Streamlining the Admissions Process with Imaging and Workflow

2. Streamlining the Admissions Process with Imaging and Workflow Washington State University Kathy Cross, Lavon Frazier, Lynn Hulett October 11, 2000

3. Overview of WSU • Land-grant university • 21,000 students • Research I status • #9 “wired” university by Yahoo! • Four campuses • Multiple learning centers • Distance education program

5. Washington State University Spokane ~EDP~ Pullman Tri-Cities Vancouver

6. Presentation Outline • The Business Problem • System Implementation • Processing Overview • Observations • Results • Future Plans

7. Symptoms of the Problem • desks piled high with paper • finding documents-in-process • cabinets stuffed to overflowing • remote mailing from branches • printing faxes from branches • file folder for each student • multiple copies for other offices

8. Symptoms... • holding documents for application • passing paper between processes • batched letter printing • varying procedures among branchesand staff

9. The Business Problem Paper pandemonium!

10. Strategic Objectives • Paperless Processing - Handle paper documents once - Receive documents electronically - Share documents electronically • Customer Service - Decrease time to admission decision - Improve response time to students

11. System Acquisition • RFP, spring/summer ’98 • Site visits to three finalists • Selected Optika products andIntegra Information Technologies as integrators • Scan, index, and workflow development, fall ’98 • Production, January ’99

12. Document Imaging and Electronic Workflow The Solution

13. Spokane ~EDP~ Pullman Tri-Cities Vancouver Washington State University Images across the Network

14. Imaging and Workflow at WSU Document Sorting WSU Scan

15. WSU Scan Module • Scan stations at three campuses • Fax input Scanning and Quality Control

17. Screen Scrape Imaging and Workflow at WSU Document Sorting WSU Scan WSU Index

18. WSU Index Module • Screen scrape to populate index fields • Suspense file to hold unmatched documents • Admission application creates workflow package IndexingImages

22. Image Storage Index Database Imaging WSU Letters Workflow Images in Suspense Student Letters Workflow Database Lynn Hulett: Imaging and Workflow at WSU Document Sorting Screen Scrape WSU Scan WSU Index

23. WSU Letters Module • Word processor launched • Automatically populated from workflow data • Letter sent directly to imaging

24. Web aps WSU Inject SIS Lynn Hulett: Imaging and Workflow at WSU Image Storage Index Database Document Sorting Screen Scrape Imaging WSU Scan WSU Index WSU Letters Workflow Images in Suspense Student Letters Workflow Database

25. WSU Inject Module

26. WSU System Configuration RAID5 Image cache WORM Jukebox Image002 Information Broker 2 Image005 Storage ServiceName Service Image006 Database Server Backup Domain Controller Image004 Workflow Event Service Third Tier Servers Second/Middle Tier Servers Image003 Information Broker 1 FilerWSU Injector Image001 Request Broker DSMS Security Service License Service Alert Service Primary Domain Controller

27. Welcome to Admissions

28. About Admissions • Student service focus • Intense processing cycles • Productivity impacts enrollment

29. v Lack of Officer Review Files Eval Files Credential Files Archive Files Evaluated Files Evaluator Review Files Main Files Office Organization Data/Systems Personnel and Transfer Evaluators Offices of Admissions Officers Copy Room Outbound Mail Student Worker room Student Services Area

30. Scan Station Let’s Go Paperless!!! Data/Systems personnel and Transfer Evaluators Offices of Admissions Officers Copy Room Outbound Mail Student Worker room

31. What happens without paper? • Other document types drive package review • Document type “application” creates a workflow package

32. Main Process Map

33. Tools • Worklists • Profiles • Ad-hoc routing • In box • Image retrieval • Forms • WSU Letters

34. Workflow User Gallery

35. Imaging User Gallery

37. WSU Letters Module • Customized individual letters • Launches in Word • Stores image without scan or index

38. Current System Statistics • 12,500 packages in workflow for Fall, 2000 • 450,000 images indexed and stored • Software installed in Admissions, Registrar’s Office, SALC, branch campuses, Athletics, colleges • 35 workflow users • 100 archive/retrieval users

39. Administrative Support Implementation Timeline Working Relationship with Vendors “If I’d only known then …” Test Environment No Process Reengineering User Involvement Better Equipment For All Plus Minus

40. Processing Implementation Timeline APPLY ATTEND October November December January February March April May June July August September Planned Deployment Actual Deployment

41. Single process for admissions workflow Central Point of Contact Access by other departments Storage “If I’d only known then …” Scanning at multiple locations Showcase Plus Minus

42. How did we ever survive without it? “If I’d only known then …” Plus Minus

43. piles of paper clean desks finding docs online access filing docs indexing images remote mailing remote scanning printing faxes system faxes file folders electronic files multiple copies shared access Results

44. images in suspense holding docs auto. workflow passing paper real-time letters batched letters varying procedures common procedures Results

45. Future Plans • Reengineer workflow (underway) • Web access • Data updates to/from SIS • Direct feed of EDI transcripts • Student correspondence via e-mail • Optical Character Recognition (OCR) • Paper applications • Paper transcripts

46. Future Plans • Extension to other business offices • Registrar • Graduate School • Financial Aid • Student Loans • others

47. For Further Information ... crossk@wsu.edu lavon_frazier@wsu.edu hulett@wsu.edu