Episode 564: Store Received FAX on Unlimited Cloud

Operation: Order processing by FAX

To receive orders by FAX, and handle it.

In this cloud era, "things natural for human to do" a decade ago are also objects of labor saving / unmanned.

Actually, since we started using cloud fax service (Internet FAX) "eFax", "paper" ceased to exist. Since the received file is also automatically linked to the cloud-based Workflow "Questetra BPM Suite", human processing such as "Confirmation of order contents" is also recorded properly on-line. (Simple email collaboration)

I won't look for a sheet of "paper" anymore. Business improvement has already been done greatly. But at the same time, I am feeling like I can make even more improvement.

Challenge: List viewing of FAX files

For example, as these "cloud computing" and "digitalization" progressed, I have unexpected trouble in responding to business audits. Of course, I can ask them to log in Workflow system and use its monitoring function and data reference function to see the data, but it takes time to get used to the operation since there are too many "unnecessary functions for them" in the Workflow system. (A lot of explanation is troublesome)

And from their lips, "a word that goes backwards against the time" pops out ..., "Please print the order form on paper and bind it." . . (Oh, my god!)

Can I make "a lot of order FAX files" into a form that makes it easy to see / to search for, somehow?

[Order FAX Handling]

Meaning of Automatic Starting of a 'Data Entry Flow', Triggered by Document Scanning

Speaking of 'Electronic Appliance that transmits emails', it is the 'Smart Thermo Pot' which appeared in 2001. (the method of communication is unusual, though.)

Electric kettle that casually watches over aged parents who are living away, is something of a popular product in Japan. Now, it has equipped 'Outing Button' in the latest model, the kettle will send emails everyday with 'the time that water is poured' and 'the time power is turned on', as well as 'the time of going out and coming back'. (By the way, the name of the kettle is 'iPot', but it is not a product of Apple.)

And in 2014, when you look around, you'll see many instruments that transmits email in reasonable price... (You can say various things are connected to the Internet.) Among them, scanners and web cameras can be said fairly mature "Data Input device". The price is around 30000 jpy. You might call them that business improvement tool which very high return on investment.

The following Business Process definition is an Aggregation flow for questionnaire on paper.

It is a mechanism that the collected paper questionnaire such as Customer Satisfaction Survey of franchise restaurant chain or Contractor questionnaire of life insurance, is captured with scanner at each store, then the texting work will be started at the headquarter. That is, the Workflow of the headquarter is Started triggered by the 'Email sent from the Scanner', the personnel put them into data manually by looking the scanned image (PDF, JPG) on the monitor screen. Above all, it is great for grasping the progress of data working in real time. Yet, aggregating of the performance of workers is easier.

In addition, this sample model is capable of 'Double data entry'. As a matter of course, utilization of telecommuters and BPO service should be considered, if it is a Cloud-based Workflow.

[Questionnaire Aggregation flow]

Fax Going Paperless ?!

Fax, in the first place, is " transmitted data" through telephone line. It is such a waste to print out received data. It will never be worthwhile to reconvert digitized data into analog. Why do I have to walk around the office with paper in my hand? It could be easier to pass out, even through Workflow if the data had left in digital as it was.

The following is a Business Process which receiving faxes on a Cloud-based service, circulating it through Cloud-based Workflow, and back up to Cloud-based storage in PDF format.
It will be backed up to "Google Drive", the Online storage, eventually. Automatically backed up for example, purchase orders from the customer to "Fax Order folder", quotations from suppliers to "Estimates of Purchase Fax" folder. All that Who, When, viewed which fax will be recorded.

[Circurating Online Fax flow]