Advantages of Centralized Data Processing
Centralized data processing protects your company’s information when an expanding company can no longer keep up with demand. “Exponential growth” is a two-word phrase that sounds sweet to any business leader. But growth is often accompanied by growing pains, and the in-house processes that worked well for one or two restaurants may not scale to several dozen; the methods that were smooth and efficient for a few hundred retail locations may not function well at the 1,000-mark.
Centralized Data Processing in Action
Take, for example, Ruby Tuesday, which had over 900 casual dining restaurants around the world. Each location had to mail paperwork to company headquarters every week. The result was over 800 packages and more than 1,500 daily invoices flooding HQ. The volume was unsustainable under the restaurant chain’s traditionally structured mailroom.
With InStream’s help, Ruby Tuesday developed new methods for streamlining their approach to centralized data processing. Keep reading to find out how a centralized approach to document management – and other key business processes – can be made more effective for your business.
With remote capture solutions, InStream converts mail documents into electronic images, then routes them via electronic workflows to all designated recipients.
1. Pay Invoices Faster
Many companies with multiple offices forward their invoices to corporate, which has the sole authority to process the payment. Mailing and manually processing the invoice can be time-consuming and costly. Additionally, there is the added risk that the invoice could be lost, damaged, or paid late due to a backlog of mail.
Companies who take advantage of a centralized approach to data processing do not have to run these risks – they can simply digitize many aspects of the accounts payable workflow! Instead of mailing invoices, independent locations can scan and submit invoices directly to the corporate office for processing. Digital routing eliminates mailing costs, saves time, and retains the documents’ quality.
A comparison between two modes of data capture processing: centralized and decentralized. Learn more about what methodology might be the best fit for your organization’s data capture needs.
2. Protect Sensitive HR Documents
Under a centralized approach to data processing, these sensitive HR documents are stored digitally and exclusively at the corporate office.
InStream often assists with these types of projects by developing document management and scanning solutions to enable each of the business locations to digitize HR documents and submit them to corporate. This approach offers several benefits:
Sensitive employee information will be more secure when compared to the storage conditions of smaller offices or business locations, which may have less rigorous security standards.
Employee information can be accessed easier and faster by corporate and other locations, based on your business-defined rules. For example, you can allow corporate HR to view all employee information, but each location to only view data on their employees.
Transferring employees from one location to another is simplified, as files are stored in HR’s central document management system and do not have to travel from one location’s office to another or must be re-completed by the employee.
Gain insight into the scanning process by downloading the Centralized and Decentralized Scanning eBook.
3. Free Up Space at Company Branches/Locations
When storing documents in a central location, companies can free up storage space at other locations. Many restaurants and retail stores, for example, need all the backroom space they can get for inventory, employee lockers, and daily office functions. Moving non-critical documents to corporate can free up valuable space formerly taken up by filing cabinets.
Explore Your Options with Centralized Data Processing
Have questions about how InStream can provide your business with streamlined, centralized solutions? Contact us for more information!
