Process Automation for a Government-Related Organization

Initial Situation

 

The client encountered various challenges stemming from manual workflows. For instance, in managing the employee life cycle (ELC), they used Excel spreadsheets to monitor details like job changes, new hires, employee resignations, and updates in personnel files. To share this information across teams, multiple spreadsheet copies were made, causing inefficiencies and confusion about process statuses and completed tasks. This lack of transparency made coordination and information sharing difficult for ELC employees.

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In addition to ELC challenges, requirements management for software application modifications or developments lacked a standardized approach and varied between projects. Extensive documentation and communication mainly relying on conversations or emails made it challenging to track changes and monitor progress.

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Moreover, communication with external partners was exclusively through email, prompting the need for a solution to automate data exchange and enhance data security.

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To tackle these issues, the customer opted for AgilePoint for process automation. Given that this technology was already integrated into the company's IT infrastructure, the client engaged 1stQuad to digitize and automate the processes. This strategic move aimed to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and enhance collaboration across various facets of the organization.

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Solution

 

1stQuad assisted the client in setting up workflows. We defined clear steps, approvals and conditions in these processes according to the company guidelines. Subsequently, these processes were smoothly integrated into the client's existing IT infrastructure.

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To make it easier for employees to access these processes, we developed a customized user interface based on SharePoint. As this platform was already familiar and established within the company, employees could easily use it to access and efficiently manage various processes. This created a central point of contact where all the necessary information and processes were available.

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Employee Life Cycle

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With AgilePoint, we've automated MLC management tasks that were previously tracked in Excel spreadsheets. This has led to more consistent data management and allows for real-time tracking of the status and progress of operations for both IT and employees. Here are some specific use cases:

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• Employee onboarding: Our refined process ensures that new hires are effortlessly integrated into all crucial systems well before their first day at work. They also receive a laptop, and their workstation is set up. In case of any issues, detailed logs are available for a quick analysis.

• Employee departure: When employees exit, their system access is promptly deactivated, and company property is retrieved.

• Workplace change: Employees can easily request a change in their workplace, and these requests are automatically sent to the relevant line managers and departments for approval. The changes can be tracked at any time. 

• Updating employee data: If employee data such as address, contact information, bank details or marriage status changes, they can make updates independently using the self-service procedure.

• Home office: Employees submit requests and receive the resources they need to work from home. When the home office period ends or the conditions change, AgilePoint also automates the process of ending the home office status.

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Managing Requirements

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When modifying an existing application or developing a new one, AgilePoint automates the whole process, covering application submission, approval, and document creation. This process, similar to a tender, follows this structure:

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1. Definition of requirements: Users specify if it's a new or existing project and assign an automatically generated project ID for unique identification. They then input information like responsible parties, current situation, desired outcome, risks, benefits, and deadlines.

2. Review: The requirements are shared with the entire project team.

3. Assessment: Once approved, Word or PDF documents are automatically generated and sent to suppliers. They can then submit assessments based on the requirements.

4. Documentation of proposed solutions: Towards the conclusion of this process, a document is generated summarizing all requirements and suggested solutions. It covers costs, risks, and other pertinent details. The entire project team goes through this document again to determine if the project is viable within the proposed budget.

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This approach ensures a standardized recording of requirements, making it easier to track processes, evaluate requirements, and compare projects more effectively.

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Communication With External Partners

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To enhance communication security and data exchange, we've integrated key partners into our system, mitigating the need for insecure email transmissions of sensitive data. Now, our customer employs a secure form accessed via a unique link rather than traditional email. This form empowers users to make inquiries, specify subjects, assign responsible teams, and articulate their concerns securely. Users can also attach files and pose questions, ensuring both security and encryption, with transmitted data uploaded and stored via SharePoint.

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This approach, besides enhancing security, yields additional advantages. Centralized management streamlines the retrieval of specific information, reducing the time spent on managing requests. Furthermore, the progress and current status of requests can be monitored at any time, a notable improvement from past processes. Access to this information extends beyond the individual processing the request to the entire team.

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Result

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With AgilePoint in place and the automation of manual tasks, the client has optimized their processes, ensuring strict adherence to company guidelines. This not only guarantees the timely availability of entries and information but also makes all processes transparent and traceable. Employees can now follow each step in real time.

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In the course of our collaboration, we extended AgilePoint's automation to various other processes, spanning finance, office organization, and visitor management.