Forum Bioscience Frees-Up Hundreds of Working Hours by Automating Document Processing
Forum Bioscience automates the processing of over 100,000 business documents every year with Version One's technology.
[UKPRwire, Mon Mar 19 2007] Forum Bioscience – a major supplier of pharmaceuticals, health products, food, animal feed ingredients and veterinary medicines - is automating its document management processes with the help of Version One’s ‘paperless office’ technology. Electronic form design, document delivery, archive and authorisation software tightly integrated into Forum’s JD Edwards World ERP system, is being rolled-out across the organisation from April 2007 to automate the processing of over 100,000 business documents every year.
With thousands of customers across such a wide range of industries, there are numerous requirements regarding the format and delivery of invoices, statements, delivery documents and product information such as certificates of analysis and material safety data sheets. Forum is spending over one hundred working hours each month manually fulfilling every customer’s needs. Increasingly, customers are requesting the entry of invoice data into online invoice processing systems, which is proving particularly time-consuming.
Using Version One’s technology integrated into World and linked to Forum’s bespoke Preference Look-up Database, identifying and then fulfilling each customer’s requirements will be automated, saving countless hours of staff time. With the new systems in place, the document type (invoice, sales confirmation etc.), recipient’s details and preferred methods of document delivery will be automatically identified. In line with customer requirements, the documents will then be instantly formatted and either printed-out ready for posting, automatically delivered by electronic mail/fax or configured ready for uploading to customers’ online systems.
Jason Riddle, Project Manager from Forum Bioscience, says “Version One’s systems, which are a class above other document management technologies we looked at, will totally revolutionise our business processes. At present all our document processing is done manually, which is time-consuming and costly. By automating our procedures, we will see a very fast return on our investment.”
The new Version One technology will allow credit controllers to e-mail or fax copy invoices and statements with just a couple of clicks of the mouse. It will also enable the quick and easy retrieval of documents by drilling down through the World ERP system or via a web browser, as well as the electronic authorisation of sales invoices, purchase invoices and purchase orders.
With the new Version One systems, documents will be automatically indexed and linked to both the appropriate record in the World system and all related documentation, dramatically speeding-up the time it takes to file and retrieve a document. Invoice and purchase order authorisation will also move from a manually-intensive process to an email-based approval system, improving authorisation efficiency and hence cashflow, whilst providing a comprehensive audit trail.
Riddle adds, “Version One’s solution is so simple to use and will be tightly integrated into our existing JD Edwards system so there is very little new technology for staff to learn. We also look forward to eliminating pre-printed stationery, which will save us over £10,000 per year, as well as significantly improving our document processing efficiency, more easily managing VAT inspections and reducing year end audit days. For such a moderate investment, the benefits of Version One’s technology are considerable and will make a dramatic impact across the entire organisation.”
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Notes to Editor
About Forum Bioscience www.forum.co.uk
Established in the 1981 and with a turnover of £120 million, Forum Bioscience comprises Britannia Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL), Britannia Health Products Ltd (BHP), Forum Products Ltd (FPL) and the holding company Forum Bioscience Holdings Ltd. Britannia Pharmaceuticals is a UK based pharmaceutical company specialising in Parkinson’s disease and opiate detoxification. Britannia Health Products Ltd. specialises in food supplements and sells though outlets such as Boots, Holland and Barrett as well as on-line. Forum Products Ltd. supplies ingredients to the pharmaceutical, human food and animal feed industries and also a range of veterinary medicines.
Forum Bioscience has its headquarters in the UK with satellite offices in Ireland, USA and India.
Customers include pharmacies, veterinary practices, farmers, hospitals and a vast range of animal feed, food and pharmaceutical manufacturers including major companies such as A.G. Barr and GlaxoSmithKline.
About Version One Limited www.versionone.co.uk
Version One Ltd is the author of electronic document management and imaging solutions. These solutions enable the automated electronic storage, retrieval, management, enhancement and delivery of business
documents such as invoices, purchase orders and statements. This 'paperless office' technology is seamlessly integrated into all major ERP and accounting systems and with a typical ROI of less than six months,
Version One's solutions are enabling thousands of organisations to save dramatic amounts of time and money.
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