Document logistics
Document logistics
For us, the core of digitization
Document logistics, a seemingly outdated term, but far from it! Behind this term lies an ultra-modern, digital discipline. The term not only encompasses the handling of document-driven processes, but also describes the transformation towards a modern, data-driven company.
The goal of modern process management is the end-to-end linking of all company-wide processes. We ensure that all relevant information arrives exactly where it is needed, at the right time, in the right "place" and in the right format - from creation to distribution to archiving and beyond.
The goal? In the end, everything runs smoothly, digitally, data-driven, effectively and efficiently.
Briefly explained
What is document logistics?
We understand document logistics to be the holistic approach to controlling, processing and optimizing the flow of documents and the associated information and data within and outside a company. The term we have coined encompasses all activities and systems that are necessary to efficiently and securely receive, digitize, use, process, store and output documents and information.
We therefore understand document logistics as a process and holistic approach that is an integral part of Enterprise Information Management(EIM).
Our definition of the term therefore goes beyond the traditional logistical interpretation, which focuses on physical documents and their transport and archiving.
In the business context, we understand document logistics to include, for example, automation in input management, process management, workflow management and ultimately also output management, in which newly generated documents are distributed to customers, partners or authorities.
We use smart technologies such as AI in this context to systematically optimize processes. This not only saves time and resources, but also increases the security and flexibility of processes. The result is comprehensive solutions that not only transport documents, but above all extract relevant information and bring it into the company where it creates the greatest value.
Components in the
document logistics process
As mentioned at the beginning and clearly shown in Figure 1, we understand document logistics as a process that includes five major digitization steps, which are accompanied by good document management and whose elements of the main process can be subdivided into several smaller sub-steps.
The point at which your company is at in this digitization process or where you start your work varies greatly. In most cases, some document types or media are already digitized, but not all departments or processes are fully automated. There are often still manual tasks and processes. And this is exactly where you should start.
Before we get into the five key digitization steps in the context of document logistics, we would like to briefly point out the framework conditions in your company. After all, if the corporate strategy specifies, for example, setting up business process management or acting in a data-driven manner, these considerations should be included in your thinking about document logistics in the same way as cost-benefit analyses or, for example, business process optimization projects. The current technological status and future developments in terms of infrastructure and the cloud are also relevant here. Data protection and compliance measures are essential, especially for cloud solutions, where encryption and regular security checks are important. And: in all subsequent processes and approaches, you should take the people involved (stakeholders) with you and support them with good project and change management. This is another framework condition that you should take into account.
And now in detail
5 digitization steps in document logistics
Physical document processing forms the basis for document logistics. First you prepare the paper documents and then convert them into digital data.
You need to organize the storage and transport of paper documents in such a way that important documents remain secure and accessible without taking up too much space. Your documents must be protected against unauthorized access, loss or damage. At the same time, you should maintain an overview so that your employees can quickly access the necessary documents at any time. When transporting documents between different locations or departments, you must always be able to see where they are at any given time. Digitization is the best long-term solution here to save space and significantly improve accessibility.
Preparation for scanning requires care, especially with large volumes of documents. You need to remove staples, flatten the paper and sort the documents. Special requirements such as wax seals or folded pages in official documents also need to be taken into account. Modern scanners and specialized machines can help you to reduce the manual effort considerably.
The scanning process is a critical step where you need to ensure that the documents are not only digitized, but also high quality and readable. It is important to prevent blurred or oversized files from burdening your system. This is why you should adjust the scan settings such as resolution and color mode optimally. With batch scanning, you can further speed up the process by processing several documents at the same time.
Input management is the process by which you systematically capture, process and forward documents and information. Texts are automatically recognized, information is extracted, validated and securely stored in a repository. Optimizations through machine learning and robust validation mechanisms improve efficiency. Data protection and compliance measures are essential, especially for cloud solutions where encryption and regular security checks are crucial.
Document capture involves more than just scans - emails, web forms and file uploads also need to be processed. To manage this (document) diversity, you should use central gateways and API integrations that consolidate all input channels and convert files into standardized formats.
Document conversion ensures that captured documents are converted into machine-readable formats, for example by OCR for scanned texts. Audio and video information can also be processed by AI-based services in order to convert them into searchable formats, usually as PDFs. If audio and video information is also to be processed, AI-supported services are integrated to create machine-readable texts and descriptions for these media. The result of all these conversions and preparations is a standardized format, usually PDF, which allows further processing steps to be designed independently of the input channel.
