Selecting an automated data capture system that's right for you By Baxter Burton, Strategic Marketing Manager for Imaging Systems NCS If you're coming up with more questions than answers in the process of researching and selecting an automated data capture system for your organization, let me offer a straightforward and common sense approach that may make wading through the myriad of technologies, systems and suppliers easier. It's a three-step process based on 30 years experience providing and consulting on automated data capture solutions designed to help organizations improve how they process and store data captured from documents. The process encompasses three fundamental questions: 1) Why do I need an automated data capture system? Not every organization benefits in the same way and to the same extent by automating their data capture processes. Volume isn't the only consideration, therefore it's necessary to evaluate and document your needs. 2) How do I determine the right data capture system for my organization? With so many variables, such as software, recognition algorithms, and dozens of viable scanners, it's difficult to answer this question. Add the hundreds of dealers, VARs, system integrators, consultants and manufacturers who all claim to have the ideal system--and it's enough to send any data processing professional packing. The key is not to start with the technology, but rather an analysis of your needs. 3) Who is the best supplier/partner to meet my unique needs? Today, your options in this area include doing everything in-house, relying on a turnkey solution provider, or any combination in between. Business Need Start by fully determining why you need an automated data capture system. Organizations usually arrive at several common conclusions when justifiing systems. Most reasons center around achieving measurable business-related benefits associated with: * faster input and accessibility of information * increased accuracy * capacity to handle larger volumes of forms * greater amount of information to be captured * freedom from relying on temporary labor * lower labor costs * reduced risk of repetitive motion injuries * handling of peak processing periods * reduced handling or storage of paper. The most critical factor is control over the document. Specific applications that will benefit from an automated data capture system include a survey application that is cost-justifiable, an insurance system that enrolls participants quickly, or a payroll process that reduces overpayment errors. Warranty or product registration systems give you extensive data about who's buying your products, and an automated order entry system reduces order backlogs and speeds invoicing. In education, essay and fill-in responses are easily scored for testing and assessment. The list goes on. Several factors will help you determine whether your application is a good fit for an automated data capture system. They are: * control or influence over the form design * improved cash flow * effect on quality/customer service goals * support of a corporate/organizational strategy. The most critical factor is control over the document. No matter what type of technology you adopt, having to comply with a rigid form design can significantly compromise your accuracy and overall success. If you've resolved this issue, you're well on your way to being able to make an automated data capture system deliver the many benefits available. Determining the Right System Now you're ready to answer the second question: How do I determine the right data capture system for my organization? Begin by establishing the goals and objectives of the system, complete with measurable milestones and planned future enhancements. Define the critical success factors for the system, such as the labor saved, accuracy or volume improvements, backlog handling, archiving, space reduction, etc. Next, fully analyze the application you're automating in terms of the people completing the document and the document completion process itself. Ask: * who will complete the document?(customers/ employees)? * how motivated is the person to complete the document accurately and thoroughly? * what is the environment of the location where the document is being completed? * how much time will the person have to complete the document? * what impression do you want this person to have of the organization originating the document? * what character types (hand print, machine print, mark sense, barcodes) will best suit the person completing the document? The answer to these questions substantially impacts the system's accuracy. That's why I believe the major system elements begin with the form and the person completing it. (See diagram left). You may even want to conduct market/audience research via focus groups to ensure your perception of the form to be used is valid. A competent supplier/partner should be able to help you fully understand all the document's requirements, prior to even proposing a system or technology. From there, you'll need to study the application in terms of the information your organization needs--both today and in the future. A cross-functional team that includes MIS/system development staff, plus members from the department initiating the application, can identify these requirements and create ownership of the solution. Determine what information is needed, when, how, and why. Identify the volumes and capacities you need, considering peaks and deadlines. Don't make a decision based on simple statistics, such as feeds and speeds. Rather, consider document preparation, image quality/editing parameters, and archive/storage/retrieval demands. Take this opportunity to accomplish whatever application re-engineering is desired or warranted. Consider the trend toward electronic documents, as well as your future archive and storage needs. Other factors to keep in mind are mailroom/fax receipt, exception handling, editing, data perfection. Approach this analysis with a long-term view and look beyond your immediate needs to what your business will require years ahead, e.g., central processing vs. network vs. remote, or a combination thereof. You may want to consult with experts in this area. In general, the money and time you spend upfront to determine the best choice is returned many times over in terms of productivity gains, freeing management time, and focusing on what your organization does best: running a business. Once you've determined the type of system you need, go a step further and analyze the technology available. Again, the choices are vast. Deciding between the latest scanner, or the exact type of recognition required, should be easier now that you've nailed down your application and its requirements. Two areas that are critical are the programmable/ selectable image processing functions available, and the scalability or growth of the system. By programmable/selectable functions, I'm referring to: * image preparation that deskews the form, and goes on to remove unwanted marks plus undesirable form elements. Choose an automated data capture system that's designed for scalability in terms of function, location and volume. This allows you to select a standalone system, a network system, or a standalone system that migrates to a network. * a function that reconstructs characters to solve recognition problems associated with line-throughs and line touching. * character recognition algorithms that are selectable by application needs, such as hand print, machine print, mark sense, or barcodes--or any combination thereof. * contextual editing algorithms that assist in recognition and validation of user-defined data such as address, name, zip code, account number, Social Security number, etc. Choosing the Best Supplier Selecting the right supplier is the most important decision in this whole process. With the complexity of the imaging industry today, it's important to rank suppliers against several criteria. These include quality of reference accounts--preferably in your industry or similar to your organization in size and applications. These key criteria also include the vendor's longevity in the automated data capture business as well as capital resources--will they be around to provide ongoing product and system support? Full system support is another critical area, and one that is often minimized when shopping exclusively on price or the latest bells and whistles of a system. Make sure your supplier has the dedicated resources to analyze workflow, define applications, redesign forms, integrate the system with your current network, and install and maintain the system. Also consider your support needs in terms of geography. Suppliers with national or international support centers and staff should be at the top of your list if your system involves multiple sites or locations. Finally, validation/testing/pilot of the system is important, so choose a supplier that can see you through these processes. Look for a firm that is large enough to offer flexible options in this area. Smaller or new companies often fall short when it comes to providing parallel systems, phased-in systems, or service bureau back-up and support. NCS: Full Service Approach It's my hope that this process will help you in your search for an automated data capture system. At NCS, we take this full service approach with every customer to ensure they get the system they need. We apply more than three decades (34 years) of experience in automated data capture to solve customers' problems. We have the resources to help you comprehensively analyze your application and system need on a global basis. This approach has allowed us to help more than 40,000 customers worldwide adopt automated data capture systems--including documents, software, hardware, and support. Every business day, these systems process 3.5 million documents. As you proceed in your research, please consider the partners and tools you need to select and implement the right system. NCS' comprehensive Needs Analysis Workbook may be the best place to start, and it's available from an NCS representative by calling 1-800-347-7226. NCS is a $350 million company founded in 1962 for the purpose of providing solutions to automating the capture and processing of data from documents. It provides automated data capture systems, including the new Accra system, and services to business, government, health care, and education organizations. Baxter Burton is the strategic marketing manager for imaging systems at NCS (Minneapolis). Prior to working at NCS he was with Calera Recognition for five years as vice president of ma keting, and held various management positions at Recognition International for 23 years. IW Special Supplement, March 1996
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