The shift to paperless

Some companies still have paper-based workflows. What is the reason why the paperless system, which is supposed to have merits, is not progressing? Do older employees just shy away from learning new things and stick to the familiar work flow they've been practicing for ages? It is true that there is a misunderstanding due to the mistaken image of paperless systems, but there is also a practical problem that the burden of computerization outweighs the benefits of computerization and therefore cannot be implemented. In this section, we will examine the typical Issues and their causes, and examine practical solutions for paperless systems.

Challenge(1)：Misunderstanding that Paperless is a pain (automated with OCR scans and workflows)

Challenge

The biggest advantage of digitization is that it makes documents much more searchable.

If you're looking for a specific piece of paper in a stack of hundreds of documents, you'll need to look at each piece of paper, but you can search for electronic data in a second. However, simply saving the scanned data does not make this useful electronic data. Because scanned data is usually just an image, key information (such as Invoice No or Issue Date) must be used as file names, transcripts, or data input to make it text in order for the search to be successful. Some companies are reluctant to do this because it usually has to be done manually, and it takes time and money to include proofreading and checking. However, all of these steps do not have to be done manually.

By making good use of the mechanism of automation, it is possible to digitize without any trouble.

Solution

The process of digitizing paper is certainly cumbersome, but you don't have to do all this by hand.

For example, (1) scan a paper invoice, (2) extract the invoice No and invoice date from the document, and (3) save it as a file name in a folder on the shared server.

By combining the Kyocera MFP with ECM, steps (2) and (3) can be fully automated. By using OCR (an optical character extraction system) to scan the results of multifunction device scans, necessary information can be extracted as text from the document contents. Not only printed matter but also handwritten characters can be read with high accuracy. Because you can freely set what to read depending on the document type, it can be used for all types of work, such as "employee's name in case of employment contract" and "address and delivery address in case of shipping slip". You can also set the file name and save automatically after scanning.

Workflow automation is one of the best things ECM does, and it's not just about saving files, it's also about sending documents to the next person for approval and then providing feedback to the applicant once approval is received. This combination of multifunction devices and ECM will dramatically change your business. You can enjoy the benefits of digitization with little regard to manual labor.

Challenge(2)：Misunderstanding that electronic data is easily falsified and leaked

Challenge

Electronic data without security measures is relatively easy to falsify compared to paper, and it is difficult to leave traces even if there is a fraud. Also, if you use a personal computer or a USB memory, you can carry a lot of data with you, so the damage will be bigger if you lose it. In addition, the fear of information leakage due to hacking is also coupled with the image that electronic data is easy to falsify and leak accidents are likely to occur.

When we hear of information leakage, we tend to think of cyber attacks from outside, but actually it is the most common route for information leakage from inside. As for countermeasures against leakage and falsification, electronic data can actually achieve a higher level at a lower cost.

Solution

Digital data may seem easier than paper for malicious manipulation.

For example, it seems easier to change the amount in Excel than to change the amount in the receipt made by carbon copy because you don't have to cheat your handwriting, right? In practice, however, data managed by ECM has an access history that makes it easy to see who accessed which documents and when.

Versioning also gives you an idea of who edited the latest version of the file, and the process of editing it — where and how it was revised. Also, you may be able to sneak out paper so that you can't find it, but electronic data doesn't. You can restrict access to folders and files so that unauthorized people cannot access sensitive information, and you can prevent people from downloading or printing certain types of documents. Also, even if the personal computer you took out is lost, you can prevent it from being seen by a third party by encrypting the electronic data, but you can't control it with paper.

Challenge (3): Misunderstanding that BCP measures can be implemented in paper-based operations

Challenge

BCP measures are called business continuity plans, and they are intended to minimize the damage to assets and enable businesses to continue or recover quickly in the face of unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters and accidents.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, companies that had thought that BCP measures were sufficient in terms of measures such as "securing emergency communication means" and "copying and storing important documents" felt that measures were insufficient. A paper-based job is not suitable for remote work because it is a workflow that requires employees to come to work.

It may be difficult for some companies to completely digitize their businesses because some of them are required by law to handle documents in kind, but it is still important to promote paperless operations as much as possible from the viewpoint of BCP measures.

Solution

Diversification and multiplexing are important for business continuity in the event of a sudden emergency.

"Diversification" is the idea that business is not concentrated in one place, and that even if one place is hit by a disaster, other bases will cover it. With so many people already working remotely, you probably understand the value of decentralization. In particular, in the case of decentralization, if documents and data are managed separately at each location, operational efficiency will be poor. We need a mechanism to stock data in one place even if we work in different places. ECM is an ideal platform for integrating different data sources. Because it is easy to work with ERP, CRM, and so on, it is possible to create an environment that can access a centrally managed database, freeing up a place to work from the office.

Next, "multiplexing" means backing up data, and it is a mechanism to continue business by restoring the copy when a problem occurs. If you back up the actual paper, you need twice as much storage space and it's hard to copy. However, if you have ECM built in the cloud, you can easily place replicas in data centers located in different locations. Paperless based on ECM will be a very effective measure against BCP for remote work.

Case Studies