Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Document management technology delivers improved customer service*

Hobart City Council has implemented document management, imaging and workflow technology to deliver improved service to ratepayers as well as substantial operational benefits to staff.

"We have undertaken a Council wide conversion from paper based systems of the past to document management and imaging and workflow technology," said Geoff Murray, Manager Information Systems. We realised there had to be a better way of handling our documentation and have undertaken this program to cut costs and deliver efficiencies to our staff and ratepayers.

"We are working with InfoMaT, a leading technology provider to Local Governments in the southern States. A leading Microsoft solutions provider and Wang imaging and workflow software distributor, InfoMaT assisted with the development and implementation of the system that would best address our requirements."

Hobart City Council has more than 153 years worth of operational plans, such as drainage and house plans. The digitisation of these documents has enabled improved access, workflow and information backup.

"We were very conscious of the implications relating to the loss of such information in the event of a fire or some other disaster. Storing these plans electronically gives us a more secure and reliable backup facility," he said.

"We have already realised a number of operational benefits as tradesmen, architects and other professionals can now access this information whenever it is required, saving time and money."

"Internally the circulation of correspondence was another issue we needed to address. Through the power of imaging and workflow technology we are working on a system that will allow correspondence to enter an organisation at an established point and then be distributed throughout the organisation accordingly."

Microsoft Exchange and Wang's imaging and workflow software were selected due to the worldwide alliance between the two organisations and the ease with which these applications could be integrated into our Windows NT operating system.

"Exchange is no longer just a mail distribution package. It is a true document management package with a distribution and workflow system. Combined with Wang's imaging and more comprehensive workflow software we believe we have a robust system that will address our current and future document management needs," he said.

Burnie City Council is following in the footsteps of Hobart City Council recently announcing its plans to work with InfoMaT and implement Wang's imaging and workflow technology.

InfoMaT offers integration services and is also involved in the development of Local Government systems in the area of human services. These systems have the capability to provide ready access to employee leave applications and details, correspondence tracking, accounts payable and building permit applications.

For further information contact Richard Chua at InfoMaT, telephone (03) 9888 6399.

*Copy supplied by InfoMaT.

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