| tion_start --> | | | | workflow problems. The review and approval of |
| If your company is like most, a great deal of | | | | traditional paper documents is replaced with electronic |
| paperwork is passed from department supervisor to | | | | document routing. Documents created in PDF format |
| department supervisor in order to approve an order, a | | | | are emailed to the correct reviewers. Electronic |
| purchase, or even a departmental change. The | | | | approvals, rejections, and comments are applied to the |
| expected chain of events is that the document is | | | | workflow documents. Additionally, if an actual signature |
| initiated by a departmental coordinator. The document | | | | is required, the documents may be printed. After final |
| is manually carried or mailed via intracompany mail for | | | | approval, the documents are indexed and filed with the |
| review and approval. The company may require | | | | appropriate review notes, comments, signatures, and |
| reviews and approvals from a large number of | | | | date stamps into the electronic records management |
| departmental managers or supervisors. The paper trail | | | | system. |
| of a hardcopy document is extremely hard to maintain | | | | A few of the features available for reviewing and |
| and trace. In fact, there is a high possibility of misplacing | | | | approving PDF documents are: |
| the document. The anticipated end result is that the | | | | |
| original document eventually receives all the required | | | | 1. Important text may be highlighted. |
| reviews and approval signatures. The proposal is then | | | | 2. An audio clip may be incorporated into the |
| finally authorized for execution. | | | | document. |
| There are numerous factors that could break this | | | | 3. Reviewed and Approved stamps with names, |
| workflow process, thus delaying the expected | | | | dates, and times may be applied. |
| outcome of proper authorization. One obvious problem | | | | 4. An electronic sticky note may be added. |
| is that the document gets lost. If there is a deadline | | | | 5. Barcode may be applied for automated indexing. |
| associated with the written proposal, there could be | | | | 6. Rejections and reasons for rejections may be |
| high consequences to pay and the company could | | | | added. |
| suffer a setback. | | | | 7. Signatures may be added electronically. |
| How many supervisors have extra time on their | | | | There are many advantages to automating your |
| hands? If the document is delivered to a supervisor for | | | | workflow process. The electronic documents cannot |
| approval, it may sit on a desk or in a "to do" pile for an | | | | be lost or misplaced. The documents are emailed |
| undetermined amount of time. This could delay the | | | | which may speed up the approval process. The |
| entire workflow approval process. | | | | features available for PDF documents simplify |
| Companies where documents and procedures are | | | | document reviews. The electronic documents are filed |
| contained in an electronic realm avoid most of these | | | | and stored for future retrieval. |