Featured Product: Optika Acorde Higher Education Solutions Kit
An irony of the information revolution
is that Americans are using more paper than ever before. That's because the
productivity enhancements have gone hand-in-hand with a dramatic increase in
workload, which, of course, means more documents generated and more paper consumed.
However, parts of the high-tech industry are helping us achieve—if not a paperless
society—at least a less-paper society. Document imaging, which allows us to
scan, store, and access printed materials electronically, is freeing up physical
space and leveraging the network to simplify and streamline workflow.
Higher education is a prime candidate for the benefits of document imaging.
Any staff person can describe the volume of paper records that a college or
university can accumulate in a short period of time. Every student, staff person,
and faculty member who has ever been connected with the school probably has
a file devoted to him or her. Each new freshman class carries with it the detritus
of admissions applications, financial aid forms, medical records, and grade
reports. These vital records get passed from department to department as needed
in a riot of paper routing. Eventually the documents are archived.
Many universities have adopted Optika's Acorde Higher Education Solution Kits
to tackle the paper problem. The Acorde suite combines document imaging and
workflow solutions to streamline a variety of processes, from admissions and
financial aid to student records and research grants. Optika works with partner
resellers to craft specific solutions for each client. For instance, it might
help an institution scan and archive old but essential records. Another client
may want to focus on developing a workflow system that will allow staff to develop,
manage, collaborate on, and route documents in a completely digital environment.
Although Optika calls its Acorde solutions a "kit," it's actually a more customized
approach, according to product marketing manager Toni Eddleman. Typically, clients
adopt Acorde's Context and Process modules, and add components that fit their
needs, such as Acorde Resolve. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) integration
is available to link the imaging and workflow with other enterprise systems.
Acorde Context facilitates imaging and report management in the form of a document
repository, which customers can use to capture, store, retrieve, and display
content.
Acorde Process is the workflow tool. It enables users to develop and change
documents, deliver them, and obtain status updates on the workflow process.
Acorde Resolve is an external-type portal for connecting specific users. This
online collaboration tool is especially useful for multi-campus institutions.
Acorde Process Builder, part of Acorde Process, is a GUI-based administration
tool. Says Eddleman, "Process Builder eliminates the need for an IT staff to
manage the Acorde suite. Instead, it can be run by business managers in the
assigned department."
Optika has clients in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. According
to Eddleman, about 10 to 15 percent of its market share comes from higher education.
One such client is Fordham University, which three years ago purchased the Acorde
solution at the launch of a major initiative to digitize and store over 100
years' worth of student records. Fordham, which was founded in 1841, wanted
to replace its paper files containing more than 350,000 documents with digital
images and a microfilm archive. It was able to achieve that goal in only four
months with the help of the local reseller, ATI.
Gene Fein, associate director of technology for the Fordham University Enrollment
Group, says the university was attracted to the Acorde system because of its
scalability, security system, cost (significantly less than others they considered),
and Web-based solution. "With three campuses, Fordham really needed a Web-based
approach that would allow us to work as one," explains Fein.
Although Fordham originally adopted the Acorde system for Academic Records,
it has since expanded the application of the solutions kit to include Financial
Services. This allows university financial aid personnel to immediately access
student financial aid records and route them as needed. Having digital versions
of the documents, which might include everything from a tax return to a birth
certificate, has saved valuable time.
Washington State University (WSU), with campuses in four cities, has also adopted
the Acorde Higher Education Solutions Kit. The university was looking for a
way to streamline the admissions process, which can take up to a year for one
student to complete. Their list of priorities included organization, immediate
access, Web-based connectivity, and security.
According to Lavon Frazier, assistant director of Information Technology at
WSU, "We had paper everywhere. We needed to get it processed into an electronic
workflow." The fact that WSU is spread over four disparate locations but shares
one central admissions office added to the problem. "We had been sending paper
back and forth by courier and fax," she says. Thanks to the Acorde solution,
the admissions applications process is now fully automated. Each campus scans
its own documents, which are then available on demand to authorized personnel.
"We are now processing many more applications with fewer staff people," says
Frazier. "The workflow system automatically identifies the next step in the
process, right on a person's desktop. What's more, in the past it might have
taken days to locate an applicant's file. Now we can access it immediately."
Optika emphasizes a phased approach to implementing its Acorde solution. Optika
or its reseller partner works with the institution to craft a solution that
will quickly address the customer's key needs. As a result, each customer scenario
is different. The goal, according to Eddleman, is to grow the system in the
way that best meets the customer's needs while maintaining a focus on delivering
a rapid return on investment.
For more information on Optika Acorde, visit www.optika.com.
