Digital Business Processes: Why Paper-Based Work Slows Companies Down

Paper-based approvals, requests and invoice processes cost time: hours or even days often pass before a document has been checked and signed off. Digital workflows route documents automatically to the people responsible and make the processing status visible.

Where paper slows processes down

Searching through files, looking for receipts, chasing approvals: these tasks are part of everyday work in many organisations. Approvals, leave requests and invoice runs are affected most, because a document passes through several stations and can wait at each of them.

What digital workflows deliver

Digital workflows route documents automatically. Reminders and status displays show where a process stands and prevent backlogs. Document management and process control systems can be integrated into existing IT infrastructures, in line with data protection and at scale.

A service company has significantly accelerated the processing of incoming invoices with a digital approval system. Manual handovers and queries have largely disappeared since then.

How DEVACON supports the transition

DEVACON analyses existing processes and identifies where digitalisation delivers the greatest benefit. The result is a concept that fits the organisation: for simple workflows such as leave requests as well as for approval processes in accounting. The aim is less manual work and more time for the core business.

Key points

• Paper-based approvals and invoice runs delay processes by hours or days.
• Digital workflows route documents automatically and show their status.
• The systems can be integrated into existing IT infrastructures.

How DEVACON supports organisations in digitalising approval and document processes is described on the page Process automation and AI.