Case Study: UK Police using EzeScan and HP TRIM
This case study describes how a UK police force used EzeScan and HP TRIM to digitize a large volume of paper records and make them available to the organization.
The goals of the project were
- to reduce quantity of paper held and produced.
- to make content more widely available to those who need and have authority to access it.
- to ensure that records (paper) are maintained in a secure environment provide this as proof of concept with limited project support and minimal budget.
- to change current culture from storing paper to scanning and making better use of the paper content, and to gain support for such an approach from senior management.
Download the full case study in PDF format for more details on the project.
The Bedford Today website reported that the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Police Cold Case Review Team are using EzeScan to scan files into their HP TRIM document repository before reviewing the cases. Demand for warehouse storage was substantially reduced in just 8 weeks.
EzeScan SERVER Case Study
The Business Challenge
A large Hotel Chain was faced with processing 250+ reservation faxes and 250+ reservation emails per day. Incoming faxes and emails were printed and then processed using a manual system of in trays and boxes. Processing each document included physically rubber-stamping documents as received and then faxing that hardcopy back to the sending party. Hardcopy documents were moved around by hand during the process. The final step in the process involved scanning (using flatbed scanners) the hardcopy faxes and emails back into electronic images that were then attached to the booking record in the Hotel reservations system. Although this manual process was tried and proven, it involved a large duplication of work effort.
The catalyst for change was provided by the fact that the fax machine needed replacing. As part of a review of it's IT Infrastructure (fax machines and copiers) the Hotel went looking for an automated solution that could help streamline this process.
The EzeScan Solution
Outback Imaging was introduced to the client by a Photocopier company. They had initially contacted the client about replacing the Hotel Chain's aging fax and copier machines. They realised that simply replacing the fax machine alone, was not going to solve the problems facing the client.
Outback Imaging designed a solution for the client based around its EzeScan SERVER product. This new solution would use a new digital copier (with inbuilt copy, print, scan and fax capability).
The new system utilises electronic images throughout the entire process, rather than paper documents.
Incoming faxes are now received electronically, analysed by EzeScan SERVER and automatically forwarded to the reservations operators for action.
Incoming emails received by the reservations operators are now converted to TIF files using a TIF printer driver, rather than being printed and scanned back into the system.
A small number of hardcopy reservation documents are still generated by other departments, but these are now scanned in using the 22ppm scanner in the digital copier.
Workflow queues for the various processing steps have been implemented electronically. The reservations operators use the EzeScan KFI module to access/process their workflow queues. As each step is performed by the reservations operator, the item is moved to the next processing queue.
During processing the EzeScan KFI module provides a simple fax back solution by using the digital copiers print/fax driver in conjunction with EzeScan
EzeScan KFI & ICR & OCR Case Study
The Business Challenge
An Energy Supply Company was faced with processing customer service forms that it had sent out to clients. These forms included Rebate Applications forms (1 page) and Automatic Payment forms (1 page). The company already had an efficient paper based data entry system, but with the growth of their business the sheer volume of paper requiring data entry was starting to become a problem.
The company decided to migrate it’s paper based data entry operation over onto a an electronic image forms processing solution. This would allow them to scan all incoming forms, and then extract from each scanned image the relevant data required by the backend systems. Since the forms included pre printed information and also areas where customers could write hand printed information, the company needed a forms processing solution with OCR (machine print) and ICR (handprint) recognition capability.
The new forms processing solution also needed to be able to generate 2 separate output files that could be uploaded into the Company’s EDRMS system and into the Client Management system.
The Company approached a distributor of scanning hardware and explained to them what they wanted to do. The distributor realised it was more than a simple scanner hardware sale, and suggested that the Company take a look at the forms processing solutions offered by Outback Imaging. Some sample forms were sent to Outback Imaging and a demonstration of the EzeScan Solution was scheduled for the Company to attend.
The EzeScan Solution
Outback Imaging designed a Forms Processing solution for the client that could be used to process both types of forms.
This new solution uses a Fujitsu 4120C scanner to scan the forms. The solution utilises electronic images throughout the entire process, rather than paper documents.
On the Rebate Application forms the pre-printed client account number needed to be captured, and also whether the customer had/hadn’t signed the signature authorisation box. This required the EzeScan PRO, KFI and OCR modules.
On the Automatic Payment form the business phone number, after hours phone number, mobile phone number, client account number, payment by credit card, credit card, credit card type, card expiry date, payment by bank account, bank BSB number and bank account details needed to be captured. Some of these fields were tick boxes, machine pre-printed or hand printed. This required the EzeScan PRO, KFI, OCR and ICR modules.
The solution has been implemented in 2 phases. During the first phase the company rolled out the Rebate Application form processing solution. During the second phase the company rolled out the Automatic Payment form processing solution.
The Value
The time taken to process application forms has been dramatically reduced. The use of scanning and forms processing has reduced the number of key strokes required to index the forms.
Forms are now more quickly processed. Soon after scanning the images and the form data are available to be uploaded into the 2 other legacy systems used by the company.
Scanned applications forms are saved into the EDRMS system in TIF format. They can then be readily viewed on any PC loaded with the EDRMS client application.
The servicing of telephone enquiries relating to these forms is vastly improved as the Customer Service Reps can now deal with an enquiry in real time (since the application form is now online) without the need to locate the hardcopy and then call the client back.
Expensive office floor space and storage has been reclaimed. Once forms have been scanned and processed the physical hardcopy documents can be sent off site for cheaper long term storage.
For this client the EzeScan Solution provides tangible benefits with regards to cost savings and productivity increases.
EzeScan KFI & UPLOAD Case Study
The Business Challenge
A Home Loan Lender was faced with processing loan applications. Each application consists of about 25 separate sections. The Home Loan Lender already had an efficient paper based system, but with the growth of their business the shear volume of paper requiring storage was starting to take over the office floor space.
The company decided to implement an EDMS (Electronic Document Management System) to solve the problem of dealing with paper documents. They soon discovered that they were some issues associated with Scanning that no one had thought of during the EDMS selection process. The main problems were that the scanning solution provided with the EDMS system was a document scanning solution (i.e. scan 1 document at a time), and that in the EDMS system the 25 parts of the original loan application were likely to become 25 separate electronic documents.
The client needed a more flexible scanning solution to work with their EDMS system. Due to the limitations of the document scanning solutions, the EDMS vendor approached Outback Imaging to see whether we could help solve the client’s issues.
The EzeScan Solution
Outback Imaging designed a solution for the client based around its EzeScan PRO, KFI and UPLOAD modules. This new solution uses a new digital copier (with inbuilt copy, print, scan and fax capability).
The new system utilises electronic images throughout the entire process, rather than paper documents.
Incoming documents are now scanned in batches (using PRO), indexed (using KFI) and archived (using UPLOAD) into the EDMS system.
Updates or additions to loan applications awaiting approval can now be electronically pre-pended or appended to existing documents in the EDMS system.
If the 25 sections arrive as one document then that document is simply scanned and saved into the EDMS as one document. But if the sections 1 through 25 arrive bit by bit then they are simply scanned and added to the existing document as they arrive.
In either case 1 home loan application (consisting of 25 or more separate sections) is now stored in the EDMS system as 1 electronic document.
The client now has a system that closely mirrors how it’s original paper based system worked yet it is now all controlled by the EDMS system.
The Value
Once the loan applications have been scanned there are numerous benefits to the client.
Document security is improved since access to each home loan application is now tightly controlled by the EDMS system. This is much more secure than placing the documents in filing cabinets or archive boxes.
Multiple loan approvers can view the documents at the same time (if required) without having to make copies.
Scanned loan applications are saved into the EDMS system in PDF format. They can then be readily viewed on any PC loaded with Acrobat Reader.
The time taken to process loan applications has been dramatically reduced (no more time spent looking for files, misplacing files)
The servicing of loan application telephone enquiries is vastly improved as the Customer Service Reps can now deal with an enquiry in real time (since the loan application paperwork is now online) without the need to locate the hardcopy and then call the client back.
Expensive office floor space and storage has been reclaimed. Once loans have been approved the physical hardcopy documents can be sent off site for cheaper long term storage.
For this client the EzeScan Solution provides tangible benefits with regards to cost savings and productivity increases.
EzeScan EDRMS Case Study
The Business Challenge
A Local Government Council had recently implemented an EDRMS (Electronic Document and Records Management System) to assist with its statutory obligations with regards to the ongoing management of Council’s Records.
The EDRMS Vendor solution included a simple document scanning application, but there was no capability to scan batches of documents.
The Council Mailroom receives a large number of mail items each day and these had to be scanned and indexed into the EDRMS system, for action by the relevant Council Action Officer. Mail is opened and processed at 7.30 am each morning, and the scanned mail items have to be available online by no later than 9am each morning.
The Council needed a batch scanning solution that would allow incoming mail to be scanned and placed into the EDRMS is a timely manner.
Apart from Mail processing, they also had a requirement to scan in other Council generated hard copy documentation.
The EzeScan Solution
Another EzeScan customer referred the client to Outback Imaging. They were excited to discover that our EDRMS module supported their existing EDRMS system.
After discussing the scope of the project Outback Imaging proposed that the client use the EzeScan PRO (batch scanning) and EzeScan EDRMS (direct EDRMS integration) modules to provide the scanning solution they required.
The client wanted to implement several scanning workstations, and to deploy each of those scanning solutions where they were most needed.
A 14-day evaluation version of EzeScan was installed onsite to enable the client to test whether the EzeScan EDRMS integration met there needs. A scanning job type was configured to connect to the client’s EDRMS system. Configuring the EzeScan application to connect to the EDRMS system took less than 60 seconds.
The client scanned several test batches and was amazed at how easy it was to profile the scanned documents into there existing EDRMS system (this is due to the fact that EzeScan uses the EDRMS systems existing profile forms to save each file).
Based on that evaluation the client placed an order for 3-seats of EzeScan PRO and EzeScan EDRMS.
The Value
EzeScan provided this client with an out of the box batch scanning solution that was fully integrated with their EDRMS system.
Since the solution used the native EDRMS system profile forms there was very little retraining required for the scanning operators in learning how to use the EzeScan system.
The client is using an older version of the EDRMS system, but they will soon upgrade to its latest release. The EzeScan EDRMS module already supports that latest release.
The client has been able to decentralise the deployment of its scanning workstations to where they are most effective. They can easily cater for more demand by simply adding more EzeScan workstations when and where required. The design is scaleable to meet their needs.
The EzeScan solution has helped to make the batch scanning of Mail more efficient (rather than scanning just 1 hard copy document at a time)
Expensive office floor space and storage has been reclaimed. Once documents have been scanned the physical hardcopy documents can be sent off site for cheaper long term storage.
For this client the EzeScan Solution provides tangible benefits with regards to cost savings and productivity increases.
EzeScan BCR Case Study
The Business Challenge
A Stationery Supplies company was having a problem managing the storage of over 300 shipping dockets per day. The dockets were being stored in hardcopy format, but they needed to be available on line to help with customer service enquiries.
The shipping dockets were individually bar-coded. The barcode was an EAN13 barcode that contained the Sales Order number embedded within the Shipping Docket number.
The client wanted to implement a scanning solution without having to implement a commercial EDMS (Electronic Document management System). The clients
