Digital transformation has been a core part of many organisations’ strategies for over a decade, but many businesses are still struggling to achieve the process’ ultimate goal – seamless, end-to-end processing for every business task within the organisation.
There are several reasons for this, but among the most important is the way in which many businesses focus on the ‘transformation’ aspect of the process. Numerous processes have been ported to the digital dimension, but they remain as disconnected and disparate as they were when carbon paper played a key role in the workflow.
When confronted with these issues, it can be tempting for an organisation to find fault in their existing systems, rip them out and hope that the next round of digital transformation (aka new systems) will deliver what they actually want. However, this kind of all-or-nothing approach is expensive, slow, risks creating even more data silos, and simply doesn’t work.
Instead, organisations should focus on optimising their existing systems – making the most of the document and business systems they already have in place. This way, businesses can finally begin to see the benefits that digital transformation has always promised – but not yet delivered.
This blog looks at how to optimise document and business processes for improved connectivity and seamless, end-to-end workflows.
Taking Stock of Your Current Systems
The process of optimising an organisation’s digital set-up varies depending on the software being used. Therefore, perhaps the best place to start any discussion is by focusing on one of the digital document management world’s biggest players: Microsoft SharePoint.
SharePoint has been operating in one form or another from the moment digital transformation started to gain appeal. Over 200 million active monthly users are now on SharePoint, spread across more than 200,000 different organisations.
However, popularity and effectiveness are not always the same thing. Research from AIIM has shown that many organisations using SharePoint face problems with connectivity and siloed processes. An impressive 66 % of users reported that SharePoint is “too hard to use,” leading to weak uptake and inefficient workflows.
This frustration is only exacerbated by the fact that many organisation’s core business processes take place in ERP and CRM systems, while document processing, collaboration, and intranet processes use SharePoint. This creates information silos and forces workers to jump between different applications to complete a process from end to end.
The Solution – Digital Optimisation
Nobody really wants to replace their technology stack unless they absolutely have to. After all, organisations invest heavily in their software, with an average company ploughing more than 8 % of its revenue back into software solutions such as SharePoint, Salesforce, and SAP. Each implementation is carefully planned, takes a lot of time and effort, and ideally generates a positive return on investment (ROI).
Instead of ripping things out, we instead need a way to integrate these disparate systems and processes with the right “digital connective tissue.” This can take the form of an orchestration tool that connects and coordinates disconnected software such as SharePoint or an ERP system and allows them to work smoothly with business processes and end-users to achieve the best results. It helps data to flow seamlessly between applications and keeps the user interface consistent throughout.
Previously, this orchestration tool was a human worker. In our digital world, however, we are able to use software to achieve the same, if not better, result. A digital conductor connects and coordinates data and information from multiple systems, breaks down silos and seamlessly merges everything from email to ERP into a single, unified platform and flow.
After all, the aim of digital optimisation is to integrate users, systems, and processes into a harmonious whole.
Putting Theory into Practice: Digital optimisation
What do we mean when we talk about ‘a harmonious whole’, though? Well, while digital optimisation will always have different details depending on an organisation’s business needs, there are four key features that are a universal part of the solution.
A Universal Interface
Using multiple interfaces can be disorienting, time-consuming, and difficult to learn. This doesn’t just impact efficiency either; poor system design and user experience can damage employee satisfaction and – ultimately – retention. A consistent user interface, on the other hand, can help users quickly and easily learn how to use a system, regardless of which interface they are using. This can save time, improve efficiency, and make it easier for new hires to get up to speed.
Connected Systems
When different systems don’t talk to each other, data gets trapped in silos. This can lead to problems such as inaccurate reporting, poor decision-making, and missed opportunities. The key to digital optimisation is to connect all your data so that you can get a holistic view of your business. This will allow you to make better decisions, improve efficiency, and boost customer satisfaction.
Automated Processes
Automation can streamline workflows and improve efficiency. However, if a process forces users to hop between disconnected systems, it can lead to problems and cause errors and delays. Digital optimisation can help to eliminate these disconnects by connecting all the systems involved in a workflow. This allows the automation software to run seamlessly from start to finish, improving efficiency and productivity.
Universal Reporting
To provide a seamless user experience, organisations need to be able to access data from all business processes in real-time. This means it needs to have a single, universal reporting tool that can collect and analyse data from all its software applications. This will allow workers to see the big picture and make better decisions.
About End-to-End Processing with d.velop
Reaching the efficiency heights that digital transformation promises doesn’t have to be a pipe dream anymore. A well-structured digital optimisation plan and the right choice of software partner can make digital optimisation a practical exercise capable of delivering the best possible version of the software organisations have already spent a decade investing in.
For organisations looking to achieve digital optimisation, d.velop can help. By providing a portfolio of tools across the whole information management spectrum, d.velop can help you make the most out of your current systems, including SharePoint, to create a harmonious business environment that provides true end-to-end digital optimisation.
End-to-End Document & Process Orchestration with Microsoft 365