Going Almost Paperless in 2009Three Offices Leading the Way

PresentersRichard Porter, Director of OISS,

Washington State UniversityGreg Simkiss, Assistant Director

of ISSS, Georgia Institute of Technology

Jason Baumgartner, IOffice CEO, OIS, Indiana University

Technology ToolsWashington State University

◦F-1 Students and J-1 Students and Scholars - FSA Atlas Enterprise Edition

◦H-1B and Permanent Residency Cases - Immigration Tracker

Georgia Tech◦F-1 and J-1 Students –

FSA Atlas Enterprise EditionIndiana University

◦All CategoriesIOffice

WhyLess paper usage (be a green office)Frees up precious space when filing cabinets are

moved out.No longer a need to keep both electronic and

paper documents current (the web site and your database become the primary document repositories).

Fits with the way students seek informationAll information in one location (documents

attached to a record in a database)No more searching for missing/misplaced paper

filesNo more need to make and retire paper files

Before

After

Before

After

Welcome Packet/Thumb Drive

Scanning During Check-in

Web-centric students = web-centric office

Handout Dispenser

To Computer Kiosk for Web Access

Note the Digital Photo Frame

Goodbye to Paper & Paper ProcessesStage1: Maximize Use of Database Systems Data Integrity• Keep the data accurate and up-to-

date.Whether you use iOffice, fsaAtlas, PASS, or a custom software to manage your data needs the first way to move paperless is by having good data integrity in the database.

• Make the database the first line of record checking instead of reaching for the student’s folder.

Stage 2: Maximize e-Communications Emails• Setup alert driven emails triggered by the systems

that can be automated and saved as notes in the client’s record.

• Store individualized email correspondence as notes in client’s record; and if possible have the system pickup that email after you send it from Outlook.

• End the process of printing out emails for the student’s or scholar’s folder.

• Use systems for general email announcements (i.e. no more paper newsletters) as well.

Stage 2: Maximize e-Communications Enhance Web Informational Resources• Move from spending time on paper handouts, promotional

materials, initial supplemental documents to more time on the website.

• Direct traffic to the website (i.e. via automated emails).

Client Web Access to Information• Provide clients secured access to information like notes or

alerts you’ve communicated on along with the status of their case.

Expand into Web 2.0 (Facebook)• Setup Facebook page or application to get information out to

students and also use for marketing of events (no paper marketing).

Stage 3: From Paper Forms to e-Forms PDF Fill-able Forms (Accessible to Anyone)• Provide access to fill-able forms from the website. Clients

can choose to download, save, and email them to the office.

• Still results in many print-outs of these forms that then to be scanned into the system.

Online Electronic Forms (e-Forms)◦ Provide online e-Forms for client (student or scholar) and

department that can be secured through a web portal and access based upon their credentials.

◦ Electronically route an e-form for approvals like from an academic advisors, departmental chairs, head of hiring unit, etc.

Stage 3: From Paper Forms to e-Forms Online Electronic Forms (e-Forms

cont.)• Allow for supplemental materials (i.e. new

financials) to be attached, uploaded, and automatically indexed with the e-form.

Stage 4: From Photocopying to Scanning Reduce What Needs to be Scanned• Receive requests in PDF or e-Form.• Enable clients to submit scanned supplemental materials

with the request to index (or auto-index via e-Form) into the system.

• Have any faxes auto transformed to PDF and either emailed or placed on file server for indexing into the system. Most fax machines can do this work.

Scanning for All Remaining Documents• Orientation check-in, data collection, scanning (i.e.

passport, visa), and document check via the system.• Consider models for day-to-day scanning workload:

Provide scanners to most, or all, staff members. Centralize this work into an existing or new position.

Stage 4: From Photocopying to Scanning Plan Out the Transition • At Indiana University we setup goals and objectives

to stay on course as we transitioned to e-forms and began the scanning model.

• Implemented pieces at a time so the task was not too overwhelming.

• Committed to the full transition at a defined point in time after several pieces had successfully been converted.

• Decision of what to do with existing folders. At IU we did a final close out and all existing folders were scanned into the system with one PDF file per folder indexed as an archive - conversion of paper records.

Stage 5: From Folders to e-Case Management &Workflow

Tracking Cases without Folders (IU example)

• Important to have paperless way to track cases through completion.

• Electronic case assignments via alerts, e-forms, front desk check-in, manual assignment, etc.

• Provide status updates via email and online to the student, scholar, and department.

ChallengesStakeholder objectionsTechnological resources and

expertiseMaking decisions and sticking

with them

Stakeholder objectionsColleagues in your officeAcademic and administrative

departmentsStudents

Technological resources and expertiseWho is the financier?Securing the resourcesCrossing the aisle

Making decisionsOnce its green, don’t go back to

redStick with the decision, but be

flexible in executionGet people to buy in to the

decisions.