Information is extracted by classifying and indexing the documents. Relevant information is extracted and the documents are sorted by type (invoice, contract, etc.). Machine learning improves the recognition rate and reduces errors, especially with complex or handwritten documents. AI-based solutions such as Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) can be used at this stage to create summaries or make initial assessments, for example.
Validation & verification ensure that the extracted data is correct and complete. They automatically check against predefined rules or existing sources to avoid errors and meet regulatory requirements. This allows you to release documents efficiently.
The recognized data is corrected manually or automatically if necessary. The system learns from corrections and continuously improves the recognition rate. Intuitive correction tools such as Buildsimple speed up post-processing if manual intervention is required.
Document routing ensures that processed documents are transferred to the appropriate systems. Automated, rule-based processes or adaptive systems that learn from past processes optimize and accelerate processing.
Workflow management within document logistics ensures that documents and digital content are processed, distributed and used in a structured manner. Through automation, enrichment of information and defined checks, you can improve your business processes sustainably. Well-integrated workflow management software helps you to achieve goals such as efficiency and speed.
But it also means ensuring that information reaches the right people and systems. Documents are checked, enriched and further processed in various (follow-up) systems. Your processes are therefore at the heart of digitalization and document logistics: they are where business decisions are made, added value and benefits are generated and, ultimately, business activities are mapped. The processes benefit from the preceding input management activities and are based on the reliable storage of information in the underlying archive.
Processing documents in a workflow system goes beyond the more technical routing. Workflow management software controls the entire life cycle of a document and can automatically trigger processing, checking and approval steps. For example, you can automatically subject incoming invoices to a review process, obtain approvals and finally transmit the payment instruction to the accounting system. Automated decisions and reminder functions ensure that the process runs smoothly.
The processes are enriched with additional information either manually or automatically. This includes, for example, comments, metadata or supplementary documents that accompany the workflow. Intelligent data validation systems and clear input masks help you to reduce manual errors and ensure that all relevant information is recorded completely and correctly.
Checks and approvals ensure that important decisions are reviewed and authorized by the right people or systems. Delays and a lack of transparency can bring the process to a standstill. Automated escalation mechanisms and clear responsibilities allow you to speed up approvals and ensure that all steps are carried out efficiently.
Processing in downstream systems means that released documents or processes are automatically transferred to downstream systems such as ERP or accounting systems. Challenges often arise due to the different data requirements of the systems. This is where standardized interfaces and middleware solutions help to automate data transfer. If interfaces are missing, robotic process automation (RPA) can reduce manual and repetitive activities and further optimize processes.
This refers to all processes associated with the creation, management and distribution of feedback, e.g. in the form of order confirmations, delivery bills, contracts or other documents and information. With the help of output management, you can ensure that this information is provided at the right time, in the right place and in the right form - in compliance with legal and economic requirements.
Generating new documents and personalizing them is the first step in output management. This is where all relevant data is converted into a format-compliant form, be it as a letter, email or invoice. It is particularly important to ensure data integrity, especially for personalized documents such as contracts or invoices. Automated data validation systems help to minimize errors and ensure compliance requirements are met. Dynamic templates and modular document components allow you to flexibly adapt documents to the recipient's needs, both in terms of content and format. Close cooperation between IT and specialist departments is crucial, as the documents are used outside the company.
The final review and approval is a critical step before the documents are distributed. You need to ensure that all information is correct, of high quality and compliant before it is sent to customers, partners or authorities. Time wastage and manual effort are common problems with validation. Modern workflow management software can automate these processes and check documents against defined quality and compliance criteria. The previously defined templates and components help to maintain the quality standard even with large volumes of documents. However, manual checks should be retained for particularly sensitive documents.
You can find even more information on output management here.
In post-processing, documents are printed, enveloped, stamped and handed over to a logistics provider in the case of physical mailing. Fortunately, this paper-based post-processing is becoming increasingly rare, as it is very costly. Much more frequently, output documents are distributed digitally via email, an online customer portal or even an app.
The automation of dispatch processes and the implementation of feedback systems ensure that the documents are delivered correctly and conveniently via the recipient's preferred route.
Dynamic templates and automated systems also allow you to create documents centrally and adapt them to the specific requirements of each output channel. This ensures, for example, that a contract can be provided both as a printed document and digitally by email or in a customer portal without losing the consistency of the data or document structure.
