Media group Future has implemented a document management platform from Version One in an attempt to streamline its worldwide finance operations. It is hoped the two-phased implementation will be complete by March 2009.
The system will be integrated into the company’s Lawson accounting platform and Future hopes it will offer consistency of brand as well as cut costs and support the numerous document production and management needs at the company.
Sarah-Louise Howells, group finance systems development manager of Future, said: “Maintaining a consistent brand identity is imperative for a growing International business such as ours. As well as being cost-effective, Version One’s systems will protect our brand by standardising key business documents. Its flexibility will also ensure documents can be personalised and altered to meet local requirements if necessary, without detrimenting the brand.”
Version One’s proven ability to integrate with the Lawson accounting system was a key factor behind Future’s decision to select the platform.
Howells said: “Staff based at our USA and Australia sites were using disparate systems to create multiple versions of the same financial document which was costly, inefficient and created brand confusion.”
“We recognised that we needed a single company-wide document management solution that could seamlessly integrate into our Lawson accounting system, standardising the look of our financial documents and enabling them to be automatically routed around the business.”
Future will be using Version One’s electronic form design and automated document delivery systems. Users can now produce invoices, remittance advices, customer statements and send letters electronically from their desktop.
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Productivity should be improved as users will no longer be required to print documents and send them to the correct department. Instead, documents will be sent electronically. This will also reduce the costs associated with document management.
“By electronically circulating documents such as customer statements and remittance advices, Version One’s software will also help improve our customer service and relationships with suppliers. In addition, the system will free-up staff time, improve efficiency and by cutting paper-use, support our green agenda, which is key to us as a forward-thinking media group with magazines, websites and events running in several countries,” Howells said.
