Handling high-volume document production is no easy feat. Businesses in all industries are constantly processing a variety of documents: invoices, medical records, bank statements, insurance legal contracts, etc. With so much content to handle, businesses are always looking for a way to streamline the document creation process. In today’s blog post, you will learn about what document automation is, as well as the incredible benefits it provides.
Let’s begin!
For a business to have effective documentation, it must have the ability to create, store, manage, share, and access its documentation efficiently. Meeting all of these benchmarks is critical to satisfying customer demands, but it is very time- and resource-consuming. When businesses struggle to keep up with documentation demands, they turn to document automation.
What is Document Automation?
Document automation is a type of software designed to quickly produce large quantities of high-quality documents. The automation process includes generating content templates based on documents your business has already produced. The software extracts key information and data to create automated templates from your company’s previous documents. In turn, you can use these templates to develop news documents in a much shorter timeframe.
Automation also includes document assembly, which is the function of combining multiple documents into a single document collection. For example, a hiring package for new employees can be created with a welcome letter, application forms, tax and government forms, benefits and insurance, an employee handbook, and more. Document assembly streamlines information into more accessible and organized formats, boosting efficiency, clarity, and productivity.
Another part of document automation is workflow automation. Workflow automation is a series of automated steps and tasks relating to a business process. Collaboration is a key aspect of company function, but a poor organization can lead to catastrophe. Workflow automation enables multiple employees working on a single document to work together seamlessly. After each worker completes their assigned task, workflow automation pushes the document on to the next team member. The manager receives the document for final approval upon completion.
What are the Benefits of Document Automation?
Check out some of the benefits of document automation below!
- Collaboration – Team members can access and share documents anytime, anywhere, and on any device, while still avoiding miscommunication
- Compliance – Ensures all documents adhere to industry regulations, standards, and ethical practices
- Costs – Saves money on continuous document creation and processing, increasing profit margins
- Errors – Automation acts as another set of eyes, reducing the risk of human errors
- Privacy & Security – Passwords can be added to confidential documents to protect sensitive information from unauthorized users
- Productivity – Using accessible built-in templates to create accurate and consistent technical documentation in minutes enables your employees to concentrate on primary responsibilities instead of spending time and resources completing repetitive tasks.
How Can A Technical Writer Help?
A technical writer is a professional who specializes in the creation of high-quality documentation.The primary role of a technical writer is to communicate technical concepts and instructions to a specific target audience. Here are some of the common tasks and responsibilities of technical writers:
- Researching and gathering information from subject matter experts.
- Organizing and structuring complex technical information.
- Writing clear and concise documentation, including user manuals, installation guides, and release notes.
- Creating online help systems and knowledge bases.
- Collaborating with software developers, engineers, and other professionals to understand technical concepts.
- Conducting interviews and workshops to gather information.
- Reviewing and editing existing documentation for accuracy, clarity, and consistency.
- Ensuring documentation meets industry standards and regulatory requirements.
- Incorporating visuals, such as diagrams and screenshots, to enhance understanding.
- Maintaining and updating documentation as products or systems evolve.
When it comes to document automation, technical writers are proficient in how to operate this kind of high-quality software. They can greatly benefit this process through being efficient and consistent, collaborating with others, managing different versions and revisions of documents, customizing or personalizing documents for different product variations or audiences, and distributing and publishing documents in various formats.
Conclusion
With document automation, businesses can streamline the document creation process, making it easier to generate and process high volumes of technical documentation. By adopting automation practices, your business will see huge improvements in efficiency, productivity, accuracy, and savings.
How can EDC help?
EDC has a team of technical writers well-versed in a multitude of automation tools and platforms, ready to create effective documentation for the daily operations of your business. Hiring a technical writer will be the answer to solving any issues regarding document automation for your business.
Whether you need a team of consultants to produce a complete line of documentation or a single technical writer for a brief project, Essential Data’s Engagement Manager will lead the project from start to finish. We guarantee the quality of our work at Essential Data Corporation. Contact us today to get started. (800) 221-0093 or sales@edc.us
Written by Kimberly Jones