A Paperless Workflow Solutions for

Admission, Registration, and Document Management

for Higher Education Institutions.

 By

Dr. Walid ShatilaDirector of Information Systems

Beirut Arab University

• Managing admission and registration process electronically would reduce the cost of paper processes, enhance student services, increase staff productivity, streamline reports and transcripts processing, provide secure archive with reduced storage costs.

• This presentation provides a comprehensive electronic workflow solution for registration, admission, and document management which would delivers time, cost, and productivity savings for higher education institutions.

 

Abstract

• Speeding admissions process by capturing and linking each student’s documents electronically, then automatically routing applications and supporting information to the appropriate reviewer is at reach of all university and educational institutions, giving the appropriate setup and tools.

• Direct and instant access to information enhances student service, helping admissions staff answer inquiries instantly. Reduction of filing, photocopying and manual data entry helps the registrar’s office simplify enrollment and allowing students to register for classes without waiting in lines all day.

•Applications, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation and other student documents are imported and linked to the correct student record upon receipt. The University Student Information System (SIS) would identify missing documents, and once packets are completed, routes them to appropriate staff members for immediate review. A faster approval process (with electronic signature) allows the recruitment of the best applicants and to quickly notify them of the selection decisions.

 

Introduction

What does “paperless” mean?

With paperless applications, students are required to use a web-based submission form. Some “paperless” applications may still include paper forms, such as teacher recommendations and transcripts.

• The biggest factor in many schools’ decisions to switch to paperless applications is money. Going paperless saves the cost of printing applications as well as entering data from paper applications into a computer system. It also minimizes errors by removing the data entry step.

•Security becomes more important with electronic applications. First, records must be protected from hacking. Also, if recommendations are submitted electronically rather than mailed, the sender’s identity must be confirmed to prevent applicants writing their own recommendation letters.

 

Paperless Application, Reducing the cost of paper processes

Consolidation of all pertinent student information into one central electronic repository instead of carrying folders to and from campus is one the numerous advantages of the electronic applications, which can be accessed from any authorized locations even from home.

 

Paperless Application, Reducing the cost of paper processes

Process for Admissions

1. Scan or import student’s admissions documents to an Image Processing Unit (IPU)

2. The IPU organises documents in secure electronic repository

3. The IPU ties documents to SIS record

4. The documents are immediately available to authorised users and departmentsTRANSCRIPT

ESSAY

LTR OF REC

APPLICATION

Student Information

System

Image ProcessingUnit

Admissions Cycle

Image processingUnit

Amy’s NewRecord in SIS

1. You scan application materials for the applicant (Amy) into The Image processing Unit (IPU)

2. The IPU checks SIS and as Amy has no record, prompts you to create one

3. You create Amy’s SIS record

4. The IPU categorises documents and links them to Amy’s record

ACT / SATTRANSCRIPT

APPLICATION

Staff Prompted

Faster Admissions Cycle

Amy’s Record

Image processing

Unit

Application

Transcript

ACT/SAT

Ltr of Rec

Essay

Richards, Amy1. The IPU or SIS identifies a

missing item – Amy’s essay – and generates a Missing Info Letter

2. You print a hard copy and send it to Amy

3. The IPU imports a duplicate and links it to Amy’s record

4. You receive Amy’s essay and scan it, completing her packet

5. The IPU auto routes packet to a staff member for review

Amy’s Essay

Staff Alerted

S I S

Increased Counselor Productivity1. Staff member

(may be working from home) receives e-mail link to access the Workflow

2. He selects Amy, the first student requiring action, from the list

3. The first page of Amy’s packet is displayed

Improved Recruiting1. The counselor

decides Amy meets admissions criteria

2. He enters additional info in a worksheet that becomes part of Amy’s packet

3. He sends Amy’s packet to an “Accepted” workflow queue

4. There are also “Waiting” and “Denied” queues

Reader Waiting

Denied

Accepted

Faster Admissions Cycle

1. An admissions worker receives notification to access the “Accepted” workflow queue

2. He selects Amy, the first student requiring action, from the list

3. He uses the data on Amy’s worksheet to update her SIS record

Increased Counselor Productivity

Show: Iconic representation of:

