The Benefits of Document Software Technology

Nowadays, most companies invest in innovation as a means of development and growth. They are clear that they want to innovate, but they don’t know exactly how. There is some confusion around this topic. For example, they know that a clear way to innovate consists of optimizing document processes, but they don’t know what course and steps they should take. In other words: they are convinced that document software can help them innovate by optimizing their document processes, but they don’t know exactly in which areas. And there are many.

That’s why it’s advisable to clarify the main benefits that document technology provides to the most important business processes in terms of amount of documentation and information handled, i.e. invoicing, contracting, label generation, customer communications and delivery note management. These are the major players of daily operations in a considerable number of companies around the world. Of course, the advantages are many, but it’s worth mentioning five in particular due to their cross-process nature, since they are present in several or even all key processes simultaneously.

5 cross-process benefits

1. Format separation. In the five processes mentioned, separating the format of invoices, contracts, labels, customer communications and delivery notes allows modifying their design and content easily. This helps reduce development costs and substantially improve corporate image. In this way, these documents can be quickly adapted to each customer’s needs and requirements.
2. Transpromo. The possibility of embedding customized promotional messages into the body of any document opens to the door to a broad range of business opportunities and makes it possible to strengthen brand visibility. This becomes especially clear in the case of invoices, customer communications and delivery notes.
3. Automatic management and digitization. Document software allows generating bar codes, which turn into great allies when it comes to automatically processing digitized invoices and delivery notes.
4. Standardization. Standardizing contracts and delivery notes helps reduce the number of models and, therefore, the complexity of the process. Forms and templates make it easier to automatically generate this type of documents with the information required by each customer or product. Besides, by cutting down on the number of contracts or delivery notes, design maintenance and reuse are considerably improved.
5. Multi-channel and multi-language distribution. Using the same template allows generating any kind of customer communication (letters, offers, policies) or delivery notes in different languages, and distributing them in several formats (PDF, HTML5, printout) and through different channels (email, fax, internet, intranet). Moreover, envelope marks that can only be generated through the relevant printing channel may be included in customer communications.

Other specific benefits

Apart from these cross-process benefits, other specific advantages could also be mentioned. Although they only refer to certain processes, they are still important.

In the invoicing process, document technology allows increasing distribution channels and invoice formats. In other words, there is a huge variety of formats and invoices that can be generated in PDF with digital signature and in HTML5 so that users can save them online or send them by e-mail. Document software also facilitates the control and management of invoice designs. This way we make sure that we always use the correct template for the relevant invoice. We shouldn’t forget either that it is possible to restrict access and editing permissions based on user profile. Likewise, this technology helps optimize printing in manual processes, which removes preprinted paper.

With regard to the contracting process, document software makes it possible that the contracts generated have a digital “footprint” in the form of a bar code with the information required to identify and process them automatically. This also renders contracts clearer and more customized, since the user can generate, with the same template, contracts in different languages that only include the corresponding clauses. In turn, this helps save paper and remove redundant content.

Finally, document technology allows streamlining and speeding up the label generation process, so that labels can be easily modified and quickly printed in specific formats. This functionality is especially useful in logistic environments, where they need to print shipping and monitoring labels quickly; and at large shopping centers, where they have to change labels very often and modify the prices of perishable products very rapidly. The flexible architecture of most document software solutions can also be embedded in the infrastructure already existing in the company, which helps generate labels in a centralized and distributed way.

All in all, document technology provides so many benefits and in so many areas that even the most skeptical people will have to admit that it has become one of the key success factors of the different business processes in their companies. Those who don’t ride the wave and don’t integrate the new document software solutions into their processes will probably lag behind in a world of fast runners.

More information:www.docpath.com