Many organizations believe that just by storing their records in a document management system they’ve done enough to improve their processes. Savvy organizations know that the next step to further streamline their day-to-day processes is by utilizing advanced workflows. Like most effective processes, workflows are specific to the organization using them, and you may be unsure of how they work and the difference between Basic and Advanced Workflows.
What exactly is a workflow? It’s the sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion. Some of these workflows are relatively straightforward, like making a chocolate cake (the tastiest type of workflow) while others may be far more complex, like building a skyscraper.
Within document management, some sample workflows might be requesting approval, PO requisition, or onboarding.
Workflows are incredibly important, they help provide transparency within key processes, and allow you to identify any potential red flags. Also, like a recipe, it moves along processes so you can get to a successful end result.
What is the difference between Basic Workflow and Advanced Workflow?
The basic workflow is described as single steps with sequential actions. The easiest example of this is a recipe, each step leads to the next and even though you started with just a few ingredients, you wind up with a great finished (and hopefully delicious) product! In DocStar, standard workflow is included in the base product. Known as a 2-step workflow, it relies on if/then logic then stops. 2-Step workflows are full-featured but limit administrators to only one step with no branching.
Advanced Workflow, on the other hand, allows for more sophisticated processes and logic, such as if/then/else steps, multi-level approvals, and dynamic branching based on conditions. By integrating these workflows into cloud-based document management systems, organizations can streamline their processes even further, allowing for better collaboration, accessibility, and scalability. To learn more about how cloud-based document management enhances collaboration and productivity, read our blog here.
How can workflows be utilized?
While there’s a place for a custom workflow, whether it be Basic or Advanced, in just about any part of your business, our most common use cases are within accounting and finance.
An example of an Advanced Workflow would be in scenarios within Accounts Payable approvals where different approvers would be notified based on the department making the request. Utilizing branch conditions within Advanced Workflow means the right approvals go to the right people at the right time.
Advanced workflows become even more powerful when combined with Intelligent Data Capture (IDC) solutions. IDC automates data extraction from documents, allowing your workflows to start the moment a document is captured and digitized. This eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors, making the entire process faster and more efficient. You can learn more about how Intelligent Data Capture can supercharge your workflows here.
Integrating advanced workflows with your existing ERP systems, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC, SYSPRO ERP, or Sage Intacct, allows for even greater automation and efficiency. These integrations enable real-time data synchronization, making it easier to manage approvals, financial records, and other critical business documents within your workflows.
Additionally, multi-step advanced workflow can be seen in situations where a workflow needs to search and compare a value on an invoice (such as PO number) to an existing PO in Docstar with a matching value and determine if the total amount of the invoice matches the total amount of the PO. If the totals don’t match, you can easily be notified and work towards getting that rectified quickly, having spent little-to-no manual work on catching the error.
Additional ways advanced workflow can vastly improve your document management process include multi-level approval routing exception reports, matching, mathematical equations to capture options like OCR, barcode, separation, and image enhancement. But with advanced workflow, the possibilities are practically endless.
How Mosaic fits in
As an automation solution provider, we typically see clients who start out using ECM for just record storage then progress into advanced workflows and added products to improve their efficiency. After implementing advanced workflows, they quickly see a transformation in how they process key documents.
Before any compliance risks arise, Mosaic simplifies the compliance process through their advanced workflows, ensuring your organization is always prepared. These workflows automate key processes, streamline document handling, and enhance compliance management. Learn more about how digital workflows can simplify compliance audits by checking out this blog post.
But more importantly, sticking to outdated, paper-based workflows can expose your organization to significant compliance risks, particularly in heavily regulated industries. By transitioning to automated, paperless workflows, companies can mitigate these risks and improve efficiency across the board.
Learn more about the legal risks associated with outdated processes in our blog on how paper-based workflows can lead to compliance risks.
Mosaic Paperless Solutions has knowledge in creating custom workflows for clients, and we’d love to show you how your organization could directly benefit from them.
Whether you’re looking to streamline your processes with advanced workflows or explore the benefits of cloud-based document management, Mosaic Corp is here to help. Our team of experts can create custom solutions tailored to your organization’s unique needs. Contact us today to learn how we can help you improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and enhance collaboration.
