It is no exaggeration to say that all business activities are carried out for the sake of "billing". However, the difficulty of its business process designing is high.

Speaking about "Quotation" (Previous article), it roughly would be 1) approval by supervisor, 2) submission to the client, 3) deal confirmation. In its designing,
  • "Expertise" such as tax and accounting
  • "Systems knowledge" such as data processing or collaboration with other systems
  • Devising of mutual supervision (internal control) such as separation of accounting bookkeeping from Receipts and expenditure
are not needed. ("Quotation Issuance flow" is Peaceful than I have imagined.)

Whereas, 'Billing' has its Downstream Steps such as "Bookkeeping of accounts receivable", "confirmation of payment", "storing as evidence". In fact, it varies according to the industry and the business formats of the company, or the accounting policies, or the deployed systems. Even for the starting point and the end point of the business process, state of "To-Be" is different depending on the companies.

The following Workflow is a Business Process that is focused on "After issuing the bill". Although it is the business process that is closed to the Accounting section, it is devised to "reduce the labor of inputting to the Accounting software / Cloud-accounting".

[Bill Issuance - Bookkeeping]

"I need to sell it, even discounting it!"

As a matter of course it depends on the industry, 'a quotation that is required to be approved' is often needed in the business scene. Sometimes numbers of Quotations which are different in 'Delivery deadline' or 'estimated price' are needed.

However, for the supervisor, he / she cannot approve on so many quotations that look alike so soon.
  • Is the 'Delivery Deadline' right?
  • Is the 'discounted price' fair?
  • Is the 'expiration of quotes' proper?

The job for approver is to make judgements comparing with others. (It is not a job to find a transcription error or typographical error.)

The following Quotation Approval flow is to generate Quotation PDF automatically after the quotation data have been approved. On the Step of approval judgement, the approver can concentrate on the job. For example, it is also easy to make a judgment by comparing with the past quotations that had been approved or rejected.

As a matter of course, quotation data will be accumulated beautifully, if the Quotation approval operation is processed along this Workflow. Along with, approved quotation PDF will also be accumulated. The knowledge of predecessor will be taken over. Isn't it wonderful?

[Quotation Approval flow]

Manuals, Press release, Website...

Translation job is born in various sections. Certainly, Outsourcing and Crowdsourcing could be the options for 'translation on common matters'. However, I would say, translation of sentences that are full of terminology should be done in-house. (Or else, you should concentrate on specific translation requestee.)

The following is a simple translating operation.

Notably, that it displays the sentences to be translated on the left side of 'two column layout', and the translation can be written in the Input field on the right side. Particularly for shorter manuscript, the translator will treat it quickly only with the Web browser. (The Spellchecker as browser plug-in would also be helpful.)

Also, it can be said it is very excellent that "the amount of work" (number of characters in the translation) is automatically measured, in addition to recording of basic Workflow information such as Who/ When.

[Translation flow]
'Red pen' is the best way to review a draft by your subordinate?

Indeed, I feel good in writing my comments freely after printing out the draft onto paper, like
  • This expression is unacceptable!
  • These sentences are hard to understand!!
  • More specifically about this!!!
In some cases, I would draw arrows or enclose the entire sentences... A red pen provides a good efficiency. (As long as paper can be handed, as I can supplement verbally, as it shouldn't be recorded...)

This 'function of a red pen'(?) probably corresponds to the "Review function" of a PC software. On "Microsoft Word", the reviewer writes in 'Track change' mode, and the drafter confirms in 'Show Markups' mode.

However, how do I do this on Web workflow?


The Workflow below represents "Reviewing on JavaScript". In this reviewing process, the manuscript to be reviewed is displayed on the left side of 'Two column layout', and on the right side, you can enter your comments into the input form.

Certainly, I can't help feeling 'this setting is too simple as a mechanism'. But, if you use it, you will find it is surprisingly convenient. First of all, it is wonderful that you can quickly handle the reviewing without even booting special software.

[Script Reviewing flow]