Automated workflows efficiently capture, analyze, process and save documents in the audit-proof archive – without you having to lift a finger. Not only do you keep on top of the rising tide of data and reduce your dark data woes, it enhances operational efficiency at the same time.

Keep reading to discover the compelling reasons why you should consider automating your document processes, and how to optimize individual process steps with modern ECM-based automation for significant productivity gains.

In almost all companies, automation is the motor for efficient, scalable and legally compliant processes. And documents are central to nearly every process. Here are three key reasons why companies should seriously consider document process automation:

1. Automation boosts productivity

The productivity gains from automation are game-changing. Instead of spending hours on routine manual tasks, like capturing, searching and classifying documents, structured document processes serve up information to employees fast and provide direct access to relevant documents through workflow automation.

Imagine this: A document arrives in the inbox and is instantly captured by an AI-assisted document management system (DMS), which saves it to the right electronic file and initiates the corresponding workflow. DMS automation at this level speeds up research activities and handoff times while saving resources.

2. Automation minimizes manual mistakes

Automated systems eliminate the mistakes associated with manual processing by executing standardized processes based on defined rules. For instance, automate your data reconciliation processes and cut out the risk of manual errors during invoice verification. The DMS automatically extracts relevant information such as due amounts and payment terms from the documents and matches it against existing data in your ERP system or similar.

3. Automation increases transparency

In an automated landscape, all document management steps are automatically logged to ensure every activity remains transparent and traceable. Version control gives you full insight into who modified which part of a document and when. Automating your IT processes adds an extra layer of assurance that everyone consistently fulfills compliance and legal requirements.

In the world of document management, there are essentially two types of software automation:

Rule-based workflows

Rule-based workflows use a predefined rule and condition to automatically trigger a specific action. Take an automated invoice release process for example: The system detects a verified invoice, automatically launches a workflow and informs the right person that the invoice is awaiting release. If that employee happens to be on vacation, the deputy rule is activated and the system routes the task to their assigned deputy.

Document archiving is another example of a rule-based workflow. Once the system sees an invoice has been approved, it automatically files the document in the audit-proof archive.

Artificial intelligence

AI-powered automation harnesses machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies to analyze and categorize documents and automatically extract high-quality information. Here are some examples of artificial intelligence used in automation:

• AI identifies and extracts key information from documents, such as the contract term.
• AI processes data from different documents and creates summary reports or analytics.
• AI recognizes document content and assigns it to a specific category, such as “invoices,” “contracts” or “applications.”
• AI analyzes contracts and other documents for irregularities or risks – like missing signatures or inconsistent data.

Hey Doxi, which ECM automations are possible with Doxis?