Client

“GRIGIÐKËS” AB, paper plant company.

Challenge

Although the company had well defined procurement procedures prior to automation, its execution was via multiple information carriers: paper, i.e. fax, e-mail and direct interaction. This created an intensive document flow, requiring timely and traceable authorization at the different levels of the purchase process – a uniform authorization procedure was impossible, thus decreasing traceability and decision speed, which was not acceptable for a fast growing company, successfully expanding its export markets. The company had difficulties managing other important document flows, including correspondence and reports. Keeping information in different formats, distributed in different and often non-related storage areas was becoming a serious hindrance in effective information flow and task performance control.

Solution

While considering various systems to automate their procurement process, the company was looking for easily deployable, adequately supported and competitively priced solution. DocLogix was chosen because it had best price/performance ratio for a project of that type and size.  The major objective of the project was to achieve the existing procurement procedure automation, with the expectation to increase action traceability and decision making speed. This was achieved by utilizing the workflow module capabilities of the DocLogix document management system.

DocLogix was established as the single point of information input/output, thus eliminating the need for e-mails, faxes, phone calls or direct meetings.  All tasks could be performed using the single application, thus all the actions could be traced, deadlines controlled and speed and predictability of outcomes increased. The solution has totally eliminated the uncertainty which was earlier faced by employees, when they needed re-trace where exactly their purchase request had gone in the decision making chain and when they could expect materials to arrive. With the current solution, the initiation date, due date and current status of any active process can be checked instantly in real-time.

Besides procurement process automation, major reporting and correspondence management functions were also moved to DocLogix.  Instead of sending emails to different units, reports and correspondence records are now placed in DocLogix document storage hierarchy, where they are accessible by authorized personnel.  Emails are still used, but mainly for notification purposes. Alternatively, users can subscribe to be notified automatically about particular changes. Version control ensures traceability of all changes made to any of documents, reducing execution or decision making mistakes.  Possibility to initiate task, based on any document, assign performers and control progress in single window add to company’s reaction speed to critical issues.

Technology

• SQL server
• DocLogix
• Exchange
• . NET