OPTIMA-WorkFlow

Document flow in the conditions of reorganization.

It is reprinted from the Intelligent Enterprise magazine the Author: Marine Voskanyan 2/12/2007

One of the largest energy companies of Russia — Novosibirskenergo — represents complex geographically distributed structure with a large number of the branches and dependent affiliated enterprises located both in Novosibirsk and on area. All these structural units, and their more than thirty, are closely connected with management personnel of Novosibirskenergo that means very serious work in the field of office-work.

Arrange interaction

The average volume of annual document flow of management personnel of Novosibirskenergo is 80 thousand documents, excepting agreements and specialized documentation. All these documents needed, vopervy, registration, and vovtory, operational bringing to contractors. Besides a number of the business processes connected with document flow, in particular, with questions of approval, it was necessary to optimize urgently.

Earlier in Novosibirskenergo the system of scanning of paper documents and their sending to addressees in electronic form was introduced, the equipment allowing to scan materials of all types is installed. Thus, a part of documents was already stored in electronic form, but the general access to document base was not.

Proceeding from these tasks in the company it was decided to implement the electronic document management system (EDMS). Automation of office-work and business processing of documents, management of these processes and control of execution had to lead to increase in performing discipline and quality of accomplishment of works orders. EDMS would ensure the guaranteed safety and integrity of documents and accompanying information to them, would allow to prepare operational, statistical and analytical reporting, to control execution of instructions on citizens' appeals. Also creation of the corporate standard of electronic document management and the standard of customer interaction was planned.

Choice of a system and project task

Work on the choice of a system began in 2003. Novosibirskenergo studied the systems of large players of the market of EDMS — such as "БОССРеферент", Case, LanDocs and others. As a result the company stopped on the product OPTIMA-WorkFlow. "The OPTIMA-WorkFlow system was the most flexible, allowing to implement all our wishes to document flow — Alexander Fedyaev, the chief of administrative department of Novosibirskenergo comments on the made decision. — Yes, it has the shortcomings, but other systems impose strict requirements to document registration that does not suit us".

In July, 2005 the agreement was signed with Optima company on implementation of this system. The job schedule was made, then the preparatory stage of the project began. Together with the staff of Optima in Novosibirskenergo analyzed a current status of document flow and made technical specifications then developed the project documentation.

Finally project objectives were formulated thus:

• ensuring the centralized and systematized information storage;
• decrease in production costs on preparation, approval and document approval;
• increase in data protection from distortion and unauthorized access;
• involvement of remote branches "Novosibirsenergo" in an electronic document management system using technology of "thin client";
• increase in extent of control of execution of instructions and efficiency of acceptance of management decisions.

New EDMS had to cover processing of the entering and outgoing documents, memos, agreements and supplementary agreements to them, all types of orders and also orders on primary activity of the enterprise.

The project team consisted of the customer's employees — key users of a system, technical specialists (the Itotdel is not in Novosibirskenergo, he is selected in independent company "IT and Communication" which technical specialists participated in the project), business experts and also of representatives of Optima (the project manager, the consultant, design and system implementation specialists, the instructor). Training and certification on the OPTIMA-WorkFlow system there underwent two employees of IT and Communication company.

Design and setup of a system and also half-month stage of its trial operation were complete by May, 2006, and in June it was put in commercial operation. Within the project of Novosibirskenergo purchased 95 licenses OPTIMA-WorkFlow. "We understood that 95 licenses ensure simultaneous operation of 95 users, and began an experiment on increase in number of jobs in a system proceeding from the fact that the need for simultaneous operation of 95 employees will arise not often — Alexander Fedyaev tells. — Actually whole day in a system works only office, and other departments use it as required, incidentally". As a result the number of jobs was increased up to 140: they are set in all divisions of executive office of management of Novosibirskenergo and on one — in branches.

Time of changes

According to representatives of Novosibirskenergo, in general the staff of the company treated new EDMS with great interest, counteraction to its implementation was not. Difficulties faced only with "familiarizing" with electronic circuits of work of directors of the directions therefore access to a system from their jobs is resolved also sekretaryamreferenta.

However during the project it was not without difficulties. "At the enterprise active reforming which will end only by the end of 2007 continues — Alexander Fedyaev tells. — New subsidiary companies are selected and created. As a result that organizatsionnoshtatny structure at which preproject examination, the analysis of document flow, setup and trial operation of a system was conducted was actually reversed. Unfortunately, the OPTIMA-WorkFlow system does not allow to carry out adequately these changes, and to us all was necessary to create 'ponovy', beginning from structure of storages and reference books, development of new route schemes and finishing with all settings. We did it in July — August, 2006 already by own efforts, without participation of specialists of Optima".

Three days instead of three weeks

As a result of work of EDMS terms of approval of documents were seriously reduced. If earlier taking into account a courier delivery of official papers on it two-three weeks left, then now documents will be approved in three-four days and quickly reach all branches and structural units of Novosibirskenergo. Access to storage of archives of orders and instructions appeared at all employees of management personnel whereas earlier only the personnel of office had it.

"People get used to the procedure of electronic approval, that using the corresponding module heads bring to them instructions and tasks, using EDMS. Contractors are obliged to execute them and to announce results according to new regulations. Control of execution of instructions is also exercised using a new system" — Alexander Fedyaev comments on the happening process.

Taking into account that reorganization continues to this day — kakiyeto divisions are liquidated, kakiyeto are recreated — a system performs not all planned functions so far. But Alexander Fedyaev is optimistic: "Document registration goes in full, a part of modules works — documents move to archive, the archive is available, approval of orders and orders happens in electronic form. We still technically cannot approve agreements between divisions, but I think that this question will be solved soon and a system will be able fully to function". Now the system of storages is adjusted, monitoring of users is carried out, route schemes of the movement of documents are edited, additional reports and templates are developed.

Besides, in plans of reorganization of Novosibirskenergo — to abolish management personnel as such, having created instead of it separate management company which will direct branches. As a result all functions of a control structure will change. However it is supposed that the OPTIMA-WorkFlow system will work in new management company, and by the time of its creation it is necessary to optimize business processes in the main branches of the enterprise, first of all in the generation companies where most of all divisions and employees. Afterwards in a system not only functions of office-work as actually it turns out now, but also other business processes will be put.