Business Information Systems: Case Study on Paperless Transformation

This report examines the transition to a paperless office within the context of business information systems. It begins by highlighting the importance of removing older, paper-based methods and adapting to new systems, using Liverpool Direct as a case study. The report then explores the role and usefulness of document management systems, such as ScanSoft’s PaperPort Office, emphasizing their benefits in terms of security, storage space reduction, and easy information retrieval. The likelihood of achieving a paperless office is discussed, highlighting the cost savings, enhanced information speed, and improved data accessibility. Furthermore, the report analyzes the expected changes in business processes after implementing a workflow management system, including automation of repetitive tasks, better task management, and a complete overview of the workflow. The drivers for success, such as strategy, customer responsiveness, leadership, balanced technology, and lean operations are also identified. The report concludes that a business information system with technology applications is required for making subsequent changes within the process.

Running head: BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Business Information Systems: Going Paperless
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
1. Importance of Striping Away Older Methods to work when New Systems were
introduced...............................................................................................................................3
2. Locating Information for Simple Document Management System with its major
Usefulness..............................................................................................................................3
3. Likelihood to Achieve Paperless Office............................................................................4
4. Expected Changes in Business Processes after Implementing Workflow Management
System with Identification of Drivers for Success.................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Business information system is referred to as a set of inter related processes with IT
infrastructures within any business enterprise for generating as well as disseminating every
desired information [4]. This type of system is designed for supporting decision making
process by every individual associated with the respective business in the process to attain
every significant objective. This specific system is responsible for blending few major
concepts for management, information theory for systems and operations theory to manage
organizational data. The following report outlines a brief discussion on the case study of
cutting out of paper for speeding up of process.
Discussion
1. Importance of Striping Away Older Methods to work when New Systems were
introduced
The chief executive of the organization of Liverpool Direct ensures that their service
was deemed to fail and hence they have to change or update their existing systems. They are
mainly involved with benefit payments and revenue collection. After analysing they checked
that the average time for turning around a benefit claim was 140 days and hence there was a
backlog for fifty thousand cases [10]. It was observed that the main reason for this type of
backlog was paper.
Due to the complexity of use of paper, they took the decision to go completely
paperless. Liverpool Direct has set up a series of contact centres for one stop shop for
handling the several customer visits and queries and hence this company opted for a new
version [1]. It was needed to strip away the old ways for working was the most significant
part of their profit. The processes are required to be known and major challenges are
overcome for making them extremely efficient. The Hyde Group has computerized the
process of recruitment for stripping 58000 paper sheets in one year out of system. The
application of recruitment is built on database for managing information of human resources
from Northgate HR [5]. These recruitment application joins the already deployed paperless
expense claim and such request application was designed for stripping paper from system.
2. Locating Information for Simple Document Management System with its major
Usefulness
The document management system is the specific system utilized for tracking,
managing as well as storing documents and then reducing paper use. This particular system

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has the capability to keep a significant record of several versions that are being created and
even modified by the various users [12]. The information could be easily and promptly
located with a simplified document management system. It is quite vital to ensure that the
electronic documents and electronic images of the paper based information that are being
captured by the utilization of any document scanner.
One of the most significant examples of this document management system is
ScanSoft’s PaperPort Office. PaperPort could utilize its in built optical character recognition
for creation of files in respective searchable PDF or Portable Document Format [7]. The
software enables the scanned documents for separating to individual pages before
reassembling to new files of PDF. There are several advantages of document management
system within any department of any large and small business and the advantages are as
follows:
i) Enhancement of Security: The first benefit is that it enhances security and hence is
quite popular for the organization.
ii) Reduction of Storage Space: The storage space is reduced with this software, thus
maintaining a proper database of information [9].
iii) Easy Retrieval: The data could be easily retrieved with the help of such software
and thus there is a high requirement to implement this specific software.
iv) Better Collaboration: A proper collaboration of information and business
management is done in a better manner.
3. Likelihood to Achieve Paperless Office
A paperless office can be referred to as a working environment, where the proper
utilization of paper is being reduced or eliminated in a better manner [2]. It is solely done
after conversion of any paper or document within digital form and this specific procedure is
termed as digitization. Paperless could easily save money, make documentation, easy sharing
of information, boost productivity, keep personal data extremely safe and secured, save space
and even help the entire work environment. This particular concept of being paperless could
be eventually extended to major communication outside office [8]. The speech recognition as
well as speech synthesis can even be utilized for facilitating the total storage of digital
information. The paper is extremely difficult to search and also arrange within multiple sort
arrangement and the paper data stored in several locations for easy track and update.

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The likelihood that paperless office would be eventually achieved is extremely high
and significant. One of the major advantages of this type of paperless office is that it helps in
cost savings [11]. Since, this concept keeps everything stored within a digitalized format, it is
extremely cheaper in respect to printing as well as storing of paper. It even eradicates the
expenses to shred service for paper work with most sensitive information. Costs of paper
archiving is highly reduced in this process. The information speed is enhanced majorly with
the presence of this kind of paperless office. As soon as everything is being stored digitally,
the availability and accessibility of information is much quicker and easier [6]. The business
owners, consumers and employees can easily access the data and hence data location could
be easily found out.
4. Expected Changes in Business Processes after Implementing Workflow Management
System with Identification of Drivers for Success
The workflow management system can be stated as a proper software tool that is
being designed to help in streamlining the various business procedures for gaining optimal
efficiency. Such systems include creation of a subsequent form for the core purpose of data to
follow until and unless it is completely being processed [5]. This software can automatically
route the data to the previously determined tasks. There are some of the major and the most
significant advantages that can easily bring out the changes in business processes. The
expected changes within the business processes after proper implementation of workflow
management system are as follows:
i) Automation of Repetitive Processes: This is the most important change that is
possible within the business processes once the workflow management system is being
implemented within the organization [3]. Due to the automation of repetitive business
processes, the complexity of managing business operations would be much lower and it
would provide subsequent knowledge about the procedural management.
ii) Following up of Incomplete Tasks: A proper follow up of the incomplete tasks is
easily done with the help of this particular workflow management system so that there is a
better management of task completion. This kind of system even makes sure that every
business operation is being executed efficiently.
iii) Providing Complete Scenario of Workflow: The entire and complete scenario of
the workflow within any subsequent organization is being provided with the help of

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workflow management system and hence ensuring better efficiency and adaptation to
changes [10].
The main drivers for success of the implementation of a workflow management
system are as follows:
i) Strategy: An effective strategy is required for implementing a workflow
management system and it is even required for better improvement [5].
ii) Customer Responsiveness: The customer responsiveness is responsible for keeping
the entire organization extremely focused on the customer requirements, reactions as well as
changing needs.
iii) Leadership: A proper leadership is also important for better implementation of
this kind of software and then ensuring that effectiveness is being enhanced to a high level.
This is also required for ensuring that the respective strategy is being followed efficiently.
iv) Balanced Technology: A balanced technology and culture is the fourth distinctive
driver for such success of project [4]. This is important for delivering quality improvement
and better empowerment.
v) Leaning of Operations: The leaning of operations make sure that a proper mapping
and analysis of the business processes is done within a methodological manner and hence
resolving any type of complexity in the business.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that business information
system comprises of several features and characteristics. A proper analysis as well as
organization of business related information with the incorporation of technology application.
The proper designing, building as well as evaluation of these business information systems is
required to make a subsequent change within the process. The above provided report has
clearly outlined a detailed description of paperless technology within the organization of
Liverpool Direct. This particular organization is a partnership within Liverpool City and BT
and they have decided to go paperless and the details has been described properly in this
report.

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References
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