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Monday, December 15, 2014

Labor Saving of Mailing Work, the Backend for it

'Enhance the BPMS as backend!' (Business Process Management System)

What the hell is this? A spell or what?? Actually, this seems a 'remark not uncommon' for the people in IT industry. The point is, they are simply calling computers which are;
  • far side from human as 'Backend'
  • near side to human as 'Frontend'
among the IT system that consists of a lot of computers.

To be more specific, a mechanism (computer) which corresponds User Management, Database Management, File Management, etc. is called Backend, whereas PC applications or mobile applications are called Frontend. Recently, there exist terms of 'Backend as a Service' or 'mobile Backend as a Service', and focusing on 'Frontend development' for more convenience is becoming the trend.

However...

Here in this world where Information Communication has well evolved, humans are always on the network also. A mechanism of Backend is not always must be composed only with computers. Business process management (BPMS) is the back-end systems, including humans. (It would not be called a 'Cloud computing' anymore, though...)

For example, humans may be interposed in a 'Billing system'. Rather, it could be better for the improvement of deliverable's quality by human interposition... So, I tried to think about a Backend, which is 'Postal matter Shipping Request system'. In this Workflow, although the cover sheet will be automatically generated, enclosing and posting will be done by humans.

Hum, if adding APIs more to it, the more automated 'Backend-system' it might become...

[Postal Matter Sending system]

[Postal Matter Sending system: "1. Addressee Info + Sending Materials" screen]

First of all, 'Mailing of Documents' would be cumbersome for people who are not familiar doing it. It will begin with googling by the words of "cover sheet sample template". What a waste of your time! Using this 'Backend', even employees who are not familiar to mailing affairs could send them without mistakes and rudeness.

Also, only the enclosing stuff should know about the business manuals such as,
  • Quotations and Bill are sent in Trifold and by Standard post.
  • Catalogs and Brochures are sent in paperboard envelope.
  • Contract agreements are sent in paperboard envelope and by first-class mail with Signature confirmation.
There will be no need to write down the manual or to instruct to the entire company. Moreover, there will be advantage of
  • All the postal matter will be recorded.
  • The progression of the work will be visualized.

In addition, to add APIs to this 'Backend system', simply arrange an 'Auto-Start Event' as follows. This will allow to call from other Workflows, or from self-developed smartphone application.

[Postal Matter Sending system 2]

Furthermore, by adding APIs for Email-Start, you can let the draft of Postal request stand-by. This might expand the utilization, like directly flow a scanned image files that are sent as email attachments from the MFP, into the Postal Requesting system.

[Postal Matter Sending system 3]

By the way, there are also the terms of 'Front-Office / Back-Office' that are alike 'Frontend / Backend'. They refer to the sections of sales front line such as Sales personnel or Store, and the sections that support Sales, such as Accounting and G.A.. It will bring confusion if you mixed up 'IT system structure' and 'Organizational structure'.

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