction with two newly acquired scanners. Using both a document scanner as well as a Ricoh multifunction device, they capture paper-based invoices as well as any relevant freight documents, which are digitized via barcode recognition and automatically stored in a central document pool. In addition to integrating the email system, the digital filing of outgoing invoices was also successfully tested. These invoices include transportation charges, any damages or repair shop fees, as well invoices generated by their industry-specific ERP solution, Soloplan Carlo. The invoices are immediately available to the accounting staff for further processing steps, like verifying payments received.
Twelve paper binders less per year
The practical benefits of DocuWare Cloud can be seen in many ways. Invoice processing times have been significantly cut, now that incoming invoices are automatically captured and indexed by the DMS and then placed in the digital tray of the responsible employee. Thanks to electronic workflows, invoices are checked and authorized for payment. Employees can take advantage of this approach at both the company headquarters or when working from home. And even from an environmental point of view, their digitization has been a success: they were able to avoid filling up about twelve paper binders every year with printed and outgoing invoice documents, while meeting all legal retention requirements.
By mid-2016 and six months into productive operation, the company's feedback remained consistently positive. Almost 3,000 documents were archived in the central document pool during this timeframe. In Autumn 2016, they began digitizing the entire Quality Management department , particularly critical since Adam Transporte is certified according to ISO 9001. Not only employees working in-house, but also the drivers too, wanted to have all manuals as well as process and work guidelines available digitally at the touch of a button.
With the cloud into the future
Although his company did not conduct detailed ROI calculations during the run-up to ECM implementation, the quick amortization of the investment was obvious, according to the company's Managing Director. The cloud approach is one reason he also feels the company is well-equipped for the future. The decision for DocuWare Cloud not only spares the company from making additional hardware investments in servers and storage systems, but it also saves them time lost to regular data backups or crafting an elaborate disaster-recovery-concepts that, in the face of more violent natural disasters, is apparently more necessary than ever. In addition, a cloud-based ECM solution ensures that the newest features are readily available and that changes in legal requirements can be seamlessly met.