A) Info for multiple students going from ImageNow to a single text file

B) The SIS grabbing data from the text file and using this to update SIS records

010100101

010100101

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010100101

010100101

010101010001011

010100101

010100101

Student Information System

Image Processing

Unit

1. The IPU automatically extracts info from application packets and uses it to create a text file

2. SIS uses file to automatically update student records

3. No end user tasks are required in this process

Improved Recruiting

Student Records

Image Processing

Unit

Student Information System

1. SIS automatically generates lists of successful and unsuccessful applicants

2. Worker performs a mail merge

3. The IPU captures print stream as letters are sent to print

4. Letters mailed to students before selection deadline and auto-linked to student records

Mail Merge

Responsive Student Service

1. Amy Richards calls wanting to know the status of her application

2. You open her record

3. Select “Acceptance Letter” from the document list and it’s displayed

4. Use the document to immediately answer Amy’s question

Impact of This Process

Improved recruiting

Faster admissions cycle

Responsive student service

Elevated counselor productivity

A Campus-Wide Solution

From admissions to financial aid to human resources, rapid deployment would create campus-wide efficiencies. At the same time, documents would be delivered at the point of need, enabling staff to reference the exact document with a single click.

RegistrarElevate Information Sharing

Expedite transaction processing such as grade changes, add/drop and graduation applications by electronically capturing, storing and routing documents.

The Image processing unit can automatically update the university SIS and student portal environment, making current information available to faculty, staff members and students.

Importing historical transcripts into The Image processing unit cuts storage and improves service to students.

Financial Aid

Simplify Award Processing

Automatically capture applications and all other documents and collate them in the student file.

Use customizable business rules to automatically route completed files to the staff members assigned to process them.

Eliminating manual tasks and other paper-related delays speeds awards processing, enabling the university to notify students of award decisions earlier than ever before.

Advancement

Enhance Donor Management

Payment are managed by the system, cards, checks, donor correspondence and other documents and donations would be approved quickly.

Residential Life

Improve Housing Management

Scan or import housing applications, change requests, student correspondence and all other housing documents into The Image processing Unit, which automatically ties them to student records for instant retrieval at the point of need.

The Image processing Unit also gives users convenient access to requests, schedules and other information regarding on-campus meetings, conferences and events.

Graduate Admissions

Speed Student Selection

The Image processing Unit captures application packets and automatically routes them to counselors, selection committees and other relevant parties for immediate review.

Replacing complex manual processes with simplified automated workflow helps universities meet selection deadlines and make offers to the best candidates quickly.

Finance and Procurement

Maintain Operational Success

Streamline invoice processing by scanning and indexing documents upon receipt.

Boost productivity using automated workflow queues and electronically route invoices to the appropriate channels for faster approval.

By optimizing the accounting processes, the opportunity to capitalize on money-saving supplier discounts is increased.

Health Services

Expedite Care Delivery

The Image processing Unit captures and organizes student’s healthcare documents at the point of service and makes them instantly available to nurses, physicians and counselors, facilitating faster care.

Managing current and former students’ medical records in The Image processing Unit improves continued care and reduces storage costs.

Human Resources

Manage Your People Processes

HR can take advantage of the tight integration between The Image processing Unit and the business application to quickly address employee payroll concerns and effectively administer online employee forms.

Significantly reduce documentation loss rate and help HR associates process CV’s, faculty credentials, staff promotion applications and more in a timely manner.

Athletic Department

Create Lasting Efficiencies

With The Image processing Unit, staff members have single-click access to the information they need to review a student athlete’s eligibility, evaluate a coaching job candidate, approve an equipment invoice and more.

Conclusion

Going entirely paperless is not likely to change the applicant pool at a schools or universities, however paperless admissions could make the process easier, and make the applicant more likely to apply.

Conclusion (cont)Reducing the cost of paper processes.

No more manual filing or paper shuffling. Documents are secure and electronically available to authorized staff at any point in the admissions process.

Single-click access eliminates the cost and delay of paper copies and distribution.

When printing missing information or selection letters, Images of the print are captured and a duplicate of each letter is imported.

These duplicates are tied up to student records, allowing the registrar’s office to answer inquiries without delay.

Conclusion (cont)Enhancing Student Service

Applications, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation and other student documents are imported and linked to the correct student record upon receipt.

Missing documents are automatically identified, and once packets are completed, they are routed to appropriate staff members for immediate review.

A faster approval process allows the recruit of the best applicants and to quickly notify them of the selection decisions.

Conclusion (cont)

Boosting Staff Productivity

Consolidating all pertinent student information into one central electronic repository.

Instead of carrying folders to and from campus, associates working from home instantly through accessing application packets via the Web.

Thank you

A Paperless Workflow Solutions for

Admission, Registration, and Document Management

for Higher Education Institutions.

 

Dr. Walid ShatilaDirector of Information Systems

Beirut Arab University