Multi-channel output increases efficiency and allows you to serve customer needs more flexibly while complying with all legal and corporate requirements. You maintain an overview of the various channels and ensure that all documents are delivered consistently and on time.
A document management system (DMS) is a software solution that helps you to manage, store and organize your documents efficiently. It is therefore the centerpiece for filing documents. However, document management systems today are generally very powerful platforms that offer far more functionality:
Document storage: Centralized storage of documents that are easily accessible and searchable.
Versioning: Tracking changes and versions of a document to ensure that the latest version is always used.
Access control: Management of who can access and edit which documents to ensure security and confidentiality.
Workflow management: Automation of business processes, such as approvals and checks, to increase efficiency.
Search functions: Quickly find documents using powerful search tools and metadata.
In combination with AI and dark processing, we can turn your DMS into a powerful digitization and efficiency platform. This means that document management is effective in the input management phase as well as in process & workflow management and output management.
Challenges in document logistics
A central problem with digitization is the fact that the degree of digitization not only varies from company to company, but can also fluctuate considerably within individual departments or business areas. Even within a single process, different document types or media can be digitized to varying degrees. While some processes or workflows have already been largely automated and transferred to digital structures, there are others that still rely heavily on manual processing. This inconsistency poses a considerable challenge, as each process must be considered and optimized individually.
You must therefore thoroughly analyse the current state of the processes in order to make targeted improvements and ensure smooth integration into existing systems.
Every phase on the way to efficient and digitally networked document logistics has its challenges:
- Storage and transportation of paper documents
- Preparation for scanning paper
- Efficient capture and harmonization of different formats
- Data protection
- Acceptance of new systems
- Unclear process structures
- Delays in approvals
- Integration of document information into other systems
- Distribution of generated documents via multiple channels
- Cost control
As with all digitalization projects and general innovations, professional change management is required. Because only if your employees are trained and integrated into the new processes can acceptance develop and smooth implementation be guaranteed.
Do I really need document logistics?
Whether your company should address the topic of document logistics depends largely on your specific challenges. But if you answer "yes" to more than half of the following questions, then in our experience it makes sense to take a closer look at your current document management processes and workflows in order to make them more efficient through digitization and automation.
- I still use a lot of paper documents in my company.
- Paper documents still pass through several hands with our internal mail.
- I am responsible for managing large volumes of documents.
- We circulate various types of documents such as contracts, invoices, technical specifications or HR documents with different archiving and access requirements.
- Our documents are organized in complex, hierarchical structures or projects.
- My company must comply with regulations such as GDPR, ISO standards or industry-specific regulations.
- We are obliged to store certain documents securely for a certain period of time.
- Our employees spend a lot of time finding files or doing duplicate work.
- We have many approval processes.
- Access to certain documents, e.g. personnel or financial information, must be controlled.
- We must protect our data from loss, unauthorized access or unintentional changes
- My company plans to grow strongly
- We work internationally and/or in distributed teams or often remotely
- We use ERP / CRM systems or other business tools into which document information must be integrated as data
If you have nodded inwardly at many of the questions, it is worth carrying out a cost-benefit analysis. Of course, optimizing your document logistics with the support and advice of an expert like us represents an investment. In addition to workshop costs for analyzing the current situation, license and implementation costs for new software, training costs for your employees may also be incurred. We will be happy to discuss whether the long-term benefits, such as increased efficiency, reduced risk and compliance with legal requirements, outweigh these investment costs in a direct exchange.
In document logistics, we bundle all services for process automation in companies along the life cycle and value chain of information and documents. From consulting and selection, through delivery and implementation, to software-as-a-service and operation, the optimization of these processes and customer benefits are at the heart of our solutions. This has made us "the" reliable and innovative partner of our customers and a leading provider in document logistics for many years.
Stefan Jamin
Senior Executive Manager | Business Process Automation | ISR Information Products AG
How we support companies in concrete terms
YOUR ADVANTAGE?
Following a detailed analysis of your document management processes, we not only develop a solution concept and take over project management during implementation, we can also provide full migration services, product and method training and operation.
Our approximately 60 employees work in consulting and development in the field of document logistics. We are characterized by customer proximity and a passion for new challenges and IT solutions.
In the area of document logistics, we rely on these
TECHNOLOGIES
We offer these consulting services
Document logistics
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We will be happy to advise you!
Mark Hommola
Head of Business Process Automation
Business Process Automation
mark.hommola@isr.de
+49(0)151 422 05 426