When the SCHERDELGroup’s paper files outgrew their space in 2000, the company made a strategic decision to tackle their information management issues and this included how to best incorporate electronic documents. Fast forward to 2014 they now have a central document pool that contains ten million documents, accessible from around the world.
Using new technologies to grow and maximize efficiencies is a key component of SCHERDEL’s business approach. The family-owned company is one of the leading suppliers to the automobile industry. Today, this includes 29 locations worldwide and 39 production plants. This impressive growth also presented numerous organizational challenges for the company’s management.
For years they used a mechanical circulating filing system to store and administer business documents at their German headquarters. When paper files reached capacity in the late 90’s, the management team began to look seriously at document management. Not only because of the unmanageable piles of paper everywhere but also due to the increasingly global nature of their business, they needed to find a way to convert information on paper into centrally stored information that could be used by employees worldwide…in seconds.
Requirements
They wanted a DMS (Document Management Solution) that was a secure investment that could keep pace with their company’s dynamic development. Modularity and flexibility were also top priorities – it was especially important to integrate with their existing diverse application environment which includes custom ERP, CRM and accounting software.
Touring a reference installation at ZF Friedrichshafen AG, where DocuWare was successfully implemented with similar challenges, helped them make the final decision to choose DocuWare.
The Solution
The IT team decided to implement the DMS platform in stages. An application analysis and resulting list of priorities was used to identify which parts of the company would receive the DMS first: order processing and accounting.
To ensure a seamless transition from a paper-based system to a digital version, an external scanning service was engaged to digitize, index and store the extensive number of existing paper documents. Next, the electronic documents were stored within a structure for the data/archives created together with their DocuWare Partner. To capture new documents, both departments were outfitted with several powerful scanners and flexible multi-function copiers. Depending on the document type, a barcode sticker is affixed to the paper before scanning. This ensures that indexing of the electronic document takes place automatically.
To automate some of their processes – for example, payment authorization for incoming A/P invoices – workflows were defined that incorporated their existing Groupware solution. Another workflow involves warranty claims. As part of each case, an email notification is sent to any affected department such as a subsidiary or production facility. Using links contained in the email, all documents containing background information are connected via the central document pool. Documents generated during this workflow are also stored again in the digital archive using a custom-programmed interface.
Documents generated with their existing software applications are also stored directly in the electronic archive. “For example, we programmed an interface for our logistics system which tailors to the special requirements of the automobile supplier industry,” explains Christian Hartmann, the company’s DMS project director. He has been planning and coordinating the implementation of DocuWare since 2009. With lists and email notifications, the DocuWare module Task Manager prompts you about the open tasks and makes sure that workflows continue.
The Benefits
“For a significant number of the staff, the central document pool has become an essential part of their daily work,“ so relates Christian Hartmann speaking on the DMS solution’s relevance for the company. Business processes are not only faster and more efficient thanks to digital workflows, but they are also more secure and transparent.
“Representative plans stored within the workflow, for example, make sure that processing will not be interrupted if the person responsible for a certain step is out of the office. In the case of A/P invoices, we make sure that we don’t lose out on early payment discounts,” according to project director Hartmann. Workflows set up once can be easily adapted to different processes. So, as an example, their digital workflow for “Incoming Invoices” was adapted for filing travel expenses.
Christian Hartmann can’t imagine what it would be like to manage this substantial volume of documents without an electronic archive. According to his calculations, the amount of data stored in DocuWare has increased tenfold between 2006 and 2012.
“10.2 million documents with about 22 million pages (whereby multi-page PDFs are counted as one page) now take up 1.7 terabytes in storage. If this was paper-based, we would have outgrown all of our warehouses,” underscores the DMS project manager.
Summary
In addition to records from Order Processing and Accounting, today the SCHERDELGroup is managing electronic documents, technical drawings, and delivery notes from departments such as Quality Assurance, Research & Development, and Logistics.
According to Christian Hartmann, DocuWare is now used across departments all over the world. “To digitize information, we currently have around 100 scanners in use, primarily in Germany. Our international operations had been mostly just accessing the digital archive. However, now operations in China, the US, Brazil and Mexico, for example, are signaling their desire to add to the central document pool themselves.”
The DocuWare project is continuously being expanded. The creation of completely digital customer folders based on their CRM system is only one of many future projects. Technological innovations within DocuWare software are a driving force and inspiration for new applications.
but employees also quickly recognize the benefits of digitally-supported workflows. Based on our experience, they are extremely positive and motivated to work with DocuWare.
“The Intelligent Indexing Service presented last year by DocuWare will further increase efficiencies in our accounting department. The connection of the financial accounting package is currently in a test phase. By just using a button integrated in the familiar interface, it’s simple to access the document pool,” according to Christian Hartmann’s plans. They are also simultaneously pushing internationalization of the archive. Web Client is currently being used in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Although it’s often difficult to calculate the pure monetary benefits of DMS projects, Christian Hartmann has estimated that the investments made for the departments concerned paid for themselves within a year. “In evaluating the impact of a DMS, it’s important to look beyond the savings in file cabinets and measurable improvements in efficiency to consider factors like improvements in customer/vendor service,” recommends the DMS expert.
