Document processing is a fairly uninspiring term for something that is actually a pretty exciting suite of technologies. It wouldn’t have been possible 20 years ago and, in fact, the technology is still developing and evolving into more and more effective solutions to perennial office problems. In essence, it involves turning physical (i.e., paper) documents into electronic ones. These can then be stored in a central document management system, as well as emailed around, edited, and so on, by anyone who has access to them. It is a necessary step in the transition to a paperless office; obviously, this isn’t something that happens overnight, and it’s impossible to eradicate paper letters, documents and memos all at once. And there will always be historical documents that you will need to consult – old contracts, for example. Even if every new document comes in electronic form, you’ll still need a way of integrating older material into your new system. The same is true of your invoices – some of which may be sent in physical form, others submitted as electronic requests of one sort or another. Invoice processing enables your accounts department to bridge the gap between the two systems.
Whereas document processing was once fairly rudimentary, it is now remarkably sophisticated. It’s not just typed documents that can be turned back into electronic form. Now, even handwriting can be interpreted by software that ‘learns’ a particular style and can transcribe it with upwards of 97 percent accuracy. That means that no physical document needs to remain outside of your office system, opening the door to a truly paperless business.
Consequently document processing has a number of benefits. It allows you to cut down on the cost, inefficiency and environmental impact of excess paper. Keeping everything in a central document management system means that nothing can get lost any more; you can set permissions so that no one is able to read something they are not supposed to (something you would previously have to trust to lock and key). With regards to invoice processing, there are benefits in that you treat everyone’s invoices the same; there is no two-tier system in which paper invoices are treated with less importance than electronic ones, or vice versa. That can go a long way to maintaining the goodwill of clients and suppliers. Thus this is a suite of technologies that makes for a smarter, more efficient and better organised office environment.
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