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Overcoming Paperwork Bottlenecks
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Professional Service
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Human Resources
Use Cases
- Process Control & Optimization
- Regulatory Compliance Monitoring
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Grant Thornton, a rapidly growing professional services firm in Ireland, was facing inefficiencies due to paper-based processes that relied on printed forms, Excel spreadsheets, and intermittent email correspondence. The company was experiencing bottlenecks and general inefficiencies, particularly highlighted in their Job Appraisal process. At the end of a client assignment, trainees would fill in a form, print it off, and hand it over to their manager who would rate them on each task, before passing it over to an administrator to manually enter into an Excel spreadsheet. The firm’s attempts to integrate add-on applications to improve workflow with Microsoft SharePoint had been unsatisfactory.
About The Customer
Grant Thornton is one of Ireland’s fastest-growing professional services firms. The company prides itself on delivering a breadth of financial and business services to clients in an innovative way and to the highest standards. The firm is always interested in leveraging technology to solve problems and was looking at ways to improve internal processes between its seven Irish offices that employ around 1,400 people. The company had previously embraced Microsoft SharePoint as a way to better manage documents, but attempts to integrate add-on applications to improve workflow had been unsatisfactory.
The Solution
FlowForma Process Automation, a no-code solution that sits on top of SharePoint, was recommended to Grant Thornton. This solution replaces fragmented paper trails with an automated digital ‘flow’ to transform business processes. The company’s Job Appraisals paper trail was the first to be replaced by a single digital journey that seamlessly encompasses the trainees, managers, and administrators. The Client Acceptance process was also automated, integrating with a time and billing application to mitigate risks when onboarding new clients. Another flow is Data Access Requests, a timely solution for GDPR requirements that empower people to get a full disclosure of the personal information companies retain about them